As Gulf Coast residents face the aftermath of the massive Hurricane Ike, animals face just as much bewilderment and peril as the humans they love, if not more. Animal rescue teams are performing land and water rescues, recovering companion animals who had to be left behind during evacuations, treating injured animals, running emergency shelters, and reuniting animals and their families.
As of September 15, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has been on the scene working to assist people and animals in need. In some cases, staff members are working 12-hour shifts, and sleeping in cots on the floor.
Two IFAW teams are facilitating emergency pet shelters in Austin and Beaumont, Texas, helping care for hundreds of animals. A third team has been working in the Lake Charles/Calcasieu Parish area to ensure the safety of stranded herds of horses and cattle, and to help save injured deer, opossums, and rabbits that were trapped at a wildlife rehabilitation station.
You can help. Donate $25 towards IFAW’s relief efforts and help provide a happy ending for some of the voiceless survivors of this natural disaster. Your purchase is tax-deductible in the U.S.A., and you will receive a receipt from GreaterGood.org for your taxes. 100% of this gift goes to IFAW as a grant from GreaterGood.org
(Thanks to Leslie Sanchez for the story tip via Twitter)