Emergency response

When disaster strikes the first priority is obviously to help the people affected but it is also important to provide support for the animals that they live with and depend on.

People all over the world depend on animals for companionship, security, farming, transport, food and trade. Sometimes animals are their entire livelihood.
 

How does RSPCA International help?

Natural disasters

Earthquake - Haiti

In January an earthquake in Haiti caused untold devastation and suffering. A number  of animal welfare organisations, including   the RSPCA, joined together to provide relief for animals affected by the earthquake. The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) is operating a mobile veterinary clinic, visiting refugee 'tent cities', training Haitian veterinarians and veterinary health workers, helping to restore the country's vaccination programme and assisting the government in protecting animals and people from disease outbreaks.

RSPCA staff travelled to Haiti to help manage the project and to provide training to Haitian staff. Find out more about the RSPCA's work in Haiti.

Cyclone – Myanmar
Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar in May 2008. Over 100,000 people were killed or injured and the United Nations estimated that 2.4 million survivors were affected. Over 50 per cent of livestock in the worst hit area were killed.

The remaining animals were essential to rebuilding people's lives, for example, buffalo drawn ploughs were used to re-plant essential rice crops. We provided funding for emergency fodder and veterinary medicines, distributed as part of a multi-agency emergency relief programme which provided feed for over 12,000 buffalo, veterinary treatments for over 500 animals, and vaccinations against disease for over 3,700 animals. 

Flooding – Bolivia
Flooding and landslides in 2007 resulted in the deaths and displacement of thousands of people and their animals. We provided support by funding an emergency veterinary clinic at an Oxfam camp for displaced people staffed by vets from a Bolivian animal welfare organisation, Animales SOS. Treatment was provided to prevent the spread of disease between animals and humans. More than 5,500 animals were treated over a 10-week period.

Bush fires – South Africa
When devastating fires raged through parts of South Africa in 2007, we funded rescue teams from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, South Africa (NSPCA) to visit farms and rural settlements to treat injured and dying animals. 

Man-made disasters

Animals may also be caught up in man-made disasters and we work to help injured individuals and to minimise the impact on wild populations. Oiled birds are rehabilitated at our wildlife centres in the UK and we serve as an international oil spill responder.

We need your help

RSPCA International wouldn’t be able to carry out these emergency responses without your support.

Donate online now.

Or send a cheque payable to 'RSPCA Overseas Fund' to:

External Affairs Department
RSPCA International
Wilberforce Way
Southwater
Horsham
West Sussex
RH13 9RS 

If you would like your donation to be used exclusively to aid recovery in Haiti please remember to write 'Haiti' on the back of your cheque.