Emergency updates
Helping animals in Haiti
An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale hit Haiti 15 kilometres from the capital Port-au-Prince on 12 January 2010 killing 250,000 people. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed and it was estimated that more than three million people were affected by the disaster.
A needs assessment carried out shortly after the earthquake revealed huge animal welfare needs in Haiti. As well as animals injured by the earthquake itself, the migration of people and their animals to rural areas raised concerns about the spread of diseases.
The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) was set up by WSPA and IFAW to alleviate animal suffering arising from the Haitian earthquake. A group of over 20 animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA, joined together to raise over $1 million. ARCH signed an agreement with the Haitian government to reach millions of animals in need across the entire country.
In early March 2010, RSPCA Chief Superintendent Kevin Degenhard took over as project manager for ARCH in Haiti for two months, working with the Haitian government and UN working groups. You can watch the film of Kevin working with the other members of the ARCH veterinary team to deliver aid to animals in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas below.
A short film about the work of the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) after the country's devastating earthquake in January 2010.
Final update
What we accomplished:
- Treated close to 68,000 animals including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, goats and sheep.
- Repaired veterinary infrastructure and supplies by helping rebuild the National Veterinary Laboratory, installing 12 solar-powered refrigeration units critical for animal vaccination storage, and training veterinarians to deal with disaster situations in the future.
- Promoted pet care and animal welfare education by launching a public awareness campaign about disaster preparedness and health issues related to their livestock and pets. We worked closely with MARNDR to include animal welfare in Haiti’s education curriculum for children ages 8-12.
- Protected the health of humans by vaccinating Haiti’s animal population against diseases like rabies and Newcastle’s disease, treating animals for parasites and preventing the outbreak of diarrhoea, which would exacerbate the cholera epidemic.
- Conducted a first animal population and attitudinal survey in Port-au-Prince gaining critical information on animal numbers, health-related data and human-animal interaction.
Thank you for your support
Thank you to everyone who donated to help animals in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.
Your generosity enabled us to send a package of equipment to the ARCH team in Haiti which included:
- dog catching and handling equipment
- dog leads and muzzles; cat baskets
- livestock handling equipment; pig handling boards
- work boots and safety equipment
- veterinary stethoscopes; and digital thermometers.
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