American Humane Association Awards Grant to Louisiana Animal Shelter to Help Animals Displaced After Hurricane Gustav

Denver (November 10, 2008)

Todd Simons (right) of the American Humane Association presents Susan Sampey of PAWS with a $5,000 check.

After Hurricane Gustav hit southern Louisiana in early September, Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) received 34 animals in need. To help PAWS deal with the expense of caring for the additional animals, the American Humane Association has awarded the organization an unexpected $5,000 grant.

American Humane surprised PAWS with the grant check at the “PAWS is the Cause” event, held Oct. 25 at the Gretna, La., Farmers Market, where kids and families had fun participating in costume contests, decorating pumpkins and checking out adoptable pets in need of homes. PAWS plans to use the grant money to provide heartworm treatment to the rescued animals.

Also at the event, American Humane’s 82-foot-long Red Star Animal Emergency Services™ Rescue Rig was open for free tours. The Rescue Rig has played an important role in rescuing animal victims of some of the nation’s largest disasters.

The Rescue Rig recently returned from Louisiana and Texas, where it was deployed for five weeks to support American Humane’s animal search-and-rescue and sheltering efforts after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Rescue Rig is the largest rescue vehicle in American Humane’s emergency response fleet. The specialized tractor-trailer is equipped with living accommodations for up to 12 volunteers, a command center with satellite uplink and downlink capability, full veterinary surgery capability, and rescue and assistance equipment for both urban and rural floodwater rescue situations.

Since its inception in 1916 as Red Star Animal Relief, American Humane’s Red Star Animal Emergency Services has responded to national and international disasters, rescuing thousands of animals. To learn more about American Humane’s Rescue Rig and recent disaster deployments, visit www.americanhumane.org/disaster.

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the only national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link® between violence to people and violence to animals, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane’s regional office in Los Angeles is the exclusive authority behind the “No Animals Were Harmed”® end-credit disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane’s office in Washington, D.C., is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. The American Humane® Certified™ farm animal program is the nation’s original independent certification and labeling program for humanely raised food (www.thehumanetouch.org). American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America’s “Best in America” Seal of Approval, has met the stringent standards for financial efficiency and accountability required by the American Institute of Philanthropy to qualify as a Top-Rated Charity, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent charity evaluator. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.

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