 |
| Jeff Eyre, The HSUS |
Hurricane Dean destroyed parts of the Yucatan Peninsula
in Mexico. |
As America reflects on the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, The HSUS and Humane Society International are on the ground again, providing relief and assisting in recovery efforts for animals in Mexico, following Hurricane Dean.
While the resort area of Cancun was spared from the storm's fury on August 21, many coastal towns and villages in the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula sustained a great deal of damage following the Category 5 storm. Some were completely devastated.
Sanctuary in Shambles
Dr. Barry Kellogg, acting director of disaster services for The HSUS, describes one scene the team encountered:
Marco Benetiz, a veterinarian with an environmental organization called African safari, escorted us to a place in Chetumal called Jardin Zoologico Payo Obispo, where we met with some of the staff. They were led by Marisol Corro Albornoz, a young veterinarian that had been on the job for about a year. It is somewhere between a zoo and a sanctuary.
 |
| Jeff Eyre, The HSUS |
This jaguar came to the sanctuary after being used for tourist
photo opportunities and then released into the forest once she
was too big to be handled. |
Our hearts were broken very quickly. What had once been—I suspect—a very beautiful animal sanctuary for some 430 animals of all species (birds, jaguars, pumas, monkeys and so on) was totally devastated. All of the trees (and therefore canopy) were destroyed. It was very hot. No animals were lost, but many enclosures were damaged, and the fallen trees are preventing the animals from being taken out of lock-down.
The difficult part was when we met back in the clinic with Dr. Albornoz, and she showed us her supplies and medicines. They were in a black garbage bag and would have all fit in my computer bag. We then spent time sharing the materials and supplies that I had brought, and we promised to help her obtain more of the things that she needed. This lack of supplies wasn't storm-related—just what she is given to work with in general. In spite of the conditions, however, the animals were in very good shape. Nice coats and of good weight. They obviously are doing a good job with what they had to work with.
The HSUS, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the World Society for the Protection of Animals are all providing grants to Jardin Zoologico Payo Obispo to rebuild the facilities and increase the capacity of its veterinary clinic to handle the issues brought about by the storm.
Communities in Need
 |
| Jeff Eyre, The HSUS |
| Dr. Barry Kellogg gives water to dogs on the Yucatan coast. |
The team has visited a number of small communities that were directly in the path of the hurricane. While some suffered wind damage, others, like Mahahual—the largest town on the Xcalak peninsula and home to about 1,000 people—also experienced storm surges of more than 20 feet.
These areas are devastated, and animal needs range from setting up assistance to local veterinary treatment to wildlife concerns. HSI will continue working in the area, providing both short- and long-term assistance. HSI and The HSUS are providing support to a local animal organization for ongoing veterinary treatment and spay/neuter programs throughout the affected communities on the Peninsula.
The HSI and The HSUS team also visited Belize City to assess damage and meet with more HSI partner organizations.
