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Support our efforts to help animal victims of Typhoons Ketsana and Parma and other disasters by donating to our International Disaster Fund. |
On September 26, 2009, Typhoon Ketsana struck the Philippines, followed just days later by Typhoon Parma. HSI sent funds to help purchase rescue and sheltering equipment, and our disaster response team headed for the area to join on-the-ground efforts to save animals affected by the storms and floodwaters.
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Slideshow: HSI Responds
October 23, 2009
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Answering questions. © CARA |
One of the key roles of HSI disaster field teams is to provide assistance to local groups on the ground and to improve their ability to cope with chaos and devastation. In the Philippines, HSI joined forces with the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC) and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). HSI supported expanding these groups’ capacity through education, training and shared field experience. When HSI departed after our initial response to the typhoons, AWC and PAWS successfully continued their efforts providing rescue and relief to animals and pet owners.
AWC member group Compassion And Responsibility for Animals (CARA) went twice to Montalban, where their presence was announced and their veterinary team was staged on the local basketball court. People were encouraged to bring their dogs and on the first day, CARA administered 159 rabies vaccines along with any needed medical treatment, in addition to distributing dog food and humane collars with leashes. The team also spent some time walking the streets, handing out cat food.
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Waiting for aid and information. © CARA |
A CARA responder said of the second time they returned to Montalban: “The sheer volume of people with animals in that area is astounding; we cared for nearly 500 animals just in one morning. We did approx 460 anti-rabies inoculations, gave out well over 300 bags of food, and treated at least 50 medical cases. They just kept coming and coming. At one point, looking at the registration line, I thought it would never go down. This time it wasn’t just dogs; they came with cats as well.”
CARA also twice visited a place called De La Costa, doing door-to-door visits in the rain, carrying supplies to those living in still-submerged houses.
Meanwhile, AWC, PAWS and the Network for Animals (NFA) also continued the strategy put in place with HSI’s guidance.
In the coastal city of Dagupan and neighboring town of Calasiao, the groups spent four days distributing more than 500 rabies vaccines and nearly 100 bags of dog food. People brought cats and even some goats out to the team. A veterinarian with AWC said: “As expected, there were several households with more than two dogs in their care. Puppies arrived endlessly to be de-wormed and for vitamin injections. Some areas that we went to had never been covered by the local government for rabies eradication. Worse, they did not have Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs in place. I just hope that we can strengthen our local groups’ capacity to respond to disasters in the future.”
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Obtaining help for a friend. © CARA |
A PAWS facility remains the emergency sheltering and evacuation center for pets of displaced families. In addition, PAWS continues weekly relief operations in Laguna and Pangasinan, distributing supplies for animals and their owners. They have fed nearly 3,000 animals, including dogs, cats, cows, pigs and chickens. They have provided veterinary care and treatment for 154 animals and rescued 26. In addition to the newly rescued animals, they are temporarily housing 25 pets whose owners have lost their homes.
In the future, CARA wishes to make presentations at the basketball court about responsible pet ownership and dog handling. Discussions of sterilization clinics have been well-received; however, many more resources are needed.
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Two in need. © CARA |
AWC will be working with the local government on a disaster preparedness program, based on the reports of the groups mentioned. HSI held training sessions with these same groups in Manila during the fall of 2008, where topics included animal handling, spay techniques, and disaster preparedness. That training helped them immensely in the current situation, which is exactly why HSI strives to equip through education.
As a member of our response team writes, “Please continue supporting these emergency operations and post-disaster response. Our crucial efforts involve vaccination, de-worming, teaching humane confinement, and general veterinary care, most of which address serious public health concerns for people as well as animal welfare issues following a catastrophe. Thank you for continuing to make it possible for us to give aid to animals and human survivors after disaster strikes.”
October 9, 2009
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Happy to see us. © HSI |
Out in a new area on the last day of their trip, the team got stuck in one location as people kept bringing their dogs to be vaccinated. After being treated, one of the last dogs out of 25 or so had apparently had enough because she walked calmly to the edge of the roof and jumped right into the floodway. This caused her very loving owner to run down some stairs to rescue his dog, smiling all the way. Fortunately, the dog immediately began swimming back to her owner and he was able to recapture her.
Late in the afternoon, the team noticed what looked like a dog in the corner of a flooded but empty lot among some random debris. A closer inspection revealed the most pathetic mutt any of them had seen so far.
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Trapping the miserable pup for his own good. © HSI |
The poor mangy animal was laying on a piece of thick netting suspended just above the water and didn’t even have a solid surface to stand upon. The wall around the dog was covered in broken glass and strands of barbed wire, making rescue of the dog nearly impossible. Also, the dog was very fearful and gnashed his teeth at the slightest sign of approach. Clearly the dog was exhausted and at the end of his strength. He had stopped in several inches of water and sat stooped and shaking violently. The team then decided they had to catch this dog by any means necessary. Finally, they managed to trap him against a wall using two boats and grab him. He clearly had not eaten for days. Our staff administered vaccination, vitamins, and medication.
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People kept bringing their dogs. © HSI |
The next stop was a warehouse housing nine adult dogs and the team decided to try to convince the proprietors to take in one more dog. The people were very grateful for the vaccinations and food our group brought, and more than happy to take in one more little terrified dog. The team released the dog and watched him cautiously approach a can of food and eat every last bite. Our response team felt good knowing they had made a difference to that dog, and to all of the people and animals they had encountered during their trip.
The expectation is apparently that the area will remain flooded until at least the end of December. In their time there, our staff, local partners and volunteers managed to feed and vaccinate hundreds of dogs and collect at least 20 samples, which should help paint at least a basic picture of what is going on with the animals exposed to stress and flood conditions.
October 8, 2009
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Feeling better thanks to food and medicine. © HSI |
As the team set out today, it was dark, gloomy and drizzling. One of our staff returned to the neighborhood previously visited, while the others went off in new directions. The team planned to collect blood and skin samples, along with flood water, for analysis to try to discern what specific diseases and other risks they might have to deal with.
The first stop was to visit the woman with eight dogs and 20 puppies. The team was happy to see the dogs in much better condition; one dog who had been treated for an injury was already putting weight on her wounded leg. The animals were wagging their tails and the owner was extremely grateful and welcoming.
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People handed over their animals for examination by the team. © HSI |
Several more door-to-door visits to previously treated dogs led to the collection of 16 samples for analysis.
Meanwhile, our staff discovered two new areas with at least 200 animals in need of similar attention. Assurances were given to the pet owners that the team would return the next day with food, leashes and to offer medical attention.
HSI's Rahul Sehgal said:
“It was great to see all the dogs in brand new ‘humane’ leashes and it seemed to us that the fact that the owners had to lift their dogs and bring them for vaccinations reconnected them to their animals in this difficult time when their human family was the primary area of attention. We saw a lot of the dogs tied in better locations than on the first day and some of them even let loose to run on the limited piece of ‘real estate’ (roof, ledge, whatever was not submerged!) upon our request to let them exercise for some time during the day.”
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Animals took refuge from the water wherever they could. © HSI |
The team had a bit of an adventure when they were informed of the presence of a large snake in someone’s house/shop. On reaching the spot, they entered the dwelling, carefully, one at a time as there was not a lot of room left unflooded—an example of how difficult the situation was for people and yet they refused to give up on their animals. Upon careful examination, the team could not locate the snake but did find a large chunk of snakeskin which was proof that the villagers were living with a potentially big stranded snake in their house and were at risk. HSI left contact details and asked the homeowners to call the moment they saw the snake so the team could trap and relocate it to some place safe.
The day ended with a family surrendering a puppy in critical condition, realizing that he might not survive if they kept him with them under the circumstances and trusting our people to do the best they could for him.
October 6, 2009
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Floating from house to house, offering help. © John Peaveler |
Planning a return to the community where they had done reconnaissance the day before, the team loaded pet food into Ziploc bags for distribution, gathered medical supplies, organized the boats, vehicles, translators and veterinarians, and set off on the hour-long boat ride to the village. Accompanied by their local friend and guide, they wound their way through flooded streets on makeshift rafts of wood and sheet metal.
On arrival, the team immediately checked on the woman with eight adult dogs and 20 puppies. All of the dogs had skin conditions, and many had flood-related injuries and wounds from fighting. The team provided dry cages for the nursing moms and their puppies, as well as dog food and cleaning supplies to reduce the spread of disease. The woman had one kitten who had been pulled from the water the night before, plus another sickly kitten who was rehydrated and given a vitamin to boost her immune system.
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Tiny kitty watching curiously. © John Peaveler |
As the convoy of HSI boats proceeded down the streets, people held up their animals to indicate that they needed assistance. Fighting to keep their pets out of the water, they carried them out in rubber tubs, clasped in their arms, or held over their heads. Even though medical care and supplies for humans were scarce, people were happy to know that their pets would be cared for. The fact that a team had come from around the world was testament that their animals were not simply possessions, but valued family members. The HSI team moved door-to-door, vaccinating and providing care for the pets and discussing public health issues with the owners. The community constantly reaffirmed their love for their pets, welcoming the team’s care and attention.
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An unexpected rescuee. © John Peaveler |
Although the focus was on companion animals, one never knows what the day will bring. Among the rubbish and filth, HSI staff spotted a giant toad, partially submerged with a string tied around his middle. They gently pulled the toad out of the water, carefully removed the string and released him.
October 5, 2009
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Grateful for food. © John Peaveler |
As planned, the team traveled north to a shelter rumored to have been badly damaged. Fortunately, when they arrived, they found the situation better than they had feared. The facility housed more than 400 dogs, all from dog meat trade seizures. The team took time to discuss improvements and ideas for adoption and education programs before moving on.
Next, one of the team’s local contacts put them in touch with a friend who was doing her best to get help for animals in her village. Traveling there, our group found their hearts melted by the people’s concern and compassion for their animals despite their own hardships.
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HSI staff with one little rescuee. © John Peaveler |
HSI’s Kelly Coladarci describes the scene:
“As we moved down the flooded street, flanked on both sides by all manner of improvised boats and rafts, we were constantly hailed by happy Filipinos wanting to say hello, ask our names, and get their pictures taken. We slowly made our way from house to house, animal to animal, assessing the needs of each animal and asking people what animal related aid would help them the most. Our guide [the woman who had called for our help] was very knowledgeable about the area and was able to speak freely with everyone we met, while our local partner explained some of the technical details about why our work was important for each animal owner.”
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People and their pets floated by on makeshift rafts. © John Peaveler |
Eventually, the team found their way to an area with a large number of animals, many of them being cared for by the local community. On one roof, at least seven dogs were living communally with several cats, in a strangely tolerant state of affairs for semi-feral creatures. The disaster responders had brought cans of food, and they left some here, as well as at a nearby minibus where several dogs were hiding out.
Finally, our group visited one woman who was keeping eight adult dogs, three of whom were mothers nursing a total of 20 puppies. Three were injured, and disease prevention was a concern for all. The team plans to return later to follow up with supplies and veterinary care.
The plan next is to acquire rabies vaccine, food packs, medications, and other aid materials, as well as official permission to continue our operations unmolested.
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Our team saw many dogs on leashes outside houses. © John Peaveler |
October 3, 2009
Days after Typhoon Ketsana devastated the Philippines, the country was hit again by Typhoon Parma.
In between the two storms, HSI’s disaster response team made their way to the scene, linking up with representatives from other animal protection organizations to form a coordinated effort on the ground.
A meeting was held, and an action plan formulated. The area east of Manila was reported to be seriously affected, with high water levels. After speaking with a Philippine army colonel at his command station, our team was permitted to join efforts with the local Red Cross and kayak crew. Escorted by the military, riding in a military truck with kayaks on top, they drove through floodwaters up to two meters high for several miles.
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With the rescued stray. © John Peaveler |
The team spotted few animals outside of homes within the flood zones, and nearly all were seen with people, under dwellings or on leashes. On the way back to base, the rescuers came across a dog stranded on a dirt pile in a neighborhood who, when approached, began to swim up the street. After verifying that the dog did not belong in the area, they took the dog back to the shelter run by HSI’s local partner, PAWS.
The intent next is to head north to assess more remote agricultural areas. It is feared that many farm animals may have been left behind by evacuees or neglected in the chaos of the flooding. No animal rescue group has yet assessed or visited this area after the storms. Transportation to and in the flood zones is the biggest obstacle. Our team will do what they can to help any farm and companion animals they find.
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Carried to safety. © Rich Ilustre |
September 30, 2009
On Saturday, September 26, 2009, Typhoon Ketsana slammed into the Philippines, leaving in its wake raging waters, terrible flooding, and deadly mudslides. The human death toll continues to rise; what remains unknown is the number of animal victims who were taken by or left suffering as a result of the disaster.
Word spread quickly to HSI of people and their pets stuck on the top floors of their homes or, in some cases, on their rooftops. One report came in that a volunteer with a local animal protection organization had 52 cats and eight dogs with her on the second floor of her house, all awaiting rescue. Debris blocking the way and a lack of vital equipment such as boats and helicopters have left people and their animals stranded and in dire need of help.
At the request of our two Animal Advocate partners in the Philippines, the Animal Welfare Coalition and Philippines Animal Welfare Society, HSI is sending in an expert team to lead a disaster response focused on animals. We will assist in creating emergency sheltering operations for the temporary care of animals. We will provide food and water to any animals we find but are unable to capture. Most importantly, we will rescue and care for those pets stuck in their homes alone with no way out.
