WASHINGTON— Over $4 million in grants were awarded in December to Gulf coast animal welfare organizations by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The grants were distributed to groups directly affected by Hurricane Katrina and will provide for their ongoing operations and building restoration. These direct grants complement the millions of dollars in financial and other resources already provided by The HSUS for rescue, relief, sheltering operations, and reunion efforts conducted since the disaster struck.
The HSUS awarded $3.65 million to the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA SPCA)– the largest ever gift given by The HSUS. Of the total amount, $1.65 million will be used to conduct operations and to equip and restore a temporary facility in the Algiers section of New Orleans, and $2 million will be set aside for the construction of a new shelter. The LA SPCA’s shelter was destroyed by Katrina, and it cannot be restored.
The HSUS also focused its attention on Mississippi. A $665,000 grant was awarded to the Humane Society of South Mississippi (HSSM), whose Gulfport facility was ruined by Hurricane Katrina. Of the total amount, $500,000 is granted for capital reconstruction. The remainder will support shelter reconstruction, the purchase of a vehicle, and the salary expenses for three years for a director of operations.
Other groups receiving grants from The HSUS include:
The Wildlife Rehabilitation and Nature Preserve, in Long Beach, Miss.;
Animal Aid for the Vermillion Area in Abbeville, La.;
Plaquemines Parish Animal Control in Belle Chasse, La.;
Heckhaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Lake Charles, La.;
Calcasieu Parish Animal Services in Lake Charles, La.;
St. Charles Humane Society in Luling, La;
St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter in Chalmette, La.;
Lafayette Animal Control in Lafayette, La.;
Washington Parish Humane Society in Bogalusa, La.
Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO, announced the grants after four months of close cooperation between The HSUS and the animal rescue organizations in the Gulf region.
“Rescuing stranded animals and providing for their care was the most visible portion of our disaster response program,” said Pacelle. “But we knew all along that the road to recovery requires rebuilding the capacity of local organizations to provide basic services for the communities affected by Katrina. We intend to help rebuild the humane infrastructure on the Gulf Coast and make it stronger than it was before the storms hit.”
The HSUS is continuing with field operations to trap stray animals, and we are considering support for spay-neuter clinics on the Gulf Coast. The HSUS is also pushing bipartisan legislation in Congress to compel state and local governments to consider better planning for animals in disasters.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization representing more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at
www.hsus.org.
