To celebrate its 100th anniversary of rescuing animals from war, hurricanes, floods and wildfires, the American Humane Association unveiled a gigantic gift.
A giant 50-foot-long animal rescue truck is dedicated to helping animals caught in natural disasters and manmade crises such as hoarding and cruelty cases. Funded by the Kirkpatrick Foundation, the William H. Donner Foundation and others, the rescue vehicle will be stationed in Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, debuting on May 20th – the anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that devastated the city of Moore in 2013. Following that disaster, American Humane Association’s Red Star® Rescue team deployed for a full month, helping to rescue, shelter, and care for hundreds of animals.
The new vehicle, which can carry lifesaving supplies and sheltering equipment for 100 animals, will be staffed with a licensed veterinarian. When deployed, American Humane Association’s disaster responders and members of its national corps of volunteers will travel to disaster zones and live in it as they rescue animals. When not deployed, the vehicle will be used for rescue in cruelty and hoarding cases, and as an important teaching tool to help first responders train and prepare for disaster situations.
“May marks 100 years since the creation of our legendary animal rescue program, which was born on the battlefield of World War I Europe when the U.S. Secretary of War asked us to save wounded war horses,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president of American Humane Association, in a press release. “During that terrible time, we rescued and cared for 68,000 horses a month and since then we have been part of virtually every major disaster response from Pearl Harbor to 9/11; Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina; the Mount St. Helen’s eruption; the Joplin, Missouri tornado; the Japanese and Haitian earthquakes; and Superstorm Sandy. Over just the past ten years American Humane Association has saved, helped and sheltered more than 80,000 animals.”
“During that terrible time, we rescued and cared for 68,000 horses a month and since then we have been part of virtually every major disaster response from Pearl Harbor to 9/11; Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina; the Mount St. Helen’s eruption; the Joplin, Missouri tornado; the Japanese and Haitian earthquakes; and Superstorm Sandy. Over just the past ten years American Humane Association has saved, helped and sheltered more than 80,000 animals.”
The American Humane Association is the country’s first national humane organization.
