Sergio Vasquez, our Veterinary Response Officer for Latin America shares his experience responding to animal needs in Nepal after two major earthquakes. “The rubble of homes and shelters is everywhere. In the capital city of Kathmandu, makeshift tents and shelters stand in for homes. The Nepalis were just beginning to rebuild their homes when a second earthquake caused more death and destruction. As you can imagine, the animals are in very poor condition as well. Hundreds of injured dogs were left behind by their owners, who had to evacuate in an effort to save their lives. The veterinary hospital in... Continue reading

In Sindupalchowk, we came across Moti, a five-year-old male dog. He was sitting in the shade of what used to be part of a roof. His owners were busy tossing rocks and pieces of wall out of their damaged but still standing home. The process of rebuilding for some is underway, while others are living under tarps, their former homes and animal shelters completely destroyed. They say they are unsure where to start but living exposed to the elements – fierce winds keep them up at night, while temperatures soar to 30 degrees in the day - is clearly taking... Continue reading

“The whole ground started trembling, the stones dropping one and other from the wall. I rushed downstairs to the ground and there I remembered my three buffaloes still inside the collapsing shed. I rushed to untie them but it was too late for Kali, the adult female buffalo, as the roof collapsed on her,” said Indra Bahadur Jyoti 50, recalling the moment the earthquake struck. Shiva Kumari Jyoti, 71, her son Indra and two of their buffaloes. They survived the earthquake but are living in temporary shelters. We treated the buffaloes pictured for skin infections and bruises. May 3, Sinduplachowk,... Continue reading

May 2, 2015 We’re in the Kavre district, a two-hour drive from Kathmandu. It is one of the worst affected areas identified by the Nepali government. Toppled homes and animal shelters are everywhere. People and animals are living in makeshift shelters and what were once beautiful mountain villages are now grim sites full of rubble. © World Animal Protection The roads are dusty and scored with deep cracks from the earthquake. Getting to the villages is not easy. The roads wind up and around endless mountains and are blocked by landslides, fallen trees and the remains of houses. The smell... Continue reading

Every public space – parks, the gold course, even the parking lot at my hotel is full with makeshift temporary shelters. The bright orange and blue tarps provided by aid agencies are their only respite from relentless and brutal sun. People have lost their homes or are too afraid to go back inside those that remain standing. Every day we feel multiple aftershocks and ever rising death tolls are reported in the media. This is a city gripped by fear and mourning. Like people, animals in Nepal are suffering, hungry and without homes. I’ve seen street dogs huddled together in... Continue reading

With today's news that the death toll from Nepal's earthquake passed 5000 people and the United Nations reporting 8 million affected, the true horror and scale of the disaster continues to grow. Our team arrived yesterday and have immediately begun a rapid relief operation to come to the aid of animals and the people who need them. Working alongside and complimenting the work of humanitarian organisations, we are ensuring that these less often considered but equally vulnerable victims get food, veterinary care and whatever else they may need in this terrible time. A dog lies in rubble four days after... Continue reading

A remarkable difference: sitting upright though still a long road ahead to recovery. © World Animal Protection The young female puppy I told you about last time made it through the night with the help and care of her owner and was sitting up when we arrived to check on her and give her more treatment. Though unsteady on her front legs, she was able to keep herself upright and we gave her medications to treat pneumonia as well as more glucose and water. It was such a relief to see her sitting upright and wagging her tail. She had... Continue reading

When we first saw her, she was in the words of our vet: “moments from death.” Little more than a skeleton, she lay in the grass at the side of a path, her tiny chest moving with each laboured breath. I’ve honestly never seen an animal that close to death and it was heartbreaking. Our vet Dr. Naritsorn Pholpherm immediately began palpating her body and trying to determine how to save her. He said she was severely dehydrated, malnourished and could not lift her head. Six months old and hours from death. A tiny puppy lies in the grass on... Continue reading

Two weeks after Cyclone Pam tore through Vanuatu, we’ve completed our initial assessment of the needs of animals affected by the disaster and we’ve been delivering urgent aid to those that are suffering. We’ve seen multiple animal injuries and deaths from falling trees and structures. Our vets have also treated pre-existing conditions made worse by the Category 5 storm. A chicken walks past a collapsed house in Lokopui, Epi Island, Vanuatu. But for the surviving animals, it’s the growing food shortage that poses the biggest threat across multiple islands reeling in the wake of the worst disaster of this kind... Continue reading

Some of the animals we've met so far on our disaster response operation following Cyclone Pam have really touched our hearts. At the Port Vila veterinary clinic we saw a beloved family dog with a broken pelvis sustained when record-breaking winds ripped through the capital. Despite his painful injuries, 'Teo', a seven-year old Bichon Frise is one of the lucky ones who found immediate aid in Dr. Karin O’Connor's clinic. Teo has been recovering since sustaining a broken pelvis when Cyclone Pam hit. © World Animal Protection An adorable little stray kitten somehow knew to turn up at the clinic... Continue reading

As we wrap up our third day in Vanuatu, we've moved through villages across Efate Island, where the capital Port Vila is located. Chickens seek whatever shade possible after the cyclone completely destroyed their coop. March 19, 2015 Efate Island. © World Animal Protection Along the way, we've treated and fed animals like dogs, goats and cats and are now heading for the Shepherd Islands to continue our aid delivery. These islands are listed by the Vanuatu government as among the most critically in need of aid and also have high animal populations. A four year old male ram suffering... Continue reading

Our disaster team arrives this evening in Port Vila and will get straight to work helping animals affected by Cyclone Pam. Aerial surveys of outlying islands depict entire communities wiped out, houses, farmlands and gardens partially or totally destroyed and damages reminiscent of that last seen in late 2013 when Typhoon Haiyan decimated parts of the Philippines. Residents had drawn large white "H's" on the ground or made them from mirrors, appealing for help the only way they can, as communications with many islands are still down. A dog lies among downed trees in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila. March 15,... Continue reading

When the Turrialba volcano suddenly came back to life in a cataclysmic eruption on March 12, our Costa Rican based disaster response team immediately reached out to Costa Rica's Animal Health Department to determine how animals were affected and their immediate needs. We were relieved to learn that civil defence are working to get cattle and other animals evacuated from the danger zone. One of the many animals affected by ash falls following the most recent eruption Turriabla is surrounded by farming communities, including one of the country’s most important dairy farmers. The eruption was so great, ash falls reached... Continue reading

Super Cyclone Pam dwarfs Vanuatu. With winds of up to 270 km/hr, the storm has devastated the country where a majority of the population's livelihood is dependent on subsistence farming. Image source: NASA Our disaster response team is on the way to Vanuatu to help animals who've been injured or left without shelter after the category five storm has left Vanuatu reeling. As the storm developed, we sent out emergency preparedness tips for animal owners to radio stations and newspapers across Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu and New Zealand. The storm is so big it has affected them all, with... Continue reading

I frequently hear the question, “Why do people stay?” Living in zones vulnerable to volcanoes, floods and other disasters, threats to their safety and livelihoods are an unwelcome and often unpredictable part of life. People and their animals live in risky areas the world over and Fogo Island communities are no different. A common link I have found when talking to them is it simply comes down to no other choice. People do not have the means, or the ability to relocate where they’ve often lived for generations. Traditional homes sometimes represent their spiritual connection to the land and the... Continue reading

Extremely young and elderly animals have little or no chance when disasters strike. They are frequnetly the first to succumb to illness or injuries; too slow to escape and often in fragile health to begin with. As we made our way around Fogo Island yesterday, we came across a mule whose owner Maria Andrar told us was well over twenty-five years old. Formerly her main source of transporting produce these two were now mostly “just friends”. Maria Andrar listens as Sergio Vasquez explains how we will treat 'Mule'. Two local government officials look on. Mosteiros, Fogo Island, Cabo Verde December... Continue reading

James Sawyer, our Director of Disaster Managment feeds a three-year-old dog named Russe. Cabo Monte, Fogo Island, Cabo Verde December 18, 2014. ©World Animal Protection Evacuated animals in disaster zones are often among the least considered, forgotten victims. Unless owners are prepared and have a plan, fast, unpredictable and terribly destructive disasters often leave them no choice to abandon or release their animals in the final moments of safety. Think for a moment about animals with no one particular owner. The friendly cat that hangs around the neighbourhood; the “community” dogs seen across the developing world. Eking out existence through... Continue reading

Inside the caldera of Volcan Pico do Fogo. The surrounding landscape was fertile famrland and home to thousands of animals and people. The eruption that began on November third has displaced them and obliterated two villages. ©World Animal Protection 2014 In the early morning hours of Sunday, November 23rd, 2014, Augusto Pires 60 and his son Augustino 30 were asleep. Their home and farm were located in the fertile plains within the caldera of Pico do Fogo, a large volcano in Cabo Verde. Suddenly, near 3 A.M. the volcano burst to life for the first time in nearly twenty years.... Continue reading

While our Asia-based disaster response team is now on the ground in the Philippines assessing the damage from Typhoon Hagupit, our Americas-based team is gearing up to deploy to Cabo Verde. Fogo Island, or "fire" island in Portuguese, has seen nearly constant volcanic eruptions from Pico do Fogo since November 23. This week, news reports describe "catastrophic" destruction. Fogo's eruption seen from space. image credit: NASA / public domain With an economy largely based on agriculture, this eruption - the first in nearly twenty years - has been particularly devastating as the lava flows have destroyed vast areas that include... Continue reading

A lucky survivor amidst a typhoon ravaged landscape. Animals are often forgotten victims of disasters. Where the need is greatest, we will be there. ©World Animal Protection/Ezra Acayan 2014 Our Bangkok-based disaster response team is headed to the Philippines to assess the impact and animal needs following Typhoon Hagupit lashing the Philippines over the weekend. We'll be working with local governments and veterinary associations to determine what the needs are and how best we can help. Our initial efforts will be centred in Albay, Legazspi and Masbate. I'll keep you updated as we learn more. I just wanted to let... Continue reading

While preliminary news reports suggest that human fatalities were low, Typhoon Hagupit is slowly making its way across The Philippines now. The Philippines regularly experiences floods and storm surges brought by typhoons. Filipinos go to great lengths to save their animals, sometimes putting themselves at risk to do so. © Ezra Acayan/World Animal Protection 2014 We're cautiously optimistic that the mass evacuations - among the largest ever in peacetime - have kept people safe. What we now want to determine is the impact the storm has had on the animals. While our Mayon response is focused chiefly on evacuating and... Continue reading

Another major typhoon is due to make landfall in the Philippines over the weekend. Typhoon Hagupit, known locally as Ruby, is set to cross a similar path to the devastating Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which leveled many communities in the Visayas Region last year, killing over 6,300 people and millions of animals. Hagupit's projected path. Graphic courtesy Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) A cat that survived Haiyan, Central Visayas, Philippines. November 2013. During and following disasters animals need the same things as people: shelter, clean water and food. ©World Animal Protection/Chester Baldicantos 2013 Today we have been sharing disaster preparedness advice... Continue reading

Cyclone Hudhud over India. October 12, 2014 credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration World Animal Protection was in Andhra Pradesh just a few weeks before Cyclone Hudhud wreaked havoc across the Indian state. We were working with villagers and government authorities conducting disaster response exercises and evacuation drills, helping them prepare their animals and themselves for the deadly impacts of storm surges and flooding. A farmer and his sheep on the way to a World Animal Protection disaster drill. Andra Pradesh. September 25, 2014. ©World Animal Protection 2014/CH Ravi Kumar Hudhud was one of the most destructive cyclones to hit... Continue reading

A few weeks ago, I posted about Mount Mayon, a volcano in the Philippines that was showing dangerous signs of increased activity. Dr. May Cristine Ablaneda. Vice president of PVMA Bicol region volunteered her time to help World Animal Protection keep the animals around Mount Mayon healthy and safe. October 30, 2014. ©World Animal Protection 2014 People and their animals evacuated to camps, and we were in touch with officials we first worked with around the same volcano in 2001 to check on the animal needs right away. Dr Naritsorn Pholperm inspects makeshift shelters in evacaution camps earlier this month.... Continue reading

We’re just back from Panay island in Central Visayas, Philippines where we completed the last phase of our nearly year long work following Typhoon Haiyan last November. North Cebu, November 2014. ©World Animal Protection 2013 You’ll remember the devastating stories from that time and thanks to you, we were able to help over 17,000 animals in the immediate aftermath. Disaster veterinarian Naritsorn Pholperm administers vaccinations to a cow. North Cebu, November 2013. ©World Animal Protection 2014 But the work did not stop there. Since then, we’ve equipped a mobile veterinary unit with bikes and motorcycles along with veterinary kits so... Continue reading