The International Fund for Animal Welfare arrived yesterday in Tacloban, the community in the Philippines hardest hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan to deliver animal relief packets for farm animals and pets.
The trained responders are working with local partner agency, the Philippines Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to mobilize in the field and conduct an immediate animal needs assessment.
“The Philippines is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Many of the grief-stricken communities live with farm and companion animals and have no way to provide for them now,” said Shannon Walajtys, IFAW Manager for Disasters. “IFAW is here working with our trusted partner PAWS to offer relief to humans and their animals in this their greatest time of need.”
The Humane Society International has been active in the country since 2008 and their disaster relief team including three veterinarians and two technical staff is in Leyte and Tacloban City surveying the damage and coordinating with local governments to clean up and organize relief. You can donate to the Humane Society relief effort here.
According to the latest numbers on file from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) in the Philippines, there is an annual production of roughly 2,665 heads of cattle, 9,669 carabao, 107,367 hogs, and 1,401 goats among other farm animals in the affected Eastern Visayas. There are still no reliable estimates of the number of farm animals, companion animals or wildlife affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan.