Typhoon Haiyan has had a disastrous effect on families’ dogs in the Philippines.
Humane Society International has been on the ground in some of the hardest-hit areas since shortly after the storm struck to provide basic survival and medical needs for animals as well as to reunite people with lost pets, Inga Gibson, Hawaii state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said Tuesday.
"A lot of the folks in Tacloban had to evacuate and leave pets behind," she said. "There have been some amazing stories, and the people there have just been so appreciative of our efforts."
Gibson, who heads to the Philippines next week to assist with response efforts, said strategic feeding and watering stations as well as mobile veterinary clinics are set up throughout the island of Leyte to hopefully combat nuisance or public health issues.
A staff of about 14 veterinarians and veterinary assistants has been performing vaccinations, deworming and wound care and providing basic needs such as food and water, she added. The society has been holding abandoned animals in emergency shelters or trans- ferring them to the island of Cebu, where many families were forced to evacuate.
Another issue that’s come to light is the destruction of ranch and farm facilities. While immediate response and recovery comprise most of the society’s current focus, Gibson said it plans to expand its well-being assessments to farmers and ranchers who have lost animals or have many in need of food and veterinary care.
Dr. Rey del Napoles, HSI’s lead veterinarian in the Typhoon Haiyan response, said in a post on the society’s website that many animals were left behind in cages or chained up in yards and are suffering from stress and skin diseases. In the first few days of deployment, doctors worked on animals on makeshift roadside tables, he said.
The society launched a hotline for people to report animals who needed escuing, and in the first 24 hours of operation received at least 30 calls.
"Sometimes pets are all the people have left," Gibson said. "They’ve lost their homes, business members, maybe family members. … (Getting their pets back) just means so much to them."
In one situation, del Napoles said a photographer shared a photo with Humane Society staff of a sign on top of a dog kennel that read "INT HUMANE SOCIETY PLEASE HELP ME, BUBBA." Del Napoles said the society miraculously located the man who wrote the sign and Bubba, his 6-month-old puppy, who was in need of food. The man told responders he read about the society during previous disasters and created the sign out of desperation without knowing whether it existed.
Gibson said it’s important to care for animals in times of despair not just for the sake of the animals, but for the sake of their owners.
"Human life and welfare is priority but we’ve learned in similar disasters that ‘animal issues are people issues,’" she said in an email. "By helping animals we are in fact helping people, especially when all one may have left is their pet — who provides so much comfort and companionship during such difficult times."
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ON THE NET:
» To learn more and/or donate, visit humanesociety.org.
| WHERE TO DONATE CASH AND SUPPLIES FOR PHILIPPINE RELIEF
Here’s a list of fundraising drives, events and related services in Hawaii tied to Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts:
» City Council member Joey Manahan, St. Anthony Church in Kalihi, Kokua Kalihi Valley, the Philippine Red Cross and LBC Remittance are setting up drop-off centers for donations other than cash. Give goods, blankets, toiletries, towels, socks, light jackets and rice until Saturday. All goods will be shipped to relief centers in Tacloban courtesy of LBC Remittance Foundation.
» May Mizuno, wife of state Rep. John Mizuno, and the Congress of Visayan Organizations in collaboration with the Filipino Community Center, Kokua Philippines and the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii will hold "Kokua for Philippines: A Night of Hope Concert," 5:30 p.m. Sunday in McKinley High School’s auditorium.
»G.K. Skaggs joins Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii, San Miguel Brewery/Foundation and the Philippine consul general of Hawaii to collect emergency supplies. Donation sites: Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii Express, Dole Cannery Square, Suite 175, 501 Alakawa St., starting Monday and continuing 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays; Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii, 94-501 Kau St., Waipahu, starting Monday and continuing 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays; E Komo Mai Lounge, 340 Kuawa St., Hilo, 3 p.m. to closing; Hilo Burger Joint, 776 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, 11 a.m. to closing; and 100% Moxie, 318 Kinoole St, Suite 2, Hilo, 11 a.m. to closing.
» Panda Restaurant Group Inc. will collect donations at each of its 1,650 Panda Express, Panda Inn and Hibachi-San locations. Panda will match all donations collected until Wednesday.
» Verizon Wireless is waiving charges on long-distance calls and text/multimedia messages to the Philippines through Dec. 7 for its monthly service customers. Also, make a $10 donation by text to these organizations: Text RELIEF to 25383 to give to Catholic Relief Services; AID to 80077 for Hope Worldwide; AID to 50555 for Operation USA; DONATE to 20222 for Save the Children; RELIEF to 864233 kfor UNICEF; AID to 27722 for World Food Program USA; and HOPE to 777444 for World Vision. Text-messaging fees will be waived, and 100 percent of each donation goes to the nonprofit.
» "Kokua for the Philippines," a Hawaii-based radio, television and Internet benefit concert, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 15. The event by Clear Channel Media, Entertainment Hawaii and Oceanic Time Warner Cable will take place on the Great Lawn at Hilton Hawaiian Village and be broadcast live on radio and television stations and via the Internet. Proceeds from a phone bank and on-site gifts will be donated to the American Red Cross. Gifts designated to other nonprofits also will be accepted. Tickets are $20 at www.honoluluboxoffice.com. Visit www.kokuaforthephilippines.com.
» Send a check payable to American Red Cross, indicating on the memo line "Philippine Typhoon" or "Pacific Typhoon" (affecting Vietnam, Philippines, etc.), to Hawaii Red Cross, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu HI 96816; go to redcross.org or call 800-REDCROSS.
» Aloha for Philippines shirts and hats are sold at Butigroove, 500 Piikoi St., or online at www.alohaplate.com or www.alohaforphilippines.com. Proceeds go to the Filipino Community Center’s relief efforts.
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Star-Advertiser staff
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