Help Pets and People Affected by Sandy

We want to wish everyone affected by Sandy the best, speediest recovery. We are saddened to see the amount of flooding and destruction it caused, and heartbroken that anyone has died. Even one gone is too much. Our hearts are also aching for the animals that undoubtedly have had a very difficult time. We wonder how the stray dogs, cats, birds and wildlife have fared; in emergencies animals can sometimes be left by the wayside. There are ways to help both humans and their co-inhabitants. If you’re interested in donating or helping in any way, read on and click on the links below. Thank you!

1. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): The HSUS’s Red Star Animal Emergency Services team is mobilized and helping. Follow them on Twitter (@humanesociety), and use #sandypets, to keep up to date on pet friendly shelters, news, tips… or donate online.

2. The American Humane Association has teams working to save the lives of animals caught in the storm, as well.

Each city that has been struck has a humane society no doubt in need of funds and volunteers. Click on the cities below to reach their websites and addresses. If you’re in the area and can, please volunteer! For example, if you live in Baltimore, you can donate to the Baltimore Humane Society. Massachusetts has its  State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team (SMART) out helping animals in need. They, too, could use donations.

The Red Cross cancelled about 300 blood drives because of the storm and now supplies are running low. Visit RedCrossBlood.org or call  1-800-RED-CROSS to schedule a donation appointment in your area. You can also choose to give food and shelter through the Red Cross and Salvation Army, who are providing emergency shelter and meals for evacuees. AmeriCares, Direct Relief International andFeeding America are providing food, important medical supplies and emergency kits for people in need.

If you’re in the area, you can join in the cleanup. Team Rubicon has dispatched veteran field teams to start working right away and Samaritan’s Purse is looking for volunteers to help to rebuild after the storm passes.

Help Haiti and Cuba; they really need it, too.  Hurricane Sandy took a deadly toll on the Caribbean before it hit the United States. Operation USA and the International Medical Corps are helping people affected by Sandy outside the U.S.

Stay informed, and be prepared for the next one by following our hurricane preparedness tips. For more ways to help, visit Impact Your World.