Animals get help in wake of terrorist attack

New York - Following the terrorist attack that struck our nationSept. 11, animal health organizations in the state of New York and aroundthe nation are lending many helping hands in the relief efforts.

Following are some organizations and their announced offerings:

-The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)has established a command center and pet rescue hotline in response to theaffected pets of the World Trade Center disaster.

The ASPCA command center at Houston Street and West Street at Pier 40 has a mobile veterinary medical unit, emergency medical supplies, pet carriers, pet food and a psychologist trained to help distressed pet owners. The command center is designed to assist pet owners with stranded pets and provide medical care to animals.

The hotline for ASPCA (212-876-7700 ext. 4PET) is open for people to call and report pets that are stranded in homes. The association is also compiling a database of information pertaining to the location of stranded pets.

-The AKC Canine Health Foundation has issued an immediate callfor help for pets that may be stranded in homes and apartments as a resultof the tragedies in New York and Washington.

The foundation is calling upon friends and neighbors of people who are lost or stranded in the tragedy to check on their pets to ensure they are fed and watered.

People should contact their veterinarians, local humane societies or rescue organizations for further assistance. Rescue organizations can be found on the American Kennel Club Web site, http://www.akc.org .

-Novartis Corp. has donated $3 million to the American Red Crossfor disaster relief efforts as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.The company is additionally donating supplies of Apligraf®, a skin replacementproduct for burn victims.

-New Jersey's Hudson County Animal League established an emergencynetwork. Find out more online at http://www.hcalnj.org or call (201) 437-1816.

-The New England Anti-Vivisection Society is providing suppliessuch as bedding, veterinary tape and pet wipes for rescue dogs, and socks,gloves and outerwear for human rescuers.

-Muttlucks Inc., Toronto, has mailed hundreds of pairs of paddeddog boots to New York police to protect the animals' paws. As the animalssearch through the debris, their paws can quickly become irritated by splinteredglass and other rubble, the company reports.

The boots look like socks but include padded soles to protect the paws and hook-and-loop fastening straps that fit around the ankles.

- PETsMART, Phoenix, is raising funds for emergency relief inNew York City and Washington, which will be donated to the American RedCross to use where needed.

Information about the efforts is available at all PETsMART stores.

Stores have been donating dog food and supplies such as bowls, paw protection, vitamins and ear and eye cleaners to local police canine units.

-The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has offered toassist pets whose owners were victims of the recent attacks or were strandedwhen their owners were evacuated.

The HSUS has offered assistance to the New York Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the New York State Veterinary Medical Association, the New Jersey Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Trenton and the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association. HSUS is coordinating with animal shelters, veterinary clinics and kennels in New York and New Jersey to provide rescue, care and housing for the animals.

Visit the Web site at http://www.hsus.org