SEATTLE—
Three weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, thousands of lives still hang in the balance. We're not just talking about the people trying to survive, but the animals in that country, too. Rescue veterinarians say they need your help, and one local business is reaching out to answer that call.Rescuing the animals of Haiti is a story that's been largely overlooked since the January 12th quake, and animal advocates say that's understandable. Human lives are always more important. But now, the health of animals has turned into a concern for people, too. Teams of veterinarians are going into Haiti to prevent the spread of animal diseases, with the support of one local pet lover strongly behind them.
Bette Allen started her pet product business, Tiny Growl, after seeing natural disasters like tsunamis and hurricanes tear pets away from their families. Allen says, "Part of the reason I went into my business.. is to help animals in need." She already donated to Doctors without Borders to help humanitarian relief in Haiti, but now, she's giving to ARCH, the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti. Allen says, "Obviously, the humanitarian aid is first and foremost, but people like me are animal advocates for a reason. We give the animals a voice. The people in Haiti have next to nothing, but the animals have less than that."
Rescue vets say there are a half million dogs in Haiti, but only one out of five has been vaccinated against rabies. More than 5 million goats and other livestock are vulnerable too, without vaccines for anthrax or cholera, diseases that can kill humans too. Dr. Ian Robinson from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, "We'll be in Haiti for a long time to come, and we need your support and your help so we can do the job from beginning to end."
That job is now Bette Allen's passion. She's donating a portion of the sales of her ScooPup Pocket for dog waste to the animal relief effort in Haiti. As she sees it, "We are all connected." For her, it is a simple choice to donate, and help the animals that are trying so hard to speak for themselves.
If you'd like to learn more about the international animal relief effort in Haiti, and how you can donate, follow this link. For more details on Tiny Growl, and how its products are supporting animals in Haiti, click here. Local shelters in our state say there's no effort yet to try to adopt animals from Haiti into our country.
