Disaster Animal Response Team Headed to Houston, TX to Assist in Hurricane Ike Rescue Efforts
Los Angeles - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles ( spcaLA ) Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) is being dispatched to Houston, TX to assist with relief efforts per the request of the Texas authorities. The DART team will be leaving Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 7:45am from the spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village (CAV) and Education Center in Long Beach.
spcaLA's DART, which contains a full communications system capable of monitoring and dispatching emergency services, has recently been outfitted with brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment. DART will be assisting Texas officials evacuating animals.
"We want to provide as much aid as possible," says Madeline Bernstein, spcaLA President. "As proved during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2007 California Wildfires, our DART unit can provide emergency help in various types of disasters."
DART provides temporary shelter for animals and frontline veterinary care. In addition, DART can help local, state and national agencies to assist families and their animals with medical, food and housing assistance.
The DART team dispatched will consist of 9 spcaLA employees. The employees will be driving in a 5-vehicle caravan and plan on arriving on Monday, September 15 th .
To confirm your coverage of the caravan send-off, please call Mark Cirillo at (323) 707-1271 or Miriam Davenport at (323) 353-4658. Media should be at the spcaLA's Long Beach CAV no later than 7:30am. The address is 7700 E Spring Street in Long Beach, CA (Spring & I-605 inside El Dorado Park).
spcaLA is an independent, nonprofit animal welfare organization serving Southern California since 1877. There is no national SPCA, parent organization, or umbrella group that provides financial support to spcaLA. Donations run programs and services include Cruelty Investigation, the Disaster Animal Response Team, Humane Education, and a variety of shelter services
