Pet project for Green MP
A $1.5 million fund to train people to rescue pets from floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters has been approved.
When the September 2010 earthquake killed more than 3000 animals in Canterbury, Animal Evac co-founder Steve Glassey said it had taken some time and hard lessons for the emergency management sector to take the issue of pets in disasters seriously.
At yesterday’s announcement, Green Party animal welfare spokesman Gareth Hughes said the funding supported the pets and animals people depended on but it was also critically important for human safety.
‘‘If people are fording flooded rivers to visit animals, it’s putting them at risk so I’m very glad the Government after years of pushing from animal groups . . . is finally seeing a change of policy.’’
Animal Evac had more than 250 volunteers and one of the biggest barriers for helpers to be part of this resilient community was to have access to training, Glassey said.
The organisation had trained 100 people and the funding meant hundreds more could be trained.
More ambassadors could also be employed to spread the message that if people were being evacuated, their animals needed to be rescued as well. ‘‘Otherwise people won’t evacuate, they’ll go back in and put themselves and others at risk. This is about not just saving animals, this is about saving people.’’
Glassey said not having access to funding was a ‘‘kick in the guts’’.
The money took three years to secure and was won after Hughes’ intervention with the coalition Government, he said. It meant Civil Defence volunteers, including animal welfare groups, were eligible to access the funds for training.
For more information on pet rescue training, visit: www.animalevac.nz