A Salute to the Veterinary First Responders Who Brave Natural Disasters to Save Pets

I had the opportunity to experience that commitment first-hand on October 24, when Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine unveiled a new mobile response unit for its Veterinary Emergency Team (VET), made possible by a grant from the Banfield Foundation.

Texas A&M’s VET is the largest and most deployed veterinary unit in the country, with state-of-the art tools and a dedicated group of veterinarians who train for and tackle emergencies together—and who collaborate seamlessly with other first-responders. Teams like this can make all the difference, especially with a mobile veterinary response unit like this one. It is the team’s first truck to be custom-built based on past deployments, and includes gas anesthesia, a veterinary-grade wet table, and enough inventory storage space to support 48 hours’ worth of operations.

Texas A&M’s new veterinary medical unit is just one of four rescue vehicles the Banfield Foundation has funded this year to expand disaster response capabilities for animals across the U.S., including:

• American Humane’s Northeast rescue truck, an 82-foot mobile rescue unit that supports disaster-related deployments, including a response to the 2016 Louisiana and West Virginia floods that impacted 5,000 pets. This marks the second year of the Banfield Foundation’s partnership.

• A second American Humane rescue truck, this one located on the West Coast, launched just last month. In addition to disaster relief, this truck will be used to provide care to pets in low-income communities.

•  A mobile, 60-kennel truck for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) enabling the state to provide emergency accommodations for pets displaced by disaster will be ready in December. The mobile shelter is the second truck of its kind for the LDAF and can be parked alongside human shelters after disaster, helping pets and families stay together safely.

While our grants provide tools and resources that support emergency response, the heart of any disaster relief effort is the people who volunteer. These brave veterinary professionals make the difference for pets and people displaced, injured or otherwise affected by disaster. Banfield Foundation also supports the people who stand up to help by issuing grants to animal welfare organizations in and around areas impacted by disaster, and by encouraging Banfield associates to volunteer, both on their own and as part of coordinated efforts through Banfield or through our parent company, Mars.

Banfield Foundation has granted resources, and Banfield Pet Hospital associates have volunteered their time and talents to support impacted communities in the critical days and weeks following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Many associates are still helping with hurricane recovery efforts in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and now, as the wildfires in California continue to burn, even more Banfield associates are volunteering at local shelters and evacuation centers. 

To date, our associates have contributed nearly 800 volunteer hours, and the Banfield Foundation has granted more than $350,000 to local shelters and rescue organizations in states and territories affected by natural disaster. In Puerto Rico, where most veterinary clinics remain closed, Banfield is also offering free veterinary care to pets in need six days a week.

I am beyond proud to work for Banfield and to serve as the executive director of the Banfield Foundation, both organizations that value and support doing what’s right, even – and especially – during challenging times. It is humbling to support the lifesaving work of Texas A&M’s VET, as well as other organizations offering help and hope to recovering communities. The doctors, veterinary technicians and veterinary students who devote themselves to disaster relief and whose efforts lift the veterinary community across American states and territories, are our heroes. To all of you: Thank you for everything you do. Banfield and the Banfield Foundation stand with you and are honored to support your work.