AKC Reunite, the largest pet non-profit pet identification and recovery service provider in the United States, is excited to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of the AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer Program.
AKC Pet Disaster Relief helps local Emergency Management teams provide temporary sheltering and care for pets displaced by a disaster. Once donated, the AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailer and the equipment inside become the property of the municipality to deploy whenever a disaster is declared. These trailers have been deployed dozens times helping pets displaced by wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.”
“The AKC Pet Disaster Relief program has been instrumental in helping EMS organizations across the country care for pets,” says Tom Sharp, President and CEO of AKC Reunite. “Providing care for people displaced with their pets during and in the aftermath of a disaster can be a challenge. The equipment in these trailers helps create temporary co-location shelters where people can be safe with their pets, bringing families some peace of mind during a difficult time. We are proud to be able to lead this effort.”
Since the start of the program, there have been 68 Pet Disaster Relief trailers donated around the country due to the generosity of 396 dog clubs, the American Kennel Club, AKC Reunite Canine Support and Relief Fund and various private donors. To date, the program has received over $1.7 million in donations and the program continues to expand.
The AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailers are stocked with essential supplies to temporarily house at least 65 pets the critical first few days after a disaster is declared. A generator is on the trailer as well as crates, pet carriers, bowls, collars and leashes, microchips, a microchip scanner, fans, cleaning supplies, maintenance equipment, administrative supplies, training materials and much more.
For more information or to see how the trailers are impacting lives, please go to https://www.akcreunite.org/deployments.