BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, April 11, 2017 — Months after floodwaters from the devastating, record-breaking August 2016 flood have subsided, local animal shelters and rescue organizations in Louisiana are still struggling to repair damaged facilities and replenish diminishing funds that were stretched thin while ensuring the safety of animals under their care during the flood. To throw a critical lifeline to Louisiana’s shelters, American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization that has been rescuing animals in disasters and cruelty cases for more than 100 years, is awarding $100,000 in emergency grants over the course of this week to seven remarkable local shelters that did lifesaving work for so many animals during the disaster.
The grant money is being presented to each shelter at events spanning each of the five days this week. The schedule of events is as follows and we strongly invite you to cover them:
Monday, April 10, 2017:
Location of Event: St. Landry Parish Animal Control, 255 Hangar Road, Opelousas, Louisiana
Time of Event: 11:00 AM
Shelter Receiving Grant: St. Landry Parish Animal Control
Grant Check Amount from American Humane: $20,000
The $20,000 grant will allow for the repair of crumbling insulation and harmful drainage issues that caused the shelter to temporarily shutter its doors. The repairs needed are crucial for the safety of animal residents at the shelter—insulation from the damaged ceiling drops onto dog beds and in their food bowls, and drainage issues have caused a backwash of spills within the shelter kennels.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017:
Location of Event: City of Walker Animal Control, 13740 Ball Park Rd., Walker, Louisiana
Time of Event: 11:00 AM
Shelters Receiving Grants: City of Walker Animal Control and Dog People of Livingston
Grant Check Amounts from American Humane:
- City of Walker Animal Control: $16,000
- Dog People of Livingston: $13,000
Dog People of Livingston plans to use the $13,000 grant to host multiple free microchipping clinics, supply free collars and identification tags to pet owners, and lease digital billboard space on the highway to post pictures and information on pets lost in the parish.
City of Walker Animal Control shelter suffered water damage from the floods and other damages related to animal overcapacity. They plan to use the $16,000 grant from American Humane to repair water-damaged walls and treat for mold, replace damaged A/C units, and acquire additional caging to house more displaced and lost pets in the area.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Location of Event: CATNIP Foundation at Big Sky Ranch, 15442 Jack Fork Rd, Folsom, Louisiana
Time of Event: 11:00 AM
Shelter Receiving Grant: CATNIP Foundation at Big Sky Ranch
Grant Check Amount from American Humane: $18,000
The $18,000 grant will go directly toward the purchase of a Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) trailer, which will help prevent animal overpopulation and in turn, reduce euthanasia and suffering. The trailer will be used to safely transport large numbers of animals for spay and neuter services, as well for pet adoption in less populated areas of Louisiana.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Location of Event: CARA’s House, 9894 Airline Hwy., Sorrento, Louisiana
Time of Event: 11:00 AM
Shelter Receiving Grant: Companion Animal Rescue of Ascension (CARA)’s House
Grant Check Amount from American Humane: $7,000
The $7,000 grant will allow for the replacement of the shelter’s raised dog beds and cat housing, repairs to damaged storage buildings, and installation of new dog run fencing.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Location of Event: Jefferson Feed and Seed, 4421 Jefferson Highway, Jefferson, Louisiana
Time of Event: 11:00 AM
Shelter Receiving Grant: Humane Society of Louisiana
Grant Check Amount from American Humane: $23,000
The $23,000 grant will be used to create a “Disaster Response Staging Ground” at their 47-acre property in Washington parish. A portion of the large property will be made “incident ready” for short-term relief in large-scale cruelty investigations and disasters. When not in use for such purposes, the area will be used for temporary volunteer housing, special events, adoption days, and dog exercise yards.
Following the devastating flooding in Louisiana, American Humane sent its animal rescue team and two giant rescue vehicles to help pets in hard-hit Livingston Parish. They also worked with Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to deliver 80,000 pounds of nutritious, free food to shelter animals in Louisiana. Now, to help support and rebuild these vital institutions, American Humane is providing $100,000 in grants this week.
“We are pleased that we can continue to aid the animals of Louisiana and help those who did so much to help thousands of dogs, cats, horses, and other vulnerable animals during the disastrous floods,” said American Humane President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert. “We have been first to serve animals in disasters for 100 years and hope that these grants will serve to help many more in the future.”
About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization, founded in 1877. To learn more about American Humane and its 100 years of work in rescuing, caring for, and building a better world for animals, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.
