North Carolina State University
News Services
CB 7504
Raleigh, NC 27695
[email protected]
http://www.ncsu.edu/news
Media Contacts:
Leigh Ann Wilder, College of Veterinary Medicine, 919/513-6427
Sara Frisch, News Services, 919/515-3470 or [email protected]
Oct. 19, 1999
NC State and Volunteer Army Care for Furry Victims of Flood Disaster
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RALEIGH, N.C. -- In an old warehouse in West Raleigh, hundreds of dogs and cats and a lone pig wait patiently for a dish of food or a brisk walk from the army of volunteers who have been caring for them for three weeks. The pets are victims of post-hurricane flooding in Eastern North Carolina, where they were rescued from yards, rooftops and overflowing animal shelters. Their new, temporary home is a field hospital run by North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and staffed completely by volunteer students, veterinarians, technicians and animal lovers from the community.
Since they began accepting rescued animals on Thursday, Sept. 23, the volunteers have screened, treated, housed and fed more than 400 displaced pets. They also have mounted a comprehensive effort to photograph and document each animal and provide that information to animal shelters in the affected areas -- mainly in the towns of Tarboro, Princeville and Kinston.
Already, more than 30 animals have been reunited with their owners, and 65 more have been identified, says Dr. Kelli Ferris, the NC State veterinarian administering the field hospital.
Veterinarians and vet students performed general health exams as the animals arrived, and found that most injuries were clearly storm-related, Ferris says. "We have dogs with blunt trauma from being in log jams and dogs with dislocated hips and shoulders from being caught in log jams. And we've seen a lot of puncture wounds." She says many dogs had skin infections from being stranded in standing water for days before they were rescued.
Many of the healthy animals have been sent to local veterinary practices and animal hospitals to reserve room at the field hospital for pets in need of continuous medical care. If owners aren't identified by Nov. 1, the pets will be made available for adoption through these participating units and statewide animal rescue organizations. A number of volunteers have signed up to adopt, leaving their names on the cages of animals to whom they've taken a liking. Ferris is confident she'll find a good home for each animal.
The field hospital's volunteer army is working hard to spread information and photos about the pets to residents and former pet owners in Eastern North Carolina. Almost every animal has been photographed and fitted with an identification microchip. A full-color photo catalog is making its way through animal shelters in the flood-affected areas. The NC State College of Veterinary
Medicine has launched a Web site with pictures of each animal for pet owners with access to the World Wide Web. (The site can be accessed from the college's home page at http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu.)
Returning the animals to their original owners or finding suitable adoptive homes is the priority now. Ferris says this is a golden opportunity for educating owners about basic and preventive health care for pets. The veterinary college has partnered with the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association (NCVMA) to perform spay and neuter procedures for owners reclaiming their pets and all animals that go to foster or adoptive homes. Advanced students at the veterinary college will perform the surgeries.
Among those who need medical care are 10-month-old puppy Beau and his two litter mates, who came to the field hospital together from Kinston. They had been in standing water for at least five days, Ferris says. "They had deep infections on their legs and abdomens," she says. "They were very, very thin, and, of course, part of that was because they hadn't been fed in a week. They had full-body infections, and their temperatures were below normal." They were treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics and are doing well now, Ferris says.
It's been a constant, 24-hour flow of activity at the field hospital, with volunteers cleaning cages, walking dogs, coordinating deliveries of supplies and seeking donations. In the span of three hours one recent morning, Ferris walked two dogs, appealed to veterinary students for help with surgeries, sent an aggressive dog to the Wake County Animal Shelter, and handled the surprise delivery of three trucks of dog and cat food.
Ferris is quick to credit the entire community and the vet college's partners for the overnight success of the field hospital. Many of the animals were rescued initially by the Humane Society of the United States, the federal government's Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams, and other volunteer units. The NCVMA appealed to member hospitals and clinics, asking them to donate time and provide temporary care for healthy animals. Pharmaceutical and equipment companies and food manufacturers have donated truckloads of necessary supplies, including the ID microchips for every dog. The American Kennel Club is going to offer microchip registration free of charge to original and adoptive owners, Ferris says.
Donations to the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Foundation's (NCVMF) Disaster Relief Fund have bought much-needed drugs and medical supplies for the field hospital. To date, the fund has raised $190,000 in community support. Donations can be sent to the NCVMF, marked for the "Animal Disaster Relief Fund," at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, Box 8401, Raleigh, N.C., 27695-8401. For information about volunteering, lost pets and adoptions, call the Animal Disaster Relief Hotline at (919) 715-9679.
--frisch--
NOTE TO EDITORS: Media are welcome to visit the field hospital, but MUST contact Leigh Ann Wilder, (919) 513-6427, in advance to make an appointment. For color photographs of Dr. Ferris and the animal patients, information about upcoming owner-pet reunions, or other assistance, contact Sara Frisch at News Services at (919) 515-3470.
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