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Local Animal Services Sent to Hurricane Relief
Sep 11, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ria Brown, Public Information Specialist, Lee County Animal Services Local Animal Services Sent to Hurricane Relief Fort Myers, FL (9/11/05) Lee County Animal Services' received a call from the Florida Emergency Operations Center requesting help in Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina relief with mission deployment activation from FEMA. Director Scott Trebatoski will be taking over the lead role for Florida's animal control officers from Bill Armstrong of Hillsboro County, President of the Florida Animal Control Association. Lee County Animal Services will be taking Chief Lance Raiche, Senior Veterinary Technician Maria Raiche, and Officer Raphael Rivera. In addition, Investigator Al Sanchez and Officer David Levitt from Collier Domestic Animal Services will be rounding out the six person crew. They will be relieving teams from Pinellas and Hillsboro Counties. Specifics of deployment have not been finalized, but duties will include search and rescue of animals stranded and homeless in the wake of the recent hurricane. The team left Sunday for Tallahassee to receive orders and any necessary vaccinations before entering the storm ravaged areas of southwest Mississippi. It is estimated that these animal services personnel will be required for a least a week. The team has packed up five vehicles with equipment, supplies and necessities as they head north to aid the family pets that have fallen victim to the storm. Many families are feverishly searching lists and waiting for information about their pets. Mississippi animal control officers have been on that task with assistance from Florida Animal Control Agencies since shortly after the hurricane passed. Hundreds of pets have been recovered and taken to various staging sites as they attempt to reunite families and pets. Some pets are requiring long-term care and housing when families do not have anyway of housing or caring for their pets. To assist with the pet rescue and sheltering programs contact the Humane Society of the United States, the Louisiana SPCA, or locally the Lee County Animal Care Trust Fund (www.animalcaretrust.org). For more information about Animal Services, its programs or to view pets online, visit Lee County Animal Services' website at http://leelostpets.com or call (239) 432-2083. |