Help is on the way for animals left stranded and injured
Disaster response vets are heading to the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, to help animals in the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Pam. It is said to be one of the worst storms in Pacific history.
Mike Baker, chief executive of World Animal Protection, said: "Cyclone Pam has utterly devastated the communities of Vanuatu. We know from experience that animals will be in dire need; injured, starving, open to the elements and at high risk of disease – they need our help."
Once they are on the ground, World Animal Protection vets will deal with the immediate needs of animals left injured or without shelter.
"In a disaster of this magnitude, we anticipate animals will have a range of needs such as emergency veterinary care, emergency feed, shelter - what you normally see in severe wind and water disasters," said James Sawyer, international director of disaster management at the charity.
Two-thirds of people in Vanuatu make their living from agriculture, meaning the island's long-term recovery is dependent on their animals' wellbeing.
Farmers in developing nations bear nearly a quarter of the cost of natural disasters, yet they receive less than 5 per cent of post-disaster aid, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Only a year ago, Vanuatu was struck by Cyclone Lusi. In the aftermath, it became apparent that a lack of infrastructure made it difficult to provide veterinary care for animals. As a result, World Animal Protection made veterinary kits available to all six provinces in Vanuatu to improve the island's response to future disasters. Now, the impact of these kits will be put to the test.
In the longer term, World Animal Protection plans to work with the government in Vanuatu to identify the wider needs of animals. A mobile clinic to provide support for animals and their owners will initially be run in Port Vila, then later in the more severely affected southern islands.
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