In response to the tornado and severe weather outbreak from April 15-28, MBAH is working with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to move some animals for adoption from the Amory Humane Society. The Monroe County extension director is also coordinating volunteers and resources to rebuild fences for livestock.
In response to flooding, the above agencies have provided the following updates:
- The Natchez Humane Society, HSUS, and United Animal Nations will open a 300-animal sheltering facility in Natchez for pets of evacuees. They will start accepting animals on Wednesday.
- The Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society is accepting animals. They are currently housing chickens, goats, dogs and cats. They are also involved in local animal search and rescue.
- PAWS is assisting the Vicksburg City Shelter. They have moved all of the cats and almost all of the dogs. This shelter normally has 40-50 animals and is expected to flood. The shelter will be closed this afternoon until further notice.
- Tunica County pet shelter is not accepting any additional animals at this time.
The following veterinary-related assistance is also available:
- The American Veterinary Medical Foundation has a grant program to assist veterinarians, states, and other groups affected by disasters: http://www.avmf.org/whatwedo/disaster-related-grants/
- Mississippi established an assistance program for veterinary-related issues during Hurricane Katrina. It has been used since 2005 to assist veterinarians , animal shelters and the public affected by local and regional disasters, such as tornadoes and fires. Donations may be made to the MS Animal Disaster Relief Fund to help animals and their people affected by these disasters. Information on making a donation or applying for assistance can be found on the following websites: College of Veterinary Medicine www.cvm.msstate.edu/ and Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association www.msvet.org.
Key programs administered by USDA Farm Service Agency that help producers recover from disaster damage and livestock deaths include:
- Emergency Conservation Program provides funding for farmers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by a natural disaster.
- Livestock Indemnity Program provides assistance to livestock producers for livestock deaths from a natural disaster event.
- Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program provides emergency relief to producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish, and covers losses not adequately covered by any other disaster program .
- Tree Assistance Program provides assistance to orchardists and nursery tree growers for losses due to a natural disaster.
- Emergency Forest Restoration Program: provides assistance to eligible owners of nonindustrial private forest land in order to carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster.
- Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program provides assistance to eligible producers affected by a natural disaster, covering noninsurable crop losses and prevented planting.
- Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program-provides assistance for crop production and/or quality losses due to a natural disaster.
- Fact sheets for all of these programs can be found online at www.fsa.usda.gov; click on Newsroom, then Fact Sheets. You may also visit your local Farm Service Agency Office for more information regarding these programs.
For more information, call the MBAH hotline at1-888-722-3106.
