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Animal aid organizations such as DierenLot, the Animal Protection Society and the Federation of Animal Ambulances Netherlands have founded the Animals in Disaster Foundation. Together with the government and safety regions, the foundation wants to ensure that animals receive the right help in crises and disasters.
In disasters, victims include domestic animals, farm animals and wild animals. The Animals in Disasters Foundation cites the floods in Limburg in 2021, where animal relief organizations were unable to take action because they were not included in the crisis protocol. The new foundation should offer a solution for this.
“It’s fantastic that we are going to give animals a place in crisis management,” reports a spokeswoman for the Animals in Disaster Foundation. “As recognized crisis partners, animal aid organizations will soon be able to intervene immediately and provide assistance to animals in need. In addition to rescuing during a disaster, this also involves prevention, evacuation and shelter.”
According to the new foundation, rescuing animals during disasters is also important for the safety of people, because owners sometimes refuse to evacuate in an emergency if their animal is not allowed to come with them, or because people try to save the animals themselves.
Also read: Extra money for Limburg victims of flooding who have financial problems
In the coming year, together with the safety regions of Groningen and Amsterdam-Amstelland and the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), we will work out how animals can be given a place in crisis management. “We now hope to be able to work this out in a number of safety regions. Ultimately, of course, we want good preparation throughout the country to help animals in the event of disasters.”
