We’re responding to flooding in Mexico (caused by Hurricane IDA’s torrential rains) by sending a WSPA team to one of the worst hit regions. Led by Dr Sergio Vasquez, the team will deploy from WSPA’s base in Costa Rica, landing at Mexico International Airport on Sunday and travelling on to Tabasco in the south-east.
Sergio’s team (specialist disaster management veterinary staff) will first visit relief camps in la Chontalpa, to find out how many animals have been killed or injured. As well as assessing how many animals need help, they will start helping those in need as soon as they get there. The team will be carrying a supply of dog food and veterinary equipment to help those animals left behind in the evacuations.
Sergio will face the added challenge of carrying out animal welfare assessments by boat, as the flood waters remain high in many areas. His main concern at present is that 150 villages in Tabasco were flooded, meaning many domestic animals and livestock may have been swept away. Without any emergency animal shelters set up as yet, the need for WSPA’s response team will be great.
