My team and I have been closely monitoring the situation in Haiti since the devastating earthquake hit the capital, Port-au-Prince, last night. With most communications infrastructure down, it meant we had a long night waiting for information that beyond sketchy news reports.
Since this morning, we have been in talks with the United Nations (under serious stress themselves since their office in Port-au-Prince has collapsed, with 15 staff members dead and 20 still missing) and the local Red Cross Chapters to gain a further understanding of the impact on animals caught up in the situation.
Our Disaster Liaison Officer from Panama, Jorge Alcidez Gonzalez who also works as the Head of the K9 unit of Civil Defence, is now travelling out of Panama with a team of specially trained staff and will assess the destruction and welfare needs of the animals. Jorge and his brave team will be treating as many animals as they are able to help.
I have also arranged for him to feedback the extent of the damage and let us know where we can be of most help as quickly as possible.
Do look out for more updates from us, as we relay on the information we get from Jorge and the rest of the team. Considering the troubled security situation in Haiti at the best of times, my primary concern at the moment is Jorge’s safety; we will be paying particular attention to this in the next couple of days while planning our disaster relief operation in greater detail.
Since this morning, we have been in talks with the United Nations (under serious stress themselves since their office in Port-au-Prince has collapsed, with 15 staff members dead and 20 still missing) and the local Red Cross Chapters to gain a further understanding of the impact on animals caught up in the situation.
Our Disaster Liaison Officer from Panama, Jorge Alcidez Gonzalez who also works as the Head of the K9 unit of Civil Defence, is now travelling out of Panama with a team of specially trained staff and will assess the destruction and welfare needs of the animals. Jorge and his brave team will be treating as many animals as they are able to help.
I have also arranged for him to feedback the extent of the damage and let us know where we can be of most help as quickly as possible.
Do look out for more updates from us, as we relay on the information we get from Jorge and the rest of the team. Considering the troubled security situation in Haiti at the best of times, my primary concern at the moment is Jorge’s safety; we will be paying particular attention to this in the next couple of days while planning our disaster relief operation in greater detail.
