100 Feet Of Hope Arrive For Pets Suffering From Historic South Carolina Flooding

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association's renowned Red Star® Rescue team, accompanied by two of its giant 50-foot Lois Pope Red Star Rescue Vehicles, is deploying to South Carolina to help animal victims of the flooding there. This deployment of the 100-year-old Red Star Recue program comes at the request of the state and will be part of an effort with National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC) members ASPCA, CODE 3, and IFAW. The Red Star program's presenting sponsor is Mars Petcare US, makers of PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs. Both giant rescue vehicles on the scene were made possible by philanthropist Lois Pope and the Northeast truck is sponsored by Banfield Pet Hospital®. American Humane Association will also act as the recipient of a generous grant from PetSmart Charities on behalf of South Carolina and distribute a bountiful supply of vitally needed supplies and resources to pet owners who have been left stranded by the historic flooding. The Red Star Rescue team and NARSC partners will support the distribution from their base camp outside Columbia. The team will also perform an assessment of animal issues and the overall need in the disaster area.

"The Red Star Rescue team is there for the families, pets, and shelter animals who have suffered in the wake of this devastating flooding," said Randal Collins, the new National Director for Red Star Rescue for Animals. "Our hearts break for these two- and four-legged flood victims, but we will do everything in our power to help restore normalcy to this tragic situation. Thank you to Mars Petcare US, makers of PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, philanthropist Lois Pope, Banfield Pet Hospital, and PetSmart Charities for their generous support."

Free Help for Pet Owners in Disaster Areas Where Red Star Deploys

To further help pets and pet owners, American Humane Association's century-old Red Star Rescue program, has a partnership with mobiPET, a free new, high-tech, visual "AMBER Alert" for missing pets that helps reunite lost pets with their owners. Any pet owner who has lost a pet in the Columbia, South Carolina area, who has a photo of their pet in their smartphone or computer can go to www.mobipet.me and click on the Red Star Rescue tab to fill in your information including a photo of your missing pet and enter your 5-digit zip code to verify. This program requires a smart phone with a wireless connection or a computer with an internet connection to activate the lost pet photo alert to the designated animal shelter(s). mobiPET has waived the $50 fee normally associated with non registered pet owners who have lost a pet in the deployed disaster area. If you are outside the designated area and have lost a pet, please click on FIND MY PET button on the front page of the website and mobiPET will send the alert out to shelters and animal control centers within a 30-mile radius. Generally, non-registered owners whose pet becomes lost can access the service for a $50.00 emergency registration fee, but during a Red Star deployment, mobiPet is waiving the fee for those within the disaster area.

About American Humane Association  
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

About Red Star® Rescue
American Humane Association's Red Star program was created in 1916 at the request of the U.S. Secretary of War specifically to rescue war horses on the battlefields of World War I Europe.  Since then, Red Star has been rescuing animals of every kind and have been involved in virtually every major disaster relief effort from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Joplin, Missouri and Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes, the Japanese and Haitian earthquakes, and Superstorm Sandy.  Over just the past ten years Red Star teams have saved, helped and sheltered more than 80,000 animals.

About PetSmart Charities
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart™ stores and our sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.

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SOURCE American Humane Association

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