The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood.org Help IFAW Provide Significant Care for Animals in Haiti

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass., Jan. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the world remembers the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, ARCH (the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) recognize the treatment of over 50,000 animals in the region, thanks to the great support from The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood.org.

IFAW partner, The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood.org, donated more than $245,000 to ARCH, with the first donation arriving just days after the earthquake. This support helped launch and sustain the coalition, which is led by IFAW and the World Society of the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

"Our goal has been to provide aid to as many animals as possible and have a long-lasting impact for the people of Haiti.  Considering the vital importance of animals in the welfare of Haitian families, we are happy to report that our Mobile Veterinary Clinic has now treated over 50,000 animals far-surpassing the 14,000 mark we had set as our initial goal," said Dr. Ian Robinson IFAW's Emergency Relief Director.

"We are grateful for The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood.org's prompt, generous outpouring of support for Haiti's animals," added Dick Green, IFAW's Disaster Response manager. "Knowing we could count on The Animal Rescue Site supporters enabled us to quickly put in place the plans needed to leave Haiti's animals better off than before the quake."

With the donation, ARCH has achieved several major accomplishments over the last year. Tens of thousands of animals including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, goats and sheep have been treated, Haiti's National Veterinary Laboratory is being re-built; solar-powered refrigeration units that keep life-saving vaccinations stable have been installed across the country; a first-of-its-kind dog and cat population and attitudinal survey was conducted in Port-au-Prince; and ARCH continues its animal welfare public awareness campaigns in the Haitian capital.

"We are very proud of the money our clickers and shoppers contributed to both human and animal relief following the horrible earthquake in Haiti last year.  We are also very proud of the Haitian products we sell, and have sent staffers to all parts of the country in order to create custom gifts that provide much needed income for Haitian artisans, many of whom were made homeless in the quake. We are very committed to long term rebuilding efforts with partner organizations like PIH and ARCH and our numerous Haitian suppliers; because there continues to be a need for new Haitian infrastructure, housing, and jobs," added Tim Kunin CEO of The GreaterGood Network and The Animal Rescue Site.

About IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare)

Founded in 1969, IFAW saves animals in crisis around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. www.ifaw.org

About The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood.org

Each click on the purple "Click Here to Give – it's FREE" button at The Animal Rescue Site (www.TheAnimalRescueSite.com) provides food and care for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid for by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need at pet shelters supported by the Petfinder Foundation, International Fund for Animal Welfare, the Fund for Animals' animal sanctuaries, North Shore Animal League America, and other worthy animal care facilities supported by GreaterGood.org. Additional funding for projects comes from the sale of items and the Gifts That Give More™ program at The Animal Rescue Site store.

The independent 501©3 GreaterGood.org supports rescue and animal care projects around the world, including the formation of ARCH and subsequent rabies vaccination campaign in Haiti; multiple grants for U.S. shelters that vaccinated 114,485 dogs and 80,944 cats in 2010; and more than $200,000 awarded in the last six months to shelter and rescue groups impacted by the Gulf Coast oil spill; among other projects. For more information, see www.greatergood.org.

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare