Hurricane Matthew couldn’t get Florida’s animal shelters down, thanks to the Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service (VETS) and PetSmart Charities!
VETS is the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s contribution to Florida’s State Agriculture Response Team, which mobilizes when disaster strikes in Florida. The group is comprised of UF veterinary students, faculty, and staff, including members from Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, and is designed to respond to animal emergencies.
As Hurricane Matthew threatened our state, VETS obtained a $70,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to assist Florida shelters. The team unloaded the shipment and distributed these supplies to:
- Jacksonville Humane Society
- Safe Animal Shelter in Middleburg
- St. Johns County Pet Center
- Brevard County Animal Services
- Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center
- Florida State Animal Response Coalition
We anticipated that the storm would leave many pets in need, and PetSmart Charities responded quickly. We are very grateful to them, and to the entire team for being ready to respond to Hurricane Matthew!
To apply for an emergency relief grant from PetSmart Charities to help local pets in need before, during, or after a natural disaster in your area, visit PetSmartCharities.org/pro.