Millan Foundation Funds Veterinarians Without Borders Effort in Chile Following Devastating Earthquake

Natural disasters occur every day, and it’s not uncommon for news agencies in the safer parts of the world to give them limited coverage in favor of more locally relevant stories. Consequently, the human and canine victims of tragedies such as the devastating earthquake in Dichato, Chile do not always receive adequate help.

The Daddy Emergency Animal Rescue (D.E.A.R.) Fund provides assistance for dogs who are victims of abuse or violence, man-made disasters, and large-scale natural disasters on behalf of The Millan Foundation.

“We stand behind organizations like Veterinarians Without Borders that seek to offer financial and medical aid to populations of abused, abandoned, neglected, or homeless dogs anywhere in the world,” said Bob Aniello on behalf of the Millan Foundation.

This week, the Foundation would like to spotlight one such organization: Veterinarians Without Borders/Veterinaires Sans Frontieres(VWB/VSF)-Canada.

The Canadian-based animal health and welfare organization recently initiated a campaign to treat and humanely sterilize the growing stray population in the coastal town of Dichato, Chile, which was ravaged by a tidal wave following the one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history.

The aftermath of the quake, which occurred on February 27, 2010 and measured 8.8 on the Richter scale, saw upwards of 80 percent of the human population living in semi-permanent camps, and an unprecedented numbers of stray dogs fighting over already limited resources. Among the resulting health problems were signs of distemper, kennel cough, and parasitic infestations that are transmittable to human beings.

Working against time with the Universidad of Concepcion, Universidad Austral de Chile, and members of the local community, VWB/VSF-Canada is sterilizing, treating, and microchipping as many of the endangered dogs as they can before the oncoming winter season begins.

The Millan Foundation is proud to have helped fund their efforts in helping the canine victims of the Chilean disaster, made possible by your generous contributions. Your donations to Daddy’s Emergency Animal Rescue Fund make it possible for us to lend financial assistance to these selfless and charitable organizations.

On behalf of Cesar Millan and staff, thank you!

Helping to improve the livelihoods of communities in need throughout the world is what Veterinarians without Borders/ Vétérinaires sans Frontières - Canada (VWB/VSF-Canada) is all about. Established in 2005, VWB/VSF-Canada works with governments, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, local communities, farmers’ groups, and international agencies, to tackle root-cause issues affecting public health, animal health and ecosystem health in developing communities around the world.