PALM BEACH, FL — American Humane Society in Palm Beach, Florida, announced the deployment of its rescue team to Pueblo, Colorado, in response to significant wildfires in the region. Responders are on the ground assisting the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR) at a temporary emergency animal shelter set up to care for pets belonging to families displaced by active wildfires.

The emergency animal shelter operates adjacent to a local American Red Cross shelter for residents, keeping evacuated families close to their beloved pets. The facility is currently housing approximately 200 displaced animals, primarily dogs and cats, that require immediate food, water, medical assessment, and daily care.

Emergency pet shelters are critical during natural disasters to ensure families can evacuate safely and find housing without leaving their pets behind. One survey following Hurricane Irene found that 53% of pet owners said their pets were the reason they did not evacuate. 

American Humane Society maintains trained disaster response teams and specialized resources stationed across the country to ensure a swift response whenever and wherever animals are in crisis. First responders travel the nation with a fleet of specially equipped rescue vehicles fully outfitted with life-saving emergency supplies.

When disasters strike, families face unimaginable stress, and worrying about the safety of their pets only compounds that trauma,” said Dr. Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of American Humane Society. “Our rescue team is on the ground in Colorado with a single mission: providing a safe haven and compassionate care for more than 200 animals until they can be reunited with their families.

As temperatures in the region climb to a blistering 97 degrees, American Humane Society’s team of first responders and trained volunteers, including Taylor Nickelsen of Palm City, Florida, is working in extreme heat to ensure the animals remain cool, hydrated, and safe from heat stress. 

American Humane Society’s historic rescue work dates back to 1916, when the U.S. Secretary of War asked the organization to care for wounded horses during World War I. Today, that legacy of first response continues as teams provide emergency veterinary care, sheltering, and field rescue during major hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.

For more information on American Humane Society, visit americanhumane.org.

About American Humane Society 

With offices in Palm Beach, Florida and Washington, D.C., American Humane Society is the United States’ first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, helping to verify the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year. Founded in 1877, American Humane Society has been at the forefront of virtually every major advancement in the humane movement to rescue, care for and protect animals. For more information or to support our life-changing work, visit AmericanHumane.org, follow on Facebook, X and Instagram and subscribe to YouTube for the latest breaking news and features about the animals with whom we share our Earth.