Greenville County Animal Care is now equipped with a state-of-the-art AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailer that will be available to dispatch to disaster scenes that need assistance sheltering pets. The Greenville Kennel Club and the Palmetto Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club joined forces with AKC Pet Disaster Relief, a national program spearheaded by AKC dog clubs and AKC Reunite, to raise more than $22,000 for the emergency trailer. The trailer will be unveiled to the public at the Carolina Foothills Cluster Dog Shows July 28th through July 31st at the TD Convention Center.
AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailers help to create a safe, temporary home-base for at least 65 pets immediately after a disaster is declared. The trailers house and deliver essential supplies such as fans, lighting and generators; cleaning supplies; maintenance items; and animal care items including crates and carriers, AKC Reunite microchips and an AKC Reunite universal microchip scanner, as well as bowls, collars and leashes. These supplies can be used as co-location shelters, where people can evacuate with their pets, as well as emergency animal shelters for displaced animals.
“This trailer will provide animal care services during the first critical hours if a disaster ever hits Greenville or the surrounding areas,” said Tom Sharp, AKC Reunite CEO. “Safe, effective pet sheltering solutions in times of disaster are incredibly important, and AKC Reunite is pleased to help communities across the nation prepare by mobilizing AKC Pet Disaster Relief.”
“American Kennel Club dog clubs are dedicated to keeping the pets in our community happy and healthy. We recognized AKC Pet Disaster Relief as a new way to accomplish this goal, and our members jumped at the chance to bring this important new resource to Greenville,” said Linda Ayers Turner Knorr, AKC Delegate from the Greenville Kennel Club.
The new AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailer will be available for public viewing from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from July 28th-31st at the TD Convention Center. Emergency first responders such as the Greenville County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, Search and Rescue dogs, and JAG, the Arson Dog from the Parker Fire District, will be available for photo opportunities in the trailer area, and local dignitaries will visit over the four days of the dog show cluster.
“The Palmetto Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club is pleased to donate to this project so that this emergency response trailer is available for our area,” said PPWCC Secretary Melissa Ericksen. “It is our hope that this shelter will provide meaningful support during difficult times of disaster and be a valuable resource for local pet owners if the need ever arises.”
“This new trailer will allow us to set up extensive emergency shelters to assist pet owners during future natural disasters,” said Shelly Simmons of Greenville County Animal Care. “Thank you to these AKC dog clubs and AKC Reunite for helping us offer a safe place to house our pets during emergencies.”
Learn more about AKC Pet Disaster Relief at www.akcreunite.org/relief.
PHOTOS: Contact communications@akc.org for photos.
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AKC Reunite
The way home for lost pets.
AKC Reunite, an affiliate of the American Kennel Club®, is the largest non-profit pet identification and recovery service provider in the United States. Since 1995 AKC Reunite has helped pet owners reunite with their lost animals via identification and 24/7 pet recovery specialists, enrolling over 5 million companion animals and recovering more than 400,000 lost pets. AKC Reunite microchips are a popular choice of pet professionals throughout the country for permanent pet identification.
The AKC Reunite Canine Support and Relief Fund has donated more than $6 million since 2001 for disaster preparedness and relief causes that impact our nation’s pets. AKC Reunite also provides free recovery service enrollment for all active service, military, and law enforcement K-9 dogs. For more information visit www.akcreunite.org or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/akcreunite).
