On December 6, the Da Nang Red Cross in collaboration with Humane Society International (HSI) organized a conference on integrating companion animal protection in disaster prevention.
The conference heard reports on project activities to be implemented in 2024, including: Pre-project intervention survey; strengthening the Red Cross disaster prevention and response volunteer team at all levels; training on disaster prevention and response for companion animals; selecting Hoa Nhon commune, Hoa Bac commune (Hoa Vang district) and Thanh Khe Tay ward (Thanh Khe district) as pilot projects; statistics - making a list of households with companion animals that need to be evacuated in 3 pilot areas; surveying and building concentrated evacuation points with areas for companion animals.
Organize training to improve capacity on supporting companion animals in natural disasters for Red Cross shock troops and volunteers; organize communication events on natural disaster prevention and raise awareness of companion animal welfare for households; coordinate to integrate a pilot of companion animal evacuation areas at centralized evacuation points in natural disaster prevention drills.
The conference also introduced the document "Handbook of response actions for companion animals in typical natural disasters in Da Nang city", and discussed, provided comments and pointed out difficulties and challenges in implementing the document.
Speaking at the conference, Ms. Le Thi Nhu Hong - President of the Da Nang Red Cross Society - said that the Handbook helps guide plans and actions to outline what needs to be done in the context of natural disasters for companion animals in Da Nang City.
“The conference will hear reports from the wards that are piloting the project, thereby contributing to completing the handbook and developing a plan to respond to natural disasters and catastrophes for companion animals in 2025,” Ms. Hong shared.
The project "Actions to respond to natural disasters and catastrophes for companion animals in Vietnam" was approved by the People's Committee of Da Nang City under Decision No. 2334/QD-UBND dated October 25, 2023 to raise humane awareness of response actions for companion animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, rats...) and organize relief before, during and after natural disasters in accordance with the context of Da Nang City.
The project implementation period is 3 years with a total cost of 70,000 USD (equivalent to 1,650,000,000 VND) sponsored by HSI.
