IFAW's claims re tsunami aid

[Guest guest]

Dear Ms. Santos:

So far, we have only been able to verify that IFAW sent

$5,000 to the People for Animals chapter in Chennai for emergency

supplies, and that their representative in Sri Lanka began a

relatively puny rabies vaccination drive a few weeks after the

tsunami.

Animal welfare workers in Asia as well as IFAW donors deserve

to know precisely how much money IFAW has contributed to the tsunami

effort, to which NGOs the aid was provided, and what IFAW

veterinarians (and other personnel) have actually been deployed for

tsunami relief in the Indian Ocean region.

There is no way to know how much money IFAW has raised from

its website alone on specious claims. Once the IFAW direct-mail

machine begins turning out fundraising appeals to its US and European

donor-base, IFAW could stand to raise millions of dollars for what

they say they are doing for tsunami relief.

Please back up your claims by telling us the names and

locations of beneficiaries of IFAW funds, and the exact amounts of

the IFAW grants.

 

Thank you,

Kim Bartlett, publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

 

 

 

>Envelope-to: anpeople

><aapn >

> " Santos, Karen " <ksantos

>Mailing-List: list aapn ; contact aapn-owner

>Delivered-mailing list aapn

>List-Un: <aapn- >

>Wed, 2 Feb 2005 15:19:28 -0500

>RE: Fwd: Oliver Twist sterilization

>aapn

>

>

>Unfortunately, after reading your various emails about animal

>welfare groups responding to the tsunami disaster, I am compelled to

>write to you to clear up any misconceptions about the role of IFAW

>in responding to the disaster in Southern Asia.

>

>IFAW has one of the most respected and experienced team of emergency

>relief responders in the world. They are respected because they are

>veterinarians, extremely knowledgeable, professional, work closely

>with local animal welfare groups and follow precise protocols in the

>care and handling of domesticated as well as wild animals. This

>knowledge has enabled us to act quickly to improve the situation for

>animals in many of the areas affected by the disaster.

>

>In India, IFAW was contacted by two local NGO's to provide

>assistance in saving domestic animals, and to assess the habitat

>damage and animal welfare needs caused by the tsunami. Our

>colleagues from our India office were on the ground quickly,

>providing medical care and food to livestock, implementing a dog

>vaccination effort, caring for sick and injured animals and doing a

>habitat assessment of the area.

>

>In Sri Lanka, at the request of local animal welfare groups, we sent

>an experienced veterinarian, and a veterinary technician and

>provided resources to implement a massive dog and cat vaccination

>program to prevent the spread of diseases. No animal sterilizations

>were administered by the IFAW ER team or the local groups we worked

>closely with. In addition, we supported a local turtle conservation

>organization by providing needed equipment and temporary shelter on

>the beach so they can continue their work.

>

>In Thailand, the director of IFAW's Asia Pacific office conducted

>habitat assessments in conjunction with local groups and

>subsequently provided resources to these local groups to vaccinate

>and care for dogs in hardest hit areas.

>

>We are committed to providing ongoing assistance through our India

>office and continue working with and supporting local groups and

>colleagues attending to animal welfare and habitat issues in

>affected areas. All the money raised for tsunami relief was

>generously donated by supporters to help animals in distress. These

>funds have been directed specifically to local groups in India, Sri

>Lanka and Thailand.

>

>We hope this clarifies the misleading information about IFAW's

>efforts. Any unsupported statements made about these efforts and

>that of others are counterproductive and do a great disservice to

>the tireless efforts of many dedicated individuals everywhere that

>truly care about animal welfare and are working hard to improve it.

>

>If you or anyone else is interested in what we are doing regarding

>our emergency relief work any where in the world, please feel free

>to visit our web site at www.ifaw.org or contact us directly.

>

>

>K.santha [santhak]

>Monday, January 31, 2005 9:52 AM

>aapn

>Re: Fwd: Oliver Twist sterilization

>

>

>

>

>

>This is an interesting reply I received for the chicken run

>I am not sending the name of the person as that is a personnal e.mail.

>

>Hi Kala ,

>'I fully believe that people have personally profited from the Tsunami

>fundraising along with welfare groups.

>I know that the large animal welfare groups send teams of people (often from

>upper management people who work behind the desk but like the idea of an

>overseas trip) to " assess " the disaster. The cost of their

>airfares, first class hotels and chauffer driven transport is

>obscene.'

>

>

>Oh the dogs of Sri lanka are treated like Oliver twist.

>I was asking for more .Was I?

>Would any of you allow your dog or cat to be in the streets soon after a

>surgery?

>All I asked was some food and shelter for the animals for few days.

>I sent an e.mail on the 21st of January regarding the same day release but

>there

>was no comment.Mrs Prema Ranaweaka Das in Sri lanka who is known to Kim and

>Merrit also opposed

>the release the dogs to the streets on the same day.

>Prema`s semi domesticated cat which was operated in an animal hospital

>managed to

>tear the incision while she was still in the hospital.She doesn`t have an

>e.mail

>but Kim and can contact her and ask for the details about that incident and

>her viewsabout same day release.

>

>Animal Welfare and Protection Association (AwpA)also want these dogs to be

>in temporary shelters

>after the surgery.The e.mail of On e committe memeber Iromi Salgado iromi

>jkh

>

>The AWPA was willing to help with temporary shelters for these animals and

>after care.

>Why didn`t they allow them to help?

>I have nothing against HSI ,IFAw or WSPA or Mrs Grant .I spoke behalf of the

>animals who can`t

>speak andasked them to give them a shelter and food for few days.

>This is Tsunami and it is not a Garden Party.We have seen how the dogs and

>cats get infected with

>maggots .The environment is very unhygenic .The dogs would walk through the

>muddy water they roll on the garbage and decaying bodies.

> .These people spit and throw faeces also everywhere.Some people of Sri

>lanka experienced that some dogs

>won`t live for a longer period after sterilization.That is because these

>people don`t keep them in hygenic conditions till the wound get healed .

>

>Sherry grant made a big mistake about Animal Welfare group inher diary in

>January 2005.

>

>There are established animal welfare groups one classic example is Help in

>Suffering in India .

>Indians love animals.That`s why they don`t release the animals to the

>streets on the same day.

>It would have been better if HSI and IFAW work with the Government and real

>animal welfare groups and save that money for the welfare animals .

>

>Kala Santha

>

>

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