An e-mail blast helped launch a campaign the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) hopes will raise over $2 million to help rebuild shelters in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The e-mailing on Wednesday to 250,000 will be soon followed by an over 700,000 piece direct mail request for donations. This will target individuals who have given to the ASPCA within the last 48 months, said Jo Sullivan senior vice president, development and communications.
All funds in the campaign will be earmarked for hurricane-impacted shelters in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi and held for them until they are ready to rebuild, said Sullivan. Several hundred thousand in donations had already been raised.
"But that's just a drop in the bucket," she added. "These shelters can't even think about fundraising right now."
Animals from shelters in the New Orleans area have been evacuated to the Houston Astrodome, said Sullivan, noting that a rescue team from the ASPCA's New York headquarters was getting ready to head down to help take care of displaced animals.
The ASPCA is also compiling a list of people who have been separated from their animals because of the natural disaster. While there is no infrastructure to begin searches at present, the group hopes it can maintain a "master list" to help search for missing pets.
