After the Typhoon that goes by two names, Ketsana and Ondoy, struck the Philippines, leaving over 240 people dead, it had deluged the island in the greatest amount of rainfall ever recorded from a typhoon.
In some houses the floodwaters rose to the third floor. Aerial views showed streets filled with water as far as the eye could see.
Many animals needed rescuing too, and Rich Crook, Best Friends Rapid Response manager, left immediately, as part of an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) team, to save as many animals as possible and to help coordinate local groups in the disaster.
Since they landed, they’ve been kept really busy, plucking swimming animals out of flooded streets, receiving animals handed to them by passers-by, climbing up ladders to get to animals stranded on rooftops. In many cases, local people have helped with rescues, sometimes creating makeshift rafts for the dogs to rest on, as they’re floated along to safety. It’s not easy being a short dog on a flooded street!
In Pasig City, one of the oldest sections of downtown Manilla, they came across four young dogs who had been left in cars. Asking around among the people in the area, they discovered that the dogs had not been abandoned. The owner was coming by every day to feed them and be sure they were okay. So the team left the dogs in place and will keep an eye on them.
Crook writes that, as well as Pasig City, they’ve been traveling to Laguna, Greenwood Village, Marakina, and other areas in and around Manilla, to assess the needs and to meet with local groups and military officials.
They have spent their days out on the water rescuing animals and have been holding meetings in the evenings. Crook explains, “Manila has sub-communities [the areas mentioned above] that sit in low-lying pockets similar to New Orleans; these areas will likely have water for some time to come. The water levels have actually risen since we've been here, primarily due to a category 5 typhoon that hit just north of us two days ago.”
Click on the image to the right to see a video of the IFAW collaborative animal rescue efforts, shot by Mike Booth/IFAW
Sadly, many animals didn’t survive. There are a lot though who managed to climb up on to rooftops and the tops of vehicles, who have been able to be reached and brought to safety.
Crook writes that the spirits of the people seem pretty good, and that some government aid is reaching them.
Crook and the IFAW team have been able to bring together local groups and stakeholders so they can get a lot more accomplished by working together than each group would have been able to do on its own.
Both Best Friends and IFAW are part of the NARSC coalition, formed three and a half years ago, of eight animals groups, who train together to be able to respond to natural disasters.
Tomorrow they are headed back to the Laguna area south of Manilla, beside Laguna Lake, which normally is the third largest lake in south-east Asia. Now the lake has no boundaries. It has spilled over into residential areas, where the water is still six to eight feet deep, and there are a lot of animals stranded on rooftops, so the team will have their work cut out for them.
How You Can Help
- If you'd like to support Best Friends' efforts, donate here.
Photo: Mike Booth / IFAW / Four young dogs left in cars were being fed by their owner.
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