5 Ways to Help the Animals of Hurricane Sandy

SMITHTOWN, N.J., Dec. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When Hurricane Sandy struck the coast at the end of October it did damage that hit the news channels around the globe. The 80 mile per hour winds took lives, did billions of dollars in damage, and left thousands of people homeless. Many people are aware of the human impact of this tragedy, but few know about how the animals were in impacted in the area. As it turns out, many pets were lost, displaced, injured, and separated from their families.

"There is an element of tragedy here that many people have not even heard about and it is all the animals that have been impacted," explains Robert Misseri, president of Guardians of Rescue, an organization dedicated to helping animals in need. "What we try to do is help raise awareness and to help as many animals as we can, but we really need the support of others in order to be more successful at our mission."

The Guardians of Rescue immediately went into action after Hurricane Sandy hit, helping countless animals by rescuing them, providing them with medical care, food, shelter, and temporary homes. Thus far, they have aided over 150 pets and continue to rescue more and provide pet food to help many families who were hit hard. Here are 5 ways that people can help the animals who have been victims of Hurricane Sandy:

1. Volunteer to rescue. For those who like to get in the trenches and be a physical part of what is going on, they can sign up to become a rescue volunteer. They will go out on missions in order to help those animals in need.
2. Send supplies. Those who are taking care of the rescued pets need supplies, such as pet food. Donating pet items, or things that may be used during rescue missions, is always helpful.
3. Become a foster. With so many displaced animals, many need temporary homes until they can be successfully reunited with their families. Those who can open their home up to caring for an animal temporarily are needed.
4. Spread the word. Most people are not aware of the problems that the animal victims of Hurricane Sandy have experienced. The more the information gets out about this, the more people that will get involved in helping.
5. Donate funds. Through the animal rescue process there are funds used to locate, rescue, provide medical care, feed, and house the animals. Anyone, anywhere can help with this by making a monetary donation.

"Everyone wants to help animals in need, they just don't always know how to do it," added Misseri. "We have an active group of people who help, we just need people to support those efforts. Together, we can make a world of difference for the animals who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy."

Guardians of Rescue are currently still assisting animals in need due to Hurricane Sandy. They are actively making rescues and providing food and medical assistance, as well as providing foster care placement for those families needing help caring for their animals at this time. There are still many families struggling to recover from the storm, making it difficult to care for their pet either financially, or while living in temporary housing. To learn more, or to make a donation to support the Guardians of Rescue, log onto www.guardiansofrescue.org.

About Guardians of Rescue

Based in New York, Guardians of Rescue is an organization whose mission is to protect the well being of all animals. They provide aid to animals in distress, including facilitating foster programs, rehabilitation, assisting other rescue groups, and providing support to families, both military and not, who need assistance due to economic factors. To learn more about Guardians of Rescue, visit the site at www.guardiansofrescue.org.

The Guardians of Rescue logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=16186