When natural or man-made disasters happen, people need to make quick decisions about their personal safety. This could mean their animals – pets and livestock – are left behind during an evacuation order. Fortunately, the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team (ALERT) is ready to help.  

ALERT is dedicated to animal welfare through the rescue and shelter of domestic animals and livestock in a disaster. Their volunteers spring into action when local authorities request their assistance and when the province’s emergency support services are activated. 

Not surprisingly, ALERT volunteers have been very active during BC’s recent and challenging wildfire seasons. With wildfire comes smoke, and the breathing safety of those volunteers becomes a high priority. “Unfortunately, there have been circumstances where we have not been allowed to enter a fire-affected zone because our volunteers did not have the proper breathing equipment,” says Daryl Meyers, ALERT’s Communications Director. This issue has also affected ALERT’s ability to respond to the sites of house and apartment fires to search for missing pets. 

Thanks to a Community Foundation grant, ALERT now owns a dozen respirators that are properly fitted to volunteers who are trained to use them correctly. “The respirators are a game changer for us,” says Daryl. “We’ll now be able to do our work safely and effectively, which will greatly improve the outcomes for animals we’re asked to care for.” 

Equipment purchases are one of a wide variety of eligible expenses that can be supported by a Foundation grant. From new computers to dishwashers to respirators and more, we’re happy to consider funding for items that improve the effectiveness of a charity to deliver its projects and programs in support of its mission.