Animates reaches out to earthquake affected pets

They can’t tell you how they feel and they won’t text you when they’re lost.

“They” are the less obvious victims of the Canterbury earthquake – cats and dogs that have disappeared in fright following the earthquake and its after-shocks.

After the first shock, the SPCA had more than 380 missing cats and dogs registered with its ‘Track-a-pet’ service. This compares with 90 pets registered at the same time last year.

The good news is that around 150 have been reunited with their owners, either via the SPCA or simply by making their way home. This means more than 200 are still unaccounted for.

Animates today launched the Animates Earthquake Fund for pets in need in Canterbury. Funds raised will be divided evenly between the SPCA, Dogwatch and Cats’ Protection League.

Animates is contacting its 78,000 club members nationwide and advertising in-store, asking people to make a $1 or $2 donation to add to a purchase.

Animates General Manager Richard Bowker says the ongoing aftershocks, as much as the quake itself, has upset pets.

“While we are able to explain to children what is causing all these earth tremors, with pets it’s different,” Mr Bowker says.

“Money alone is not the answer to finding or re-homing all these pets, but it will go a long way towards supporting the fantastic work of the SPCA, Dogwatch and the Cats’ Protection League in helping at this critical time.”