After New Orleans’ Hurricane Katrina left over 600,000 pets killed or homeless, there has been a shift in evacuation and rescue efforts to include the furry members of our families. Here in Hudson Valley, the NY State Police Aviation Detachment is joining those efforts. During Hurricane Irene this small detachment run out of Newburgh’s Stewart Airport, saved 5 dogs that were rescued alongside their owners.

Valley Central High School hosted its Thirteenth Annual Science Research Symposium on Tuesday, May 23rd at Valley Central High School in Montgomery NY followed by a dinner at the Ward’s Bridge Inn. The keynote speaker for the evening was alumni Eric Ulrich, BS of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics and Dr. Eric Evans DVM of Flannery Animal Hospital was the honored guest. The senior presenters were Sara Belknap, River Castelonia, and Angela Zhu.

Nationally 60% of dogs and 70% of cats who enter animal shelters are euthanized. Statistically, the animals who find themselves living in an animal shelter are evenly divided between those that are strays and those who were surrendered by their owners. Flannery Animal Hospital has made it part of their mission to raise awareness for local shelters and ultimately help save some of those animals by finding them a loving home.

Flannery Animal Hospital has connected with World Vets, an international aid organization for animals, to make a donation that will assist with disaster relief efforts in Japan. Their donation of collapsible crates will aid World Vets in their effort to help pets left injured and homeless in the wake of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that occurred in Japan earlier this month.