American Veterinary Medical Foundation sending $30,000 to aid Maui wildfire relief efforts
(SCHAUMBURG, Illinois) August 15—In response to the devastating fires on the island of Maui, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation – the philanthropic arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association – today announced an initial grant of $30,000 to support emergency efforts to treat burned and injured animals.
"The damage on Maui is immense, and we encourage our members and others to join us in giving what they can to help the victims and ease the suffering," says Dr. Lori Teller, chair of the AVMF. "In addition to our donations to relief organizations, we'll also be supporting individual disaster relief and reimbursement grants to help veterinarians and animals affected by the wildfires."
To donate, please Visit AVMF.org/Give and select "Disaster Relief" from the dropdown menu. Then check "I would like to dedicate this in honor of or memory of someone" and enter "Maui" for the name.
The extent of the devastation on Maui is still being assessed, but as of today, 99 people were confirmed to have perished and more than 2,200 structures were destroyed, according to news media reports.
Here are links to resources for AVMA members who have been affected or are providing care:
- AVMF Disaster Grants for veterinarians impacted by disasters or those who are providing care to animals impacted by disasters.
- AVMA Insurance: PLIT Professional Liability, Business and Personal Insurance for Veterinarians
About the American Veterinary Medical Foundation
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. For 60 years, the AVMF has been dedicated to developing resources to advance the science and practice of veterinary medicine to improve animal and human health. Foundation programs and activities are designed to benefit veterinary medicine, promote animal welfare, and enhance research so that the profession is better prepared to deal with difficult problems facing animal health today and tomorrow. Charitable contributions and support to the Foundation assist veterinarians and the entire veterinary healthcare team help animals. Our funding priorities include Education, Disaster Relief, Crisis Support, Charitable Veterinary Care and Animal Health Research.
Serving more than 105,000 member veterinarians, the AVMA is the nation's leading representative of the veterinary profession, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of animals, humans and the environment. Founded in 1863 and with members in every U.S. state and territory and more than 60 countries, the AVMA is one of the largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. Informed by our members' unique scientific training and clinical knowledge, the AVMA supports the crucial work of veterinarians and advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and improve animal and human health.