Nearly 1,900 animals need help after Colombia earthquake

Animal rescuers in Colombia are trying to help nearly 1,900 cats and dogs after a powerful earthquake destroyed homes, damaged shelters and separated animals from their families.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10. Around 312 people have died as of August 19, while more than 4,000 were injured. Thousands of homes were destroyed or badly damaged.

Animals have also been caught in the disaster. According to the office of Colombian Senator Andrea Padilla, 1,870 cats and dogs across several affected regions need help. They need food, veterinary treatment or safe shelter.

Her team counted 32 animal shelters that had collapsed or were at risk of collapse in areas including Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Valle del Cauca and Antioquia.

Around 200 cats and dogs have also been reported missing, according to Padilla’s office. Photos of lost and found animals are being shared online as families search for their pets.

Animal welfare groups and volunteers are now collecting food, medicine, crates, blankets and other supplies for animals affected by the earthquake.

Senator Padilla also supported a fundraising campaign called Una Garra por Colombia, or A Paw for Colombia. This will help damaged shelters rebuild and pay for emergency veterinary care.

Who is Senator Andrea Padilla?

Andrea Padilla is a Colombian senator from the Green Alliance party. She is one of the country’s best-known political voices on animal protection. Before entering national politics, she worked for years as an animal rights activist and later served on Bogotá’s city council.

In Congress, she has backed several animal protection laws, including stronger penalties for animal cruelty and legislation that brings animal protection into schools.

For this earthquake response, her office has also been helping collect information on animals and shelters affected by the disaster, which is why the figures on cats, dogs and damaged shelters are coming from her team rather than from Colombia’s national disaster agency.