Pierce Brosnan’s new ad may be the last hope for whales.
Please watch, then help us get it aired on television. Your donation will be doubled today!
(Warning: Graphic images)

June 14, 2010

Last week, Pierce Brosnan wrote to you with an urgent request to save the world’s whales, who are on the brink of losing key protections under international law. Today, I’m writing with an equally urgent request.

Despite thousands of letters and phone calls to key U.S. officials, the fate of the world’s whales still hangs in the balance. That’s why The Humane Society of the United States has joined with Pierce Brosnan and our coalition partners in a last-ditch effort to save the oceans’ most majestic creatures: a new ad that urges President Obama to honor his campaign pledge to protect whales.

Will you watch this new ad right now, and then make a special donation to air it on television in key markets? A group of caring donors will match your gift, dollar for dollar, up to $75,000. That means we’ll have at least $150,000 to ensure this ad sees major air time in key markets such as Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

Our time to act is short: One week from today, the nations that are members of the International Whaling Commission, a body mandated to conserve whales, will meet to vote on whether to give in to Japan, Iceland, and Norway. These three nations believe selling whale meat is more important than the survival of these marine species. The United States must exert worldwide leadership to keep the ban on whaling intact. But we have to convince the Obama administration to do the right thing.

So please watch Pierce Brosnan’s personal plea to President Obama — then donate today to ensure this critical message reaches him and his staff. Your donation will go directly into our “Save Whales, Not Whaling” fund. Remember, the first $75,000 in donations will be doubled by a group of generous donors and be used to get the ad on the air. Every additional penny will be used exclusively for our campaign to save the world’s whales.

But I’ll warn you, the ad is hard to watch. It shows the very real threats facing whales today. But that’s precisely why Pierce Brosnan, The HSUS, Humane Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the National Resources Defense Council are banding together to make sure this ad gets on TV – so the key decision makers cannot ignore it. Will you help us save the world’s whales now?

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

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HSUS animal centers, experts prepared to help animals of oil spill disaster

The Humane Society of the United States

Hundreds of species of wildlife are at risk from the massive oil spill in the Gulf Coast.

Dr. Roberto Aguilar, staff veterinarian at our Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, Mass., spoke with us briefly about the massive and ongoing oil spill threatening havoc on the delicate ecosystem of the Gulf Coast region.

In addition to our emergency responders and triage equipment ready for immediate deployment, we asked Dr. Aguilar what kind of role The HSUS’s animal care centers would play in rescue and rehab efforts.

Dr. Aguilar is an associate researcher at the New Zealand Wildlife Health Centre, one of the largest oil spill networks in the world.

Q: Can you give us an overview of the situation for wildlife?

A: The Gulf region is diverse and full of unique wildlife who almost certainly will be compromised—from sea turtles and sperm whales to countless species of shorebirds and migratory avian species. Though marine mammals are the purview of specialized stranding networks, an immense variety of mammals, birds and reptiles will be affected.

The oil spill affecting the area is thick, tarry toxic crude capable of inflicting not only short-term damage to adult animals but also severe long-term effects on critical breeding populations. Dips in wildlife populations can be expected (as have been seen after all major oil spills). The fact that most of southern Louisiana and parts of other coastlines are critical wetlands makes the dimension of the tragedy even greater. 

The area represents significant spawning grounds for fish, nesting areas for birds, as well as coastal wildlife; and, tragically, the breeding season is at its height. The diversity of species and the unique requirements of each in dealing with the chemicals poisoning their systems require specialized training—without it, the responders pose a threat to the animals’ survival chances, and both the animals and the hazardous materials pose risks to the humans. 

Q: How is The HSUS able to help? 

A: We have staff and volunteers trained and qualified to respond in the event our assistance is requested. Additionally, we have staff located in all of the Gulf Coast states. They’ve reached out to emergency management, wildlife centers, and shelters to offer support and resources when and if needed. Our trained responders and a fleet of fully equipped transport vehicles are prepared to mobilize.

As one of the largest and most diverse providers of direct animal care in the country, our wildlife rehab experts at The HSUS animal centers stand ready to support local, regional and national responses to the spill threatening the region and its wildlife. Our shared experience will meet the needs should an opportunity to treat any of the affected Gulf Coast animals come up, including issues that may not be directly related to the spill. We also are capable of housing wildlife for a stabilization period if those resources are needed.

Our highly trained and experienced staff at the Wildlife Care Center in South Florida, The Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in California, and Cape Wildlife Center in Massachusetts has dealt extensively with wildlife in trouble due to human activity. This has included everything from a tiny one-ounce wren caught in a glue trap (a situation which presents similar problems to treating oiled animals) to eiders covered in diesel fuel, to coyotes and bobcats hit by cars.

Our Florida center is one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation facilities in the country, seeing more than 12,000 animals a year. There, we treat many of the same species at risk from the oil spill—brown pelicans, egrets, royal terns and others. The center is gearing up for an immediate response to treating animals on site if necessary.

Flexibility, experience, preparedness, training, and patience all come in to play in participating in a well planned, sustained, long term effective cleaning and restoration effort. Our goal will be, as always, to effectively help, treat and recover as many wild animals as possible.