The Red Dove
Rescuing Animals Affected by Disasters
The issue
When the earth shakes, forests burn or war breaks out, animals’ lives are also turned upside down. Injured, buried beneath the rubble, lost or deprived of care, they are often left to fend for themselves. Faced with the human emergency, their suffering is pushed into the background.
Yet an animal does not need to have been trapped under rubble to become a victim of a disaster. Lack of water and food, stress, loss of shelter and interruption of treatment can quickly turn a previously minor condition into a life-threatening one. And when rescue operations come to an end, the needs remain immense.
For people who have lost everything, saving their animal is often essential. The animal represents a connection to their former life, a comforting presence and a member of their family.
Donation form
Our project
In 2026, powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela and then Colombia. Animals were buried beneath the rubble, injured, lost or left without food and veterinary care. Appeals for help multiplied. Families who had lost everything still pleaded with us: “Please help our animals too.”
Having worked in Latin America for many years, FFW was in a position to respond. We speak the language, understand the realities on the ground and can rely on trusted teams and partners. We therefore mobilised rescue workers and veterinarians, delivered medicines, equipment and food, and organised veterinary care even in the most isolated communities.
In Venezuela, our teams treated thousands of animals suffering from injuries, malnutrition, dehydration and disease. In Colombia, they took part in rescue operations beneath the rubble and established mobile veterinary clinics. A disaster does not end when the last survivor has been rescued: animals still need care, and their families need help to protect them.
These missions mark a new beginning for the Red Dove (la Colombe Rouge), founded in 1981 by Judith and Franz Weber as a “Red Cross for animals”. Following several interventions, the urgency of other campaigns, the vast distances involved and logistical difficulties had slowed down its work.
Today, we are reviving this mission with one essential principle: to concentrate our efforts where FFW already has the knowledge, networks and structures required to act effectively. We cannot intervene everywhere. But wherever we do commit ourselves, we want to provide practical, sustained assistance that meets the scale of the needs.
Our goals
- Rescue and treat animals affected by disasters, accidents and conflicts.
- Ensure their access to water, food, medicines and shelter.
- Continue providing care beyond the emergency phase and strengthen local veterinary capacity.
- Help disaster-affected families care for their animals.
More Information
Soutenir la Colombe Rouge
Votre don contribue à financer les soins vétérinaires, les médicaments, la nourriture et les moyens nécessaires aux interventions de nos équipes.
Aidez-nous à porter secours aux animaux lorsque tout s’effondre autour d’eux.
Facts and Figures
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