Arizona Human Society helps animals with the “Austin” pet ambulance

The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) has received a $100,000 donation for a new “Austin” pet emergency ambulance. The new vehicle is expected to greatly expand AHS’s efforts to help sick, injured and abused animals. For more on this, Arizona Horizon talked with Dr. Steven R. Hansen, AHS President and CEO, and Dr. Ingrid Haas, Vice President at Spirit and Word Ministries.

“It’s got a special box set up on the back that allows us to pick up injured animals, keep them cool, treat them. We can put them on fluids. We can rush them to our trauma hospital,” said Dr. Hansen. “This vehicle will allow us to do more and more of those types of rescues.”

The ambulance will be outfitted with life-saving medical equipment for animals as well as pet paramedics.

“We’ve got personnel that are trained. They’re essentially trained as paramedics to help pets,” said Dr. Hansen.

The donation was made from the Bill Austin Fund in honor of the 13th anniversary of local media personality Bill Austin’s passing.

“I think he enjoyed pets,” said Dr. Haas, who is a beneficiary of his estate and set up a charity in his name.

Last year, more than 7,400 sick and injured animals were brought in through AHS’ EAMT™ program while AHS Animal Cruelty Investigators performed more than 8,100 cruelty investigations. Thanks to the new “Austin” pet ambulance, AHS will have the ability to help more than 4,300 additional sick, injured and abused pets in the community each year.