Pets from the hurricane

[AimeeSedlock]

My son works for the ASPCA in Washington DC he was sent down to New Orleans to help with the pets.
There is thousands of dogs and cats that need help, he told me that the shelter he is helping with is gettin 700 pets a day, the work the people are doing down there is unbelieveable!!  He said he couldn't believe that people left so many dogs behind. they need all the help they can get.
I know people need help too, but we can't forget the pets.
I was surprised to hear that people are actually coming in and stealing purbred dogs from the shelter, theres no way to stop them..  But that's not the problem, they really need help, money and supplys.
I just felt the need to tell more people, that the dogs need help, many owners will never come to get there pets... As a pet lover it's hard for me to believe that anyone could leave there baby's behind, but they do..

Okay I'll shut up now, just had to day SOMETHING they need HELP..

Thanks,  Aimee 

[jabear]

Aimee,
Thanks for your post. Hopefully things will calm down there soon so that both the pets and owners can reuinte safely.

Your son doing great work so please thank him from all of us.

[brigid67]

I couldn't leave my babies!!!  but then again I wasn't down there either...could n't even imagine having to make that decsion.

[DixieSugarBear]

Please thank your Son, he is doing very special work. 

[Scootergirl]

You hit the nail right on the head, Laurel. My sister and her husband evacuated (with their dogs), but only took 2 days worth of clothing with them because they expected they would be coming right back. They have yet to be able to get to their house in New Orleans. They went to Mississippi, then Houston, then Omaha, and back to Miss. Their neighborhood is still flooded - I saw it on CNN yesterday.

Most people who evacuated thought the same thing. Or, some were on vacation when they left and had left their pets in the care of a pet sitter, friend, family member or roommate who evacuated and didn't take the pets they were caring for with them.

No one ever expected it would take so long for them to be able to get back to their homes and most pet owners are distraught that their pets are stranded without care.

[Carolyn]

I already discussed that with my husband, I will not leave my animals if we were told to evacuate. He seems to think no problem we'll pack everyone up in the truck. The horses would have to be set free, they would have a better chance loose than trapped in a barn or corral. I really want to have some kind of emergency "pack" prepared.
Carolyn

[GR8DAME]

As in a previous thread, leaving my animals behind would be like leaving one of my skin-kids. Ain't gonna happen. Don't care if we were crawling, we'd be crawling together.
Stella

[Scootergirl]

Carolyn, HSUS.org has some really good articles about making a "disaster preparedness" kit for your pets.