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– Hurricane
Relief for Displaced Pets –
September 12,
2005 – No words can adequately describe the horror, frustration
and sadness we all feel for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I won't
even try. So much has been said already.
Some of you have asked about
the ongoing rescue efforts for displaced pets. Fortunately, now that
human evacuations are nearing completion, many relief workers are working
hard to rescue pets still trapped on rooftops
and front porches. It's clear that many of these
animals can't last much longer. Those lucky enough to be rescued are
unlikely to be reunited with their owners anytime soon. As such,
there is a dire need for for long-term housing of these displaced animals.
How can we help? There
is
no single group or agency overseeing the animal rescue effort, so information
has to be compiled from various sources. I am attempting to put together
a list of reliable resources and agencies. You, the reader, are invited
to
add to the collection.
– ANIMAL
RESCUE & RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS –
ASPCA Disaster
Relief Fund
The American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has a very active
disaster relief program. If you'd like to help, you can donate
online or call (866)275-3923 to donate by phone. Volunteer
opportunities exist for those who can work at Gulf Coast area shelters or
in other shelters around the country that are short-staffed because their own "home
teams" are assisting at the Gulf Coast.
Louisiana
SPCA
The Louisiana SPCA is a private non-profit
organization that is struggling to handle the daily influx of displaced pets.
Their only source of income is donations from the public. You can help them out
by donating online.
Right now they are in desperate need of large dog kennels. They write, "Kennels
are being brought in from various areas around the country next week, but we
can't wait that long. If you are located near the rescue area, and are able to
donate these items, please take them to the Louisiana SPCA Temp Shelter at Lamar
Dixon Expo Center, Gonzales, (225) 647-0712. If you are able to enter the Jefferson
area, the dog kennels are needed at the staging area, Jefferson Feed, 4421 Jefferson
Hwy, (504) 733-8572." (Note: I've been told privately that more volunteers
are needed at these facilities, so if you can help out, please contact them.)
Hurricane
Katrina Emergency Animal Shelter at LSU
The Louisiana State University School of
Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge is doing everything it can to help with
the crisis. "As of Saturday, September 10, 2005, LSU's Parker Coliseum was
housing almost 1,100 companion animals, including over 600 dogs, over 400 cats,
and assorted pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, mice, and
birds. Most of these pets are being cared for by volunteers; owners who are staying
here in town are caring for 120 of the animals. Daily admission of animals is
still exceeding the numbers being discharged to their owners, but people and
their pets are being reunited every day." Click
here for information on how you can donate funds or goods; click
here for information on how you can volunteer to work at a pet shelter
Pasado's
Safe Haven
This small but well-respected non-profit rescue organization located near Seattle,
Washington, sent a team to the New Orleans area. Pasado's
Safe Haven seems to consistently receive glowing reports from people in the
field and they have a lot of needs right now. Please visit their Katrina
News section to see photos and read about their activities. They are begging
for foster homes because
some of the large area shelters, established specifically for Katrina rescues,
are filled to capacity. Donations are
also needed to enable them to keep up their good work.
Noah's Wish Noah's Wish is
a not-for-profit, animal welfare organization located in California.
It exists for one purpose only – to keep animals alive during
disasters. That's all they do. Noah's Wish, in conjunction with Slidell
Animal Control, has set up a temporary shelter in Slidell, LA, where
they are caring for almost 500 dogs, cats, rabbits, parakeets, hamsters,
iguanas, snakes, parrots, etc. Their volunteers continue to rescue
stranded pets, and they're attempting to reunite as many as possible
with their owners. Meanwhile, foster homes in the Gulf Coast region
are sorely needed. If you'd like to help Noah's Wish, click
here for more information about their immediate needs and how you
can contribute.
Humane Society
of the United States Disaster Center
The HSUS Disaster Center has over 200 people
in the field and they say they've already rescued more than 3,000 pets. Wayne
Pacelle,
HSUS's president and chief executive, recently stated, "In New Orleans alone,
we think there are 50,000 pets." You can make an emergency donation to the
HSUS Disaster Relief Fund via
their web site or send a check to HSUS, Dept. DRF-HBM, Disaster Relief Fund,
2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. I have heard conflicting report regarding
their efficacy in this crisis, "Lots of shirts, little action." The jury is out,
and I
would welcome
further
input.
Your recommendations
If you would like to comment on this list of animal relief organizations and/or
contribute information about other worthy groups, please leave a comment using
the
following link:
– ANIMAL
EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK –
(Reuniting Pets with their Owners)
Petfinder.com recently
established a comprehensive Animal
Emergency Response Network to assist companion animal victims and
their caretakers during disasters. They've created a collaborative
database that links information from public and emergency response
organizations and makes that information available to rescuers, victims
and volunteers.
The AERN database enables displaced hurricane
victims to post the whereabouts of their pets so that rescuers can
locate and retrieve them:
If you had to leave your pet(s) behind, click
here to enroll him in the AERN database so attempts can be made to locate
and rescue him.
If you need to find a temporary home or a foster home for your displaced pet(s), click
here to register your request.
If you'd like to search the database for foster care offers, click
here.
If you have lost your pet, click
here to register your lost pet in the "lost" database.
If you would like to search the "found" database for your lost pet, click
here.
If you need help for a pet that is still with you, click
here.
The AERN database enables rescuers to post
descriptions and photos of retrieved pets to help their owners find
them in the rescue system.
If you have found a pet, click
here.
If you would like to examine the database to search for a pet that has been
reported
as
lost, click
here.
The AERN database enables volunteers and
individuals to post offers of foster care for displaced pets. Hurricane
victims can use the information to find temporary care for their pets.
Click here to enroll for fostering a displaced pet, or to volunteer your
services.
If you would like to examine the database of animals that are currently in need
of fostering, click
here.
I'd like to add more pertinent
information to this page, assuming there is an interest. If you have
any comments or suggestions for additional listings, etc., please post
your thoughts in the appropriate comment areas.
