OT - Please help the Animals - The silent victims of Katrina

[micheleg]

All...

 

For those of use that live in South Florida, we remember all too well the thousands of animals left sick and/or homeless after Hurricane Andrew. Please know that the Human Society was here to help rescue, care, feed, and place many, many animals after Andrew.

 

If you have been watching the news, you've most probably seen pictures of animals sitting on roofs, running through disease filled water, etc. Who knows how many scared, hungry and sick animals have been left to fend for themselves becuase their homes were destroyed or their human families injured or killed. Also, please know that most shelters do not accept animals/pets, so they are usually left behind to face the storms alone.

 

Please...after you contribute to the American Red Cross Hurricane disaster fund, please find it in your hearts to also contribute to the Humane Society. They really need help and so do all of the animals. The secure site to contribute can be found at:

https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund_2005/step1/r47zuF961kp5X

 

Look into your pets faces...think about it if it was them.

 

Thanks in advance and God Bless America!

 

Michele

[JNLROSE]

Wonderful post Michele!!! I too, am an animal lover!!!:D

[Classynfun1]

All too many people forget about the "other" family members left in these types of tragedies. I'm tearing up right now....i'll donate right away.

 

Thank You.

[NorthernLite]

I was thrilled that after calling to check on family in Baton Rouge the night before to see the mayor of New orleans on TV. Right after issueing the mandatory evacuation order he added that it included family pets! He informed residents that those who left dogs and cats behind would be prosecuted for cruelty when caught.

 

I think enough hotels and motels realize that pets are big business and family now that a mayor could include them in a state of emergency.

[TourDeCruise]

NorthernLite: I was on the May 7, 2004 Galaxy cruise with you. Good for the mayor issuing this requirement!

 

From what I read, the hotels in the impacted areas are having a liberal pet policy at this time.

 

 

Michele: Thanks for posting the information. Great post. Our animals are our children. Tonight I had just been researching where to donate money and was specifically looking at animal organizations. Yesterday's USA Today printed the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals as a place to donate too: www.la-spca.org The following Network for Good website has several animal organizations listed too:

http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hurricanes/?source=AOL&cmpgn=NEWS&RTP=http://news.channel.aol.com

 

The Humane Society you posted specifically had hurricane-disaster information already posted which some in the above did not have. They indicate they are already mobilized. I’ll donate to the one you listed and plan also to donate to the Louisiana Society (above) along with one for humans.

[tuggers]

Thanks, Michele for posting this. I had lamented to my friends today that I wanted to post a thread on here asking for help for the animals but I couldn't get on!

 

I work with a Schnauzer rescue group. We were able to contact one person in the La Schnauzer rescue to see if we could help by taking in their fosters. She has not been able to contact one other person in her group and has no idea if any of the people or fosters made it through. We all need to pray for them. Please.

 

Donate for the animals. If everyone would just give $10 or $20 it would make a big difference in the life of these animals.

[alpal1993]

Thank you for thinking about and reminding us about the animals.I rescued a wonderful dog Timmy from Hurricane Andrew.He was a Border Collie and was a beloved part of our family for 11 years.He passed away last year from old age and he is truly missed.I have given a donation to The Red Cross,so now I will give a donation to the Human Society next.

[gizmo]

Here is another organization that rescues animals from disasters.

http://www.noahswish.com/

[Arubalisa]

I have begun a list of resources for animals affected by the hurricane. I will add more as time allows

 

Resources for Animals Affected by Hurricane Katrina

[Tuna]

Sorry. I find it difficult to divert any money that could be sent down to organizations that help people to organizations that help animals. To me, it's not even a debate.

[Arubalisa]

Speaking as a foster and adoptive mom of children and animals, why is it not possible to do both?

 

The Prayer of a Stray

Dear God, please send me somebody who'll care! I'm tired of running, I'm sick with despair. My body is aching, it's so racked with pain.

 

And Dear God I pray as I run in the rain, "That someone will love me and give me a home. A warm cozy bed I can call my own.

 

My last owner neglected me and chased me away. To rummage in garbage and live as a stray.

 

But now God I'm tired and hungry and cold. And I'm afraid that I'll never grow old. They've chased me with sticks and hit me with stones While I run in the streets just looking for bones!

 

I'm not really bad God, please help if you can. For I have become just a "VICTIM OF MAN!" I'm wormy Dear God and I'm ridden with fleas and all that I want is an owner to please!

 

If you find one for me God, I'll try to be good I won't run away and I'll do as I should. I don't think I'll make it to long on my own, Cause I'm getting so weak and I'm so all alone.Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry, 'cause I'm so afraid God, that I'm gonna die! And I've got so much love and devotion to give, that I should be given a new chance to live.

 

So Dear God PLEASE, PLEASE answer my prayer And send me somebody who WILL really care...Author Unknown

[ten1868]

My wife and I are doing both, giving to the Red Cross and HSUS, it is important to remember that some of the animals were not given the option of evacucation, they were just left behind :(.

[gwen_cpk]

Thank-you for starting this thread. I just went to the HSUS website and sent a donation. I wanted to help somehow and to me, this is the best way.

 

On behalf of Emmy, Oscar, and Ashley: we hope all the animals will make it out of the disaster area ok.

 

Thank-you AGAIN for posting the website!!

 

-gwen and the 3 cats

[mafig]

Sorry. I find it difficult to divert any money that could be sent down to organizations that help people to organizations that help animals. To me, it's not even a debate.

 

 

Our hearts are big enough to do both...

 

I was wondering where to send money for the animals. I shouldn't have wondered. The people of CC have come through again. Thanks for the info.:)

[micheleg]

Sorry. I find it difficult to divert any money that could be sent down to organizations that help people to organizations that help animals. To me, it's not even a debate.

 

Tuna,

 

I understand where you're coming from, but I hope you noticed that as I stated in my Original Post that I hoped that people would donate to the Human Society AFTER they donated to the Red Cross.

 

If everyone that responds to a Cruise Critic post and decides not to have 2 Martini's one night - that would amount to at least $20.00 bucks per couple. I really believe that we all can afford to do this. Guess it depends on everyones personal priorities. All I know is...I have pets...and these are my children. What more can I say?

 

Again...our hopes and prayers go out to everyone in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi (and..let's not forget all of the farmers in South Miami-Dade that have lost most or all of their crops due to Katrina)

 

Michele

[MamaQuack]

Amen Michelle and thank you as well as the other posters with sites. We have just now sent in our donation.

 

 

Tuna, I will not flame you however I will pray for you.

[mmp13]

Yes it is possible to do both. Help the people and help the animals these poor people had to leave behind. You don't have to be an animal lover to know that those who left their pets behind have one more thing to grieve about. I certainly sent as much as I could to the red cross and then sent something to the humane society. As a pet owner myself, I know that their are lots of families grieving for the family member they left behind.

[ajpack]

Thank you for posting websites where we can contribute. I've already sent a check to the Red Cross and will now contribute to help the animals. If the same thing happened to my pets, I would want people to be compassionate.

[Shari2]

Thanks for the great post, Michelle! I know that I always pray that if something should happen to me that my two kitty-cats will be well taken care of.

[MamaQuack]

After posting here I went thru my address book checking for pet lovers. I ended up sending 44 emails with the links for donations. As of this minute I have received 37 replys and they have ALL made contributions. I asked everyone to pass it along to people in their address book. We can make a difference folks.

[SusieV]

We have friends of friends who live in NO but were out of town when Katrina hit. Unfortunately, the people they trusted to petsit their two cats abandoned them there to die when the hurricane hit. They had carriers but chose not to bring them along.

 

It's devastating that people who had the ability to flee would just abandon their small family members.

 

I'm helping a guinea pig rescue that is helping with all small animals rescued in the disaster.

[madelinerose]

Michelle...You're going to heaven with the others on this board who are looking out for the animal family members who give us 24/7 unconditional love. ;)

[amyr]

Michele,

 

Thank you so much for bringing up the animals. In any disaster, they are always the forgotten ones, and considering the current conditions, are likely to remain so for some time. I did volunteer work for years with my local Humane Society and was actively involved in disaster rescue, from cleaning out the homes of "collectors" to tornado, hurricane, and wildfire rescue. Even if you believe the concerns of animals pale in comparison to those of humans, the fact remains that the displaced animals will be an additional problem that must be dealt with.

 

Andrew taught us, for one thing, that all the loose dogs will eventually form packs and become very dangerous, even if they were normally docile breeds and obviously once someone's pet. Fortunately, Andrew also taught the government that animal causes were of concern to everyone, and animal disaster rescue has finally fallen under the jursidiction of FEMA. In prior disasters, all the work was done on a volunteer basis and funded largely by the U.S. Humane Society, local shelters that sent help, and corporations like Purina and Iams. They will now receive some federal help financially, but not really enough.

 

A donation is a wonderful thing. If everyone that could sent even $5, that would be a tremendous amount of money once it was added up. Also, if you are watching your local news and see a contingent from one of your local shelters heading out, consider giving money directly to that shelter. Launching a disaster rescue operation can really tax a local shelter or rescue group, most of which are non-profit and depend solely on donations.

[Tricia724]

I had been thinking about making a contribution to the Humane Society but hadn't done anything about it until I read your post. I just came from their website where I made a donation. Thanks for reminding me. Even though my larger contributions are to the disaster relief agencies, I can always find a few dollars in my pocket and heart for the Humane Society. I think everyone should fund the organizations they feel will make the best use of their dollars. The important thing is to DO SOMETHING. There are enough of us out here to make a difference.

[clopaw]

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. Although I had donated to the Red Cross, I hadn't thought about the Humane Society. I have heard people in Louisiana express concern about their animals that they had to leave behind when they left the city. I hope our donations help to care for those poor scared, hungry animals.