Shaggy survivors hanging on after Katrina - Pet Health - MSNBC.com
Thursday afternoon. Sad, nearly starved animals - I want to go down there and adopt all of them. How could people evacuate without their pets? I mean, I understand that FEMA was not allowing them into the shelters but surely you could have just shoved your cat in a duffle bag or sent your St. Bernard off with the neighbors across the way who were going to Houston? I know that I have rose colored glasses on, perpetually, but leaving Dave and Abby behind (or even the fishies, for that matter) in harm's way is just not something I can think about. When the firestorms of 2003 approached my house, the cat carriers were open and ready in the living room and I'd left just enough room in the car for them with everything else I owned. I'd happily give up every worldly possession just to make room for them. Heck, I happily promised TCB that I'd take the kittens in if he's deployed because the thought of them being lonely and confused by his absence makes me cry.
Dear God, please take care of the most innocent victims of these storms and make sure they find a way home.
Dear God, please take care of the most innocent victims of these storms and make sure they find a way home.
Comments
There were a few stories about people having to make a heartbreaking decision: get on the bus or stay with the pet. And for most of them, there was no choice. The authorities were forcing people to evacuate by that point, 7 days after the hurricane as public pressure mounted.
So for many people, there simply was no choice, and there was no mechanism set up to leave their pets behind at a shelter and pick them up later. There was no one manning the shelter.