http://www.legis.state.la.us
Bill Maps a Pet Evacuation Route
http://www.latimes.com/news
EVERYONE:
You may email ALL LOUISIANA STATE SENATORS by copying the email block below into the Bcc (blind copy) line of your email. Enter your own email address in the To line and hit Send.
ACTIVISTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES:
To ensure your comments are not blocked, please send your email to someone in the U.S.A. to forward on your behalf.
LOUISIANA RESIDENTS:
In addition to writing and CALLING all Louisiana Senators, please ask your elected Senators who represent the district you live in to support SB 607, The Pet Evacuation Bill.
TO SEND LETTERS BY FAX OR POSTAL MAIL:
Please see complete contact information for every LA State Senator, following sample letter.
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SAMPLE LETTER & EMAIL BLOCK
FULL CONTACT INFO (street addresses, fax/phone) follows sample letter
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Dear Senator,
In a single week last September, rescuers airlifted thousands of New Orleans residents stranded in flooded homes. Among them, Denise Okojo clung to her Labrador retriever in the shadows of their swamped apartment. When a rescue team arrived, Okojo was ordered to leave Molly, her seeing-eye service dog, behind. The blind woman said goodbye to her "eyes" and sole companion.
Laura K. Maloney, executive director of the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, claims animal protection volunteers recovered about 16,000 animals in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Most ended up in shelters around the U.S. Only 3,000 were reunited with their guardians. Okojo was one of the fortunate evacuees. At Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, she relayed her story to a kindhearted nurse who alerted ASPCA disaster relief workers. After smashing through a window, a rescue squad found Molly trembling in an upstairs bedroom.
A disaster preparedness plan without provisions for animals is a bad plan. In America, animals live in over half of all households. Cats inhabit 3 of every 10 homes, according to Humane Society of the U.S. figures. In New Orleans alone, 50,000 to 70,000 dogs were pre-Katrina family members.
Yet Louisiana disaster victims were forced to choose between survival and their pets. Unforgivable images are etched into our nation's conscience: A white dog is ripped from a boy's arms as he boards a bus. A bewildered yellow Lab watches his family disappear in a helicopter. An elderly woman cannot receive medical care unless she deserts her cats. A man swims and walks for miles with his dog, only to learn he must abandon his loyal friend.
An emergency plan with no animal component is out of touch with constituents. In fact, Katrina "stragglers" cited pets as the foremost reason for staying in flooded areas. The human death toll might have been lower if a strategy to accommodate animals had been in place.
You have the opportunity to ensure this never happens again. I respectfully ask for your full support of Senator Fontenot's Senate Bill No. 607 (SB-607) Pet Evacuation Bill. SB-607 requires state and parish homeland security and emergency preparedness agencies "to consult with experts in the fields of animal sheltering, veterinary medicine, public health and safety, and other professional and technical personnel deemed appropriate to formulate emergency operation plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in times of emergency or disaster."
"I felt we were derelict in our duties to the citizens of Louisiana, because we didn't make arrangements for pets," Senator Fontenot told reporters. "I don't think we recognize that pet-human bond that was there, and a lot of people refused to evacuate because they weren't going to leave their pets behind."
Long after the last humans had evacuated, thousands of emaciated and dehydrated pets roamed empty New Orleans parishes. Seven months beyond the storm, animal advocates continue to rescue and rehabilitate displaced pets. Please stand behind SB-607, which instructs government to consult with animal welfare organizations to fully implement protocols on rescue/shelter of animals during a disaster. I am counting on you to cosponsor the critical Pet Evacuation Bill.
Thank you,
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COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION
http://senate.legis.state.la
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CENTRAL FAX NUMBER, when the Legislature is in session. Faxes are placed directly into each senator's mailbox: 225-342-0617
CENTRAL PHONE NUMBER, when the Legislature is in session: 225-342-2040
LOUSIANA STATE SENATE MEMBERS
Senator Robert Adley
611 Jessie Jones Drive; Benton, LA 71006
ph: 225-342-2040, 318-965-1755; fax: 318-965-1757
email: adleyr@legis.state.la.us
Senator "Jody" Amedee
2109 S. Burnside Ave., Suite A; Gonzales, LA 70737
ph: 225-644-1526; fax: 225-644-7392
email: amedeej@legis.state.la.us
Senator Diana E. Bajoie
Post Office Box 15168; New Orleans, LA 70175
ph: 225-342-0752, 504-568-7760; fax: 504-896-1301
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Robert J. Barham
Post Office Box 249; Oak Ridge, LA 71264
ph: 225-342-2040, 318-244-5582; fax: 318-244-5015
email: barhamr@legis.state.la.us
Senator Walter J. Boasso
100 Intermodal Drive; Chalmette, LA 70043
ph: 225-342-2040, 504-270-9258; fax: 504-277-0113
email: boassow@legis.state.la.us
Senator Sharon Weston Broome
P. O. Box 52783; Baton Rouge, LA 70892
ph: 225-359-9352; fax: 225-359-9353
email: lasen15@legis.state.la.us
Senator James David Cain
Post Office Box 640; Dry Creek, LA 70637
ph: 225-342-2040, 337-328-7266; fax: 337-491-2027
email: cainj@legis.state.la.us
Senator Joel T. Chaisson
P.O. Box 1255; Destrehan, LA 70047
ph: 225-342-2040, 985-764-9911; fax: 985-764-9686
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Sherri Smith Cheek
9973 Mansfield Road; Keithville, LA 71047
ph: 318-687-4820; fax: 318-687-4077
email: smithcheek@legis.state.la.us
Senator Donald R. "Don" Cravins
Vice Chairman, Judiciary B Committee
200 West Pine Street; Lafayette, LA 70501
ph: 225-342-2114, 337-234-9695; fax: 337-234-7019
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Jay Dardenne, Judiciary B Committee Member
Post Office Box 94183; Baton Rouge, LA 70804
ph: 225-342-9788; fax: 225-383-3733
email: dardennej@legis.state.la.us
Senator Ann Duplessis
6600 Plaza Drive, Suite 211A; New Orleans, LA 70127
ph: 504-243-7795; fax: 504-246-7689
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Reggie P. Dupre
P. O. Box 3893; Houma, LA 70361-2016
ph: 985-876-9902; fax: 985-873-2016
email: lasen20@legis.state.la.us
Senator Noble E. Ellington, Judiciary B Committee Member
4272 Front Street; Winnsboro, LA 71295
ph: 318-435-7313; fax: 318-435-9885
email: ellingtn@legis.state.la.us
Senator Cleo Fields
Post Office Box 94183; Baton Rouge, LA 70804
ph: 225-342-9793; fax: 225-219-4354
email: fieldsc@legis.state.la.us
Senator Heulette "Clo" Fontenot
Author of SB 607, Pet Evacuation Bill
P.O. Box 1238; Livingston, LA 70754
ph: 225-686-0108; fax: 225-686-2161
email: fontenoc@legis.state.la.us
Senator "Nick" Gautreaux
209 E. St. Victor Street; Abbeville, LA 70510
ph: 337-740-NICK (6425), 1-866-740-NICK (6425)
fax: 337-740-6400; email: gautreauxn@legis.state.la.us
Senator D. A. "Butch" Gautreaux
1103 Eighth Street; Morgan City, LA 70380
ph: 800-562-3204; fax: 985-380-2447
email: lasen21@legis.state.la.us
Senator Francis C. Heitmeier
3709 General DeGaulle; New Orleans, LA 70114
ph: 504-361-6014; fax: 504-361-9794
email: heitmeierf@legis.state.la.us
Senator Donald E. Hines
Post Office Box 262; Bunkie, LA 71322
ph: 318-346-4619; fax: 318-346-2301
email: hinesd@legis.state.la.us
Senator Ken Hollis, Judiciary B Committee Member
2800 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Suite 365; Metairie, LA 70002
ph: 225-342-8325, 504-828-9300; fax: 504-828-9355
email: hollisk@legis.state.la.us
Senator Lydia P. Jackson
610 Texas Street, Suite 201; Shreveport, LA 71101
ph: 318-676-7029; fax: 318-676-7034
email: jacksonl@legis.state.la.us
Senator Charles D. "C.D." Jones, Judiciary B Committee Member
141 Desiard Street, Suite 315; Monroe, LA 71201
ph: 225-342-2366, 318-362-5469;
fax: 318-325-2647; email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Robert W. "Bob" Kostelka
Post Office Box 2122; Monroe, LA 71207
ph: 800-508-5572; fax: 318-329-9150
email: kostelka@legis.state.la.us
Senator Arthur J. "Art" Lentini
6620 Riverside Drive, Suite 312; Metairie, LA 70003
ph: 504-780-8700; fax: 504-465-3463
email: lentini@legis.state.la.us
Senator Max T. Malone
610 Marshall Street, Suite 722; Shreveport, LA 71101
ph: 318-676-5733; fax: 318-676-5734
email: malonem@legis.state.la.us
Senator Robert "Rob" Marionneaux
Chairman, Judiciary B Committee
P.O. Box 577; Livonia, LA 70755-0577
ph: 225-637-3623; fax: 225-637-3124
email: lasen17@legis.state.la.us
Senator Joe McPherson
880 Robinson Bridge Road; Woodworth, LA 71485
ph: 318-484-2211; fax: 318-445-2872
email: lasen29@legis.state.la.us
Senator Michael J. "Mike" Michot
P.O. Box 80372; Lafayette, LA 70598
ph: 337-262-1332; fax: 337-237-1185
email: lasen23@legis.state.la.us
Senator Willie L. Mount
P.O. Box 3004; Lake Charles, LA 70602
ph: 337-491-2016; fax: 337-433-8080
email: lasen27@legis.state.la.us
Senator Edwin R. Murray
1540 N. Broad St.; New Orleans, LA 70119
ph: 504-945-0042; fax: 504-942-5968
email: murraye@legis.state.la.us
Senator Ben Nevers
724 Avenue F; Bogalusa, LA 70427
ph: 985-732-6863, 1-800-881-2749; fax: 985-732-6860
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Julie Quinn
3330 North Causeway Boulevard, Suite 438; Metairie, LA 70002
ph: 504-219-4640; fax: 504-219-4639
email: quinnj@legis.state.la.us
Senator Craig F. Romero
300 Iberia Street, Suite B-150; New Iberia, LA 70560
ph: 337-364-8006; fax: 337-364-7355
email: romeroc@legis.state.la.us
Senator John T. "Tom" Schedler
3840 Highway 22, Suite 200; Mandeville, LA 70471
ph: 225-342-2040, 985-727-7949, 1-800-836-9581
fax: 985-727-9904; email: schedlet@legis.state.la.us
Senator Derrick Shepherd
2009 Ames Boulevard; Marrero, LA 70072
ph: 504-371-0263; fax: 504-371-0265
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Kenneth M. "Mike" Smith
Post Office Box 1381; Winnfield, LA 71483
ph: 225-342-0637, 318-628-3075; fax: 318-628-5286
email: smithmi@legis.state.la.us
Senator Gerald J. Theunissen
Post Office Box 287; Jennings, LA 70546
ph: 337-824-0376; fax: 337-824-4780
email: theunisg@legis.state.la.us
Senator J. Chris Ullo
2150 Westbank Expressway, Suite 705; Harvey, LA 70058
ph: 504-361-6690; fax: 504-361-6691
email: websen@legis.state.la.us
Here are the members of the committe the bill has been assigned to. These members definitely have to be bombarded with calls to get it passed through committee.
Louisiana Judiciary B Committee
Committee Members:
Senator Robert "Rob" Marionneaux, Jr. (Chairman)
P.O. Box 577
Livonia, LA 70755-0577
(225) 637-3623
lasen17@legis.state.la.us
Senator Donald R. "Don" Cravins (Vice-Chairman)
200 West Pine Street
Lafayette, LA 70501
(337) 234-9695
websen@legis.state.la.us
Senator Jay Dardenne
Post Office Box 94183
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
(225) 342-9788
dardennej@legis.state.la.us
Senator Noble E. Ellington
4272 Front Street
Winnsboro, LA 71295
(318) 435-7313
ellingtn@legis.state.la.us
Senator Ken Hollis
2800 Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Suite 365
Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 828-9300
hollisk@legis.state.la.us
Senator Charles D. "C.D." Jones
141 Desiard Street
Suite 315
Monroe, LA 71201
(318) 362-5469
websen@legis.state.la.us
Thank You---This is so important!!!!!
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