Four Dog Weekend

Tom Mcfee, Eric Rice and I met up at Eric's place in Annapolis on Friday night / Saturday morning to talk about and reflect on the past six months. And to hear about the film that Tom is making. I won't say anything about it but it's going to totally rock. To see the thousands of photos that Tom took of rescued Katrina pets along with intake tickets, visit cavestudio.net

Here's Eric with the dogs; Ruby (mine) is in the foreground with Murphy (also mine) right behind her, and his two are on either side of him. The photo was blurry (as they all were) because it was impossible to get all of them to be still at the same time.

It was really good to get together with others who have been and still are involved with this, as my friends and family no longer want to hear about Katrina animals. Sadly, people everywhere are forgetting about Katrina. It's as if it happened long ago and far away. Which is stunning.

Tom, Eric and I talked about what an incredible, organic experience this has been - strangers coming together in so many ways to help other strangers. Those who could, got on planes or cars and went to the Gulf Coast to help rescue or volunteer at a staging area. Those of us who couldn't, got online. Others sent money, supplies. Many people fostered Katrina pets while searching for their owners. Many others helped out in local shelters that took in Katrina pets.

What a long, strange trip this has been. And it ain't over yet.

From the archives: Letter from Michael Moore to George Bush

Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.

Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?

Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!

I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?

And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!

On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.

There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.

No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!

You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.

Yours,

Michael Moore

List of animals rescued by Muttshack with addresses

If you are searching for your pet, please look over this list to see if any sound familiar. Many pets were found in a house other than where they lived, so don't rule out one that is nearby your New Orleans address. If you need more info on any of these, please email: noanimalleftbehind@gmail.com

Male Dogs:

Brown Cocker Spaniel
23 Winners Circle, New Orleans, LA 70128

Back Rottie, Male
1900 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70126
May have been sent to Middleburg Humane in Vermont

Black & White Beagle
4818 Sevres St, New Orleans, LA 70129

Black Border Mix
4818 Sevres St, New Orleans, LA 70129

Black Lab Mix
7861 Shamrock Drive, New Orleans, LA 70128
found with female cat and White Calico

Red Chow
11430 Hayne Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70128
1 eye missing, maybe deaf

Female Dogs:

Black Lab
4812 Corinne St, New Orleans, LA 70127

Brown Beagle Mix
11327 Prentiss Ave, New Orleans, LA 70128

Brown and White Pit/Lab Mix
7724 Vincent Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128

Brown, black & white Toy Pomerian
Bearington Apartments, date 09/22

Dogs of unknown sex:

Brown Dachsund/Beagle mix
Tatoo in ear that read "JDB"

Pit Mix Brindle
7516 Vanderkloof Ave, New Orleans, LA 70127

White Chow
7524 Jonlee Drive, New Orleans, LA 70128

Black Chow
7914 Edward St, New Orleans, LA 70126

Black Rott/Lab mix, young
Wearing purple heart shaped tag that read "Cubbie Lewis"

Black Mutt, approx. 25 lbs.
3107 North Miro St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Black Lab Mix (found with Brown Lab Mix)
7653 Avalon Way, New Orleans, LA 70127, date 09/26

White & Yellow Rat Terrier Mix, short hair
Bearington Apartments, date 09/22.

Cats:

3 black cats
7900 Sandpiper Drive, New Orleans, LA 70128

Female Calico Cat
4737 Corinne St, New Orleans, LA 70127

White Cat
Republic St, New Orleans, LA 70122

White Cat with White feet
2641 Jonquil St, New Orleans, LA 70122

Update on St. Bernard Parish Dog Murders

Many victims of Hurricane Katrina who were forced to leave pets behind in St. Bernard Parish were devastated to learn that the animals they loved and entrusted to law enforcement officers were brutally shot to death. They want answers and justice. And they may be getting both.

Some evacuees left their pets in the care of police at one of three schools in the parish. When the residents returned for the animals two to four weeks later, they found that most of them were dead, their bodies scattered in classrooms, tethered or shot in groups.

I trusted the deputies, said evacuee Jodie Jones. It is such a shock and such a heartbreak that anybody could just shoot them.

Jones and others want those responsible to be held accountable.

Investigators with the Louisiana Attorney Generals office in Baton Rouge are trying to do just that. They are in the midst of two lengthy probes; one looking into street shootings and the other into school killings.

The findings of the investigators are leading to St. Bernard Parish Sheriffs Office deputies, many of whom were entrusted with the care of more than 60 dogs, some cats and a few birds at three different schools.

Incriminating Evidence
Photographer David Leeson, Jr., who was on assignment for the Dallas Morning News immediately following Hurricane Katrina, has produced the most damning evidence to date of police wrongdoing. The paper, under subpoena, has turned over to the Attorney Generals office Leeson's raw video footage of dogs being gunned down on the streets around September 7.

While driving the streets between St. Bernard Highway and Judge Perez Drive near Chalmette, Leeson stopped to help a dog but was dismayed to see what happened when two people in a Jeep and two officers in the back of a pickup drove up.

They shot the dog I was stopping to help right in front of me, Leeson said.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer then recorded other events. On the raw tape you can hear the shootings [of] eight to nine dogs, he said. Also disturbing in the video is the admission by then-Sergeant Mike Minton of the sheriff's office that he had, in fact, shot dogs to death.

When Minton noticed Leeson's camera, [Minton] just kind of jumped in front of me and said, What's going on?, Leeson said. I told him who I was. I said, Tell me about the dog shootings. He started talking.

When Leeson asked Minton how many dogs he'd shot, Minton replied, "Enough."

And, Leeson said, on the unedited tape, Minton implicated a senior officer. The sergeant, who was suspended by his department after an edited version was posted on the newspaper's website, has since resigned his post.

The video appears to contain enough evidence for the attorney general's office to continue its case.

For the dogs in the street, we have evidence, said Assistant Attorney General Mimi Hunley. We have the film.

Evidence from the Schools
For the probe into the school shootings at Sebastian Roy Elementary School, Beauregard Middle School, and St. Bernard High School investigators, according to sources close to the case, are said to be relying on ammunition and spent bullets found at the scenes, and, equally important, on eyewitness accounts.

Kris Wartelle, spokeswoman for the attorney general, noted, We can't comment on how many [officers may be involved], except to say we do have a list of deputies we are questioning in connection with this investigation. The St. Bernard Sheriff's Office, Wartelle said, is the only law enforcement agency under investigation. That rules out earlier speculation that National Guard officers may have been involved.

Sheriff Jack Stephens, for his part, declined to be interviewed but said through Captain Mike Sanders: We are prohibited from giving any information to the press. That investigation is ongoing.

Earlier, however, on September 29, after the bodies of animals were discovered at Sebastian Roy Elementary School on Bayou Road, Stephens told CNN: I'm certainly not prepared to say without reservation that it wasn't one of our officers that did it. But what I do know is that it's a despicable act. And someone who did this just has some imperfection in their psyche. And if that someone is a law enforcement officer, they can't be in this business. They're in the wrong business.

About 60 people evacuated with their pets to Beauregard Middle School, including Kit Bauer. She was rescued on August 29 from her attic when neighbors in a boat heard one of her dogs barking. They took her to Beauregard, where she and the dogs spent three days.

Bauer left a note written in chalk on a wall outside a classroom with her phone number. It read, In this room are 6 adult dogs and 4 puppies. Please save them. Kit. The puppies were three-week-old dachshunds and were still nursing. She left water and opened three boxes of Fruit Loops cereal for the dogs. One dog, Indy, was located two weeks after the storm at a shelter and has since been returned to Bauer.

Jodie Jones also left a note at a school. She and her husband, Clay, evacuated the Saturday after the levees broke. A half-mile down Bayou Road, the Joneses left their three cats and a dog in the hands of deputies at a makeshift evacuee center at St. Bernard High School. To their horror, two of their cats were found dead four weeks later inside the carriers they had delivered them in. They haven't found their third cat. All were 10 and 12 years old.

I asked the deputies to promise me they'd get my animals to safety, Jones said. They assured us nothing was going to happen to them.

The deputies told us, If you want to get out alive, you have to go now. We're saving people, not animals. I knew two of the officers. We thought we were doing a good thing by taking our animals to the school.

Their dog, Suzie, somehow escaped being shot and was located in a foster home. Suzie made it to California, Jones said. But she died three days before we were scheduled to get her. I think she died of grief.

Carol Hamm stayed at the high school for two days, waiting for her husband and son, who used their boat to rescue people stranded on rooftops and in attics of flooded homes. While at the high school, Hamm said, One moment [the deputies] told us we could take our pets, and the next moment they said we couldn't. My husband was still at the house with our dogs.

Her husband ended up paddling a boat and dropping off their four dogs at Beauregard Middle School, because sheriff's deputies told him they would take the dogs to an animal shelter for safekeeping. Then he and their son went to the high school and were evacuated out a day later with Hamm.

On September 30, Carol Hamm returned to the school to look for the family's pets. It's the worst memory I'll ever have, she said. The bodies were being removed. It was horrible. I was crying over strangers dogs. Only three of our dogs were in the room. We saw a golden retriever, two Yorkshire terriers, all breeds, and a lot of pits and rotties. Some were shot running, one up the stairs. Bullet, our husky mix, was shot in the head.

Many animals were also taken to St. Bernard High School. People were there with dogs, cats and birds, too. You name it, people brought them," Hamm said. There was an old woman who wanted to take her Yorkie. The dog was so tiny she could fit it in her purse. They made her leave it.

While still at the high school, Hamm overheard a deputy say to another officer, As soon as these people leave, I'm shooting these dogs. Hamm and others confronted the officer. A medic was also there, Hamm said, and he told me he wouldn't let anything happen to them.

At both the middle and high schools, evacuees were eventually ordered to get in the back of garbage trucks. The water had receded and by then was about a foot-and-a-half deep. They were driven in the trucks to barges that took them across the river to buses. Some were bused to Oklahoma and Texas, others to Baton Rouge.

Christopher Acosta also left his dog Mercedes at Beauregard Middle School, along with 10 dogs belonging to his mother, uncle, cousin and best friend. His uncle's German shepherd somehow escaped and made it back to his house.

Acosta returned to the school two weeks later to look for the remaining dogs. What he found were bodies. It made me mad, Acosta said. The more bodies I saw, the angrier I got. He opened every classroom, searching. By his count, about 40 deceased pets were in the building. They included his mother's Pomeranian. Mercedes, his pit bull, missed being shot because her leash got stuck in a file cabinet, trapping her behind it.

A resident walked by the school sometime after the shootings and heard a faint whimper. He flagged down the driver of an SUV that had animal rescue scrawled on the window. Kelle Davis of Animal Rescue New Orleans went inside and found the whimpering dog, who turned out to be Mercedes. Mercedes was later taken to Best Friends' rescue center in Tylertown and reunited with Acosta three months after the evacuation.

Picking up the Pieces
While the investigations into the shootings continue, those who lost their pets in the carnage are trying to get on with their lives.

Carol Hamm and her family, who now live in Temple, Texas, are about to be reunited with Daisy, the sole survivor of the four dogs they left at the school. Daisy was rescued and taken to Tylertown, then placed in a foster home. The family is looking forward to getting Daisy home.

Christopher and Crystal Acosta are waiting for electricity to be hooked up to a FEMA trailer so they can live in it on their St. Bernard Parish property while they repair their house. I love this dog with all my heart, Acosta told reporters the day he and Mercedes were reunited, and I'm just grateful to get her back.

Jodie Jones returned to her home on Valentines Day after she and her husband received keys to their FEMA trailer. Going home brought back many memories. Jones said, You know how when you pull up in the driveway you're used to them barking, and when you go inside they're happy to see you? It was like we expected to see them, but they weren't there. It's been difficult. My pets were my children. I can't get over the abuse.

Kit Bauer now lives out of state and has no plans to return to St. Bernard Parish. There's nothing to go back to, she said. As for the investigation, Bauer said, I don't want to dwell on what the deputies may or may not have done. They took care of us while we were at the school and found us food. I just pray my dogs didn't suffer.

by Cathy Scott, Best Friends

Attention: residents of St. Bernard Parish

SBP Animal Control has the following limited minimum hours.
8 am - Noon Mondays - Fridays
8 - 11 am Saturdays and Sundays

The phone number: 504 228-1093
Email: sbpanimal@aol.com.

There are books of photos of pets that have been rescued from SBP available to look through.

May you forever rest in peace, Leibchen. You were loved.

A letter from Leibchen's wonderful foster mom:

It is with great sadness and much love that I want to tell everyone that our Leibchen passed away this morning. It was a quick, but not unexpected death. She died here at home with her family surrounded by a lot of love and happiness. We will miss her and her raspy bark, wagging nubby as she tried to con us out of the human food treats she so loved. The smell of popcorn will always remind me of her. The smell of it popping would bring her to you from any area of my home.

Leibchen had a myriad of medical problems brought on by years of neglect, this was compounded by her advanced age. She fought to live through the neglect that brought her to us. Her will to live, an inspiration to all those who heard her story. She chose to live and fight when most would have given up. I believe her message to all of us was to spread the word about taking your pets with you during a natural disaster evacuation. In her memory, please spread this word to everyone you know. If it saves one life it will mean her message and fight will go on to save others.

Many thanks to Dr Melinda Knight of Bayou Cane Veterinary services. She has worked with me for months trying to find the right combination of medications for Leibi. She took the time to research different medications and to call and check on Leibi. She came out this morning and is handling Leibi's final arrangements.

My deepest thanks to Ms Kathleen O'Gorman for coming to visit Leibi and for loving and caring about her. Because of her kindness, Leibi will never have to go through another hurricane again. Ms Kathleen has kindly agreed to take Leibi's ashes with her to North Louisiana to her hurricane haven.

Leibchen died knowing love and that we valued her and her life. Her bed was soft, her bowl filled with food and water.

-Jeanette Tanguis

Leibchen's Story:

She was put out with the trash when her "family" returned to their home 7 1/2 weeks after Katrina. They found her unable to stand and near death. Their reaction was to drag her to the curb and leave her in the trash pile for pick-up. When a neighbor noticed she was still alive, and asked them about this, the owner stated they didn't believe she would be (alive) by the morning.

The neighbor took the Dobe to the Southern Animal Foundation Clinic where she stayed for weeks with a 50-50 chance of survival. She was named Leibchen and continued to improve daily. She was released to Gulf Coast Doberman Rescue and walked out of the vets office under her own steam. She totally enjoyed riding to Houma to meet her new foster mom. Photos from Gulf Coast Doberman Rescue, a 501c3 organization

From the archives: A letter from PETA to HSUS

September 27, 2005
Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20037

Dear Wayne,

We were disturbed to read the following statement, attributed to you, on HSUS.org this morning: “We are strongly discouraging rescuers from picking up highly aggressive animals, since they will probably be euthanized. We are also discouraging people from trapping feral cats, since these animals cannot be adopted through the system in place at Gonzales.�?

While we are delighted that homes can be found for many of Hurricane Katrina’s animal victims and have helped in that process, those on the front lines may need a reminder that euthanasia means mercy killing, putting animals out of their misery, and protecting animals from fates worse than death and from painful, traumatic deaths.

It is no service to animals for a humane organization to abandon to starvation, dehydration, death by shotgun, and so on those who are unsocialized and who are biting out of fear or who may have been abused in a variety of ways, including by being trained to fight. Locking these animals out of the Lamar-Dixon center and leaving them to reproduce and be cruelly disposed of is unacceptable by any humane standard.

On behalf of everyone at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has never—and never will—abdicate the responsibility of euthanizing animals when it is the kindest option available to them, we urge The Humane Society of the United States to take the high road by doing what is right for these animals. We appeal to you not to abandon these animals to die horrible deaths but to instead—despite what the public relations fallout might be from those who do not understand the cruelty involved in turning away from the problem—step up to the plate and advocate a peaceful, painless release for them if there is no room at Lamar-Dixon and there are no adoption prospects.

Sincerely,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
www.peta.org

UPDATE: Zoey found safe at St. Francis Sanctuary in Tylertown

Zoey was left with a pet-sitter at her home in Metairie while her family was out of town. Katrina hit and the pet-sitter evacuated with her own dogs but left Zoey alone in the yard. The owner was not able to contact the pet sitter for two weeks, all this time believing that she had Zoey with her.

Only 8 months earlier, Zoey was rescued and saved from euthanisia after found wandering on Jefferson Highway (4 lane highway) badly injured. She was still only a pup. She had been severly abused and required on-going medical care. By the time she was well, she was already a much-loved family member who is now deeply missed. Please help find Zoey and return her to her family.

Good news for residents of St. Bernard Parish trying to get back their rescued pets

The St. Bernard Parish District Attorney has assigned an Assistant District Attorney to file charges against shelters refusing to return pets to residents of St. Bernard Parish. They have asked for all cases regarding St. Bernard Parish residents who have found their pets, but the shelter(s) won't return them (for whatever reason).

Ceily Trogg, St. Bernard Parish Animal Control Director, has asked that residents or their volunteers write up the circumstances with complete contact information and either e-mail or bring to the St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter. If this information is going to be emailed please send to the following email address with the words "Return Pet Request" in the subject line.

sbpanimal@aol.com

If you choose to mail or drop this information off personally, the address is:

St. Bernard Parish Animal Control Shelter
115 Agriculture Road (off Paris Road)
Chalmette, LA 70043

If you have any questions, Ceily can be reached at 504.401.0709

Please look at photos of Snappy - Left at Superdome -

Snappy is a 15 year old neutered male that was left at the Superdome when his owner was forced to evacuate on a bus. Note: this does not equal owner surrender. Snappy had long hair at the time but may have been shaved down since. His most unique feature is that his left ear sticks straight up and the right ear flops down. He is a real sweetie who is missed and wanted by his owner who has been searching frantically for him.

Meet Molly - A letter from Sara, DVM

She was 1 of a group of 16 well taken care of indoor only cats that lived in the Gentilly District of new Orleans.

When I was there in September I found a cat, now famously called “Mad Max” inside the house but it turned out he didn’t live there, he just took shelter there. I eventually found the owner of the home named Marlene and over the past several months we have talked on the phone and via email. She told me about why she stayed (she had 16 cats and an 85 year old mother), what happened to them after they evacuated (left alone on the I-10 and then the Greyhound bus station for 2 days), how her life has been in New York and her hopes for her future.

Marlene was persistent in finding out what happened to her kitties and through her own hard work and the work of volunteers she has found out that 3 died near her home and 1 died @ LSU but the others are safe.

Molly was captured TWO WEEKS AGO having survived all this time. I have visited Molly’s neighborhood as late as November – few people are there and only a small group continued to feed the stray animals. Molly stayed around her home and finally someone was able to trap her.

There is so much loss and sadness surrounding Katrina and people ask me why I keep going back. I think it is because there is also so much hope and resilience, kindness and human spirit. I clearly see that this disaster goes far, far beyond lost animals and missing pets. People lost their lives, their families, their communities and their homes and livelihoods - these tragedies supersede what happened to animals. But, on the other hand, for those residents who had animals and had to leave them, those animals were part of their families and the fabric of their lives. For those people like Marlene who were fortunate enough to account for their animals and be reunited with them there is completeness, a sweetness that they struggle to describe.

For those of us who saw Katrina unfold in August and were horrified by the unspeakable things we saw; for those of us who struggled to rescue defenseless animals, for the animals themselves who struggled to survive – there are these little victories.

Houses will be re-built, schools will re-open, there will be weddings again, christenings; there will be school plays and soccer games; there will be Christmas mornings and Fourth of July picnics because the region and the people are so resilient and to my mind heroic. And, when you look at this little kitty sitting on her cushion, safe at last, to me, she represents victory over the storm itself.

Thank you for listening – and enjoy the attached picture.

Sara

Letters sent to the AHA in response to the auctioniong of a puppy

Here are some letters sent to the American Heart Association in protest of their decision to auction off a labrador retriever puppy as a fundraiser. Please feel free to contact Robin Piper 817-698-5432 Robin.Piper@heart.org to voice your concerns nicely and politely.

Dear Ms. Piper,

I am sure you mean well by auctioning off one of the most adorable creations God ever made as a fund raiser but I hope you will seriously rethink this.

Have you ever HAD a lab pup? Have you read the best seller Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog. about how very, very difficult living with a lab is? Please see the link.
http://www.dailypress.com/features/lifestyle/dp-57158sy0feb05,0,2246665.story

I'll quote a bit of it. "Marley crashed through screened doors with alarming regularity, He went berserk during thunderstorms (mine does too and ate a hole in a door on the 4th of July) destroying everything in his path. He stole food off the dinner table, slobbered incessantly, drank from the toilet bowl, ate bath towels, sponges, socks, used tissues, plastic toys (which requires a vet visit) furniture, speaker covers, paychecks, even an expensive gold necklace."

I'm almost sure you have not ever actually had a lab. I have--he CHEWED everything. He's almost 4 now and he still chews --but now that he is bigger he also knocks people over (because he is sooo enthusiastic about everything,) he gets dirty and jumps on the doors and windows. We have a fairly large yard but we have to wash the floors and vacuum at least twice a day because he has torn up the grass in the back yard so now he's muddy everytime he comes in. He requires LOTS of exercise --heaven forbid an elderly person would win your puppy!

Labs are famous for CHEWING. Huck chewed a brand new, very expensive mattress AND the box spring. He didn't actually chew it-- the little adorable fuzz ball ATE them. Also the comforter, carpet, shower curtains and door jambs.

We love our lab and we knew what we were getting into-although we did think he'd outgrow the rambunctious a little faster. Did you know that black labs are the most common and least adopted animals in shelters?

PLEASE find a nice piece or artwork or a condo unit for a week someplace. If I had one I'd donate it.... but NOT a living breathing adorable dog who even a well intentioned winner (and that 's a big assumption) will have to invest a lot of time,. patience and money in.

Thank you and please let me know you have found another prize.

Monica Harris

Robin,

As an Internist I am offended that the American Heart Association would auction a puppy at a fundraiser. I have a painting of a lab I will gladly donate in place of the puppy. A puppy is not a thing. A puppy is a living creature which requires devotion and care which cannot be bought on a whim.

M.Caroline Burton, M.D.

2300 Hospital Drive

Shreveport, Louisiana 71111

318-458-4063

Robin please reconsider the action of auctioning a puppy. Aside from the fact that this could lead to ruining the reputation, the exemplary reputation of the American Heart Association, if you auction off a puppy not knowing whether or not the people who receive the puppy are trustworthy and will be good owners, then you are no better off than the secret auctions held at Midnight in which animals are auctioned to the highest bidder to be used as bait or used in labs. Especially in light of the recent news regarding the use of puppies and drugs I along with thousands of animal lovers ask you to reconsider. Although I am aware of the fact that the concept was thought of with the best intentions in actuality it is nothing more than using a life form to raise funds without making the commitment to ensure that the puppy will in fact go to a good home, thus having a shot at having a good life. Thank you for taking the time to read and to consider this request.

Sincerely,
Mary Elizabeth Van Everbroeck, MA, LMFT
Pet Guardian Education & Animal Advocacy Services, Inc. Warminster, PA

Canine colleagues gather to honour Nitro's courage

VANCOUVER — It began with a lone howl.

Then down the line of cars, dogs leaned out the windows to listen and the barking began.

Canine units from the United States and British Columbia proceeded through downtown Vancouver yesterday, as dogs howled in the backseat on their way to the Seaforth Armoury, to mourn the death of police dog Nitro.

The police canine died in the line of duty Jan. 23.

Nitro was set to retire this spring after developing arthritis in his elbows. But that didn't slow the German shepherd down as he chased two accused car thieves who jumped on a train in New Westminster.

When the train began moving, eight-year-old Nitro slipped under the wheels and was instantly killed.

Vancouver's police department hadn't expected Nitro's death to hit the public so hard.

Mourners from as far away as Britain began sending hundreds of e-mails and sympathy cards to the department. Nitro's death inspired some to write poetry and make crafts, such as wooden urns for the dog's handler, Constable Howard Rutter.

Others remembered beloved pets, posting pictures of their own dogs on the message board.

It was all a bit too much for one Vancouver newspaper columnist, who wrote that mourners were descending into emotional quicksand when they began comparing Nitro to a human being.

In response, Sergeant Mark Tonner made what he called a bold statement: that he is convinced all dogs go to heaven. "Yes, I said it," Sgt. Tonner wrote. "Does that mean Nitro is chasing bad guys through sunny meadows, young and arthritis-free?" No, Sgt. Tonner reminded mourners, "there aren't supposed to be any bad guys in Paradise."

His voice cracking with emotion, Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham said Nitro inspired a special kind of grief.

To those who say that Nitro's death was just that of a dog, Chief Graham said that's like saying it's just a husband or just a daughter.

"The stages of grief we feel over the loss of this great animal is not unlike the loss we would feel over the loss of a human partner," he said, as mourners nodded and wiped away tears.

The ceremony included more than 70 dogs paying tribute to Nitro, as their handlers led them to sit briefly in front of the memorial where the canine's badge, collar and urn were on display.

The piper leading the procession was almost drowned out by the barks and howls. Some of the mourners came during their lunch break wearing business suits and work uniforms. One woman carried white lilies with eight dog biscuits tied at the stem. More than 50 of the mourners purchased a $20 DVD about Nitro's life, which included images of his puppy days and a slow-motion montage of him running in a field.

Lorraine Mitchell, whose Rottweiler-shepherd mix, Moose, died three years ago, had tears in her eyes as she watched the procession pass on Burrard Street.

"I know there are some people who would think it is ridiculous to have this," she said. "But it's sad and real to many people, and it's a good thing that we can be so touched by a living being."

Nitro is being mourned not just as a pet, but as a police officer, said Stanley Coren, a University of British Columbia psychology professor who has written extensively about dogs.

Prof. Coren believes that is because Nitro represented more than an officer and a pet when he died in the line of duty.

"This is a dog whose name we happen to know because he did something we all know our dogs would do for us, protecting us for no other reason than because of their loyalty," he said. "This dog suddenly became a dog to make us remember all other dogs."

Great Letter from St. Bernard Parish Animal Control

This is an email that Ceily sent to a volunteer who is involved in (yet) another problem situation with a shelter. Please forward this to every shelter, rescue group or individual who is refusing to return and reunite a Katrina pet.

What people don't seem to understand is that these pets were never abandoned. They are owned pets and the owner will have every right to claim them. The dates set by HSUS to allow them to be adopted are actually in place to protect the satellite shelter from liability arising from sterilizing the pets or, should the pets die while under treatment for heartworm, for example. No one, especially loving owners, ever wanted these animals to spend such a long time in a shelter situation.

No one is asking shelters to hold the cats indefinitely in cages. Go ahead and adopt them out, but the law is on the side of the original owners. So far one case has gone to court and the owner won (Chopper in New Jersey). At least one other case I'm aware of has been filed. Louisiana law is plain; I have no doubt that any cases that end up in court will be won by the original owner.

The right thing to do is to tell potential adopters the FACTS. Let them be aware of what may happen if an owner comes forward. I know you think that enough time has passed, but only 8,000 residents (out of 67,000) have returned to St. Bernard Parish; the rest of our residents are scattered across the country! Our parish is still devastated and will be for years to come. We have lost literally everything; all we have left is our pets.

Granted, many will never look for their pets. But I guarantee you that the owners whose pets are considered a part of their family will never give up and never stop looking for their pets.

If the cats from St.Bernard Parish are such a burden to this shelter, I will be glad to have them returned to St. Bernard where they will be cherished until claimed by their owners or adopted by loving families that have enough compassion to realize the scope of the devastation we have experienced.

Thank you for keeping them so far, but let's make arrangements for them to come home.

Ceily Trog

Manager, St. Bernard Parish Animal Control

504 278-4317

STILL desperately searching for Alex - please look at photos

Alex is still missing and there's been no sign of him. PLEASE click on the link above to see more photos and PLEASE post any information, leads or anonymous tips here or contact elainesloan@nyc.rr.com Thank you.

Important Alert to New Orleans pet owners

(Written by Pam Ellis-Leavy and posted with her permission)

As we continue our efforts to save the lives of as many animals as possible in the New Orleans area, we encounter hurdle after hurdle--saving animals before they drown, saving them from starvation, saving them from dehydration during the drought, fighting to allow much-needed veterinary help from other states, racing to get the animals before LASPCA, searching for acceptable shelters to receive our animals, not enough volunteers, much needed supplies, and the list goes on and on. We beat, or accept, these challenges and continue our efforts to save the animals.

The letters below are probably true, as we all know this sick atrocity has been occurring since Katrina, by "dog hunters" disguised as rescuers in boats, "saving" drowning dogs and cats and stealing animals from Lamar and LSU. Again disguised as fellow rescuers, these sub-humans continue on the streets of New Orleans, choosing "bait" dogs and fighters for their sadistic "games." The animals on the streets of New Orleans no longer approach rescuers willingly. Instead, they run and hide, hampering our efforts to rescue them as well as the efforts of dog fighters to steal them. Desperate to restore their dog fighting professions, they now turn to pets of returned residents.

While traveling the streets of New Orleans, I've noticed numerous residents of houses where fences are down, put their unsupervised dogs out on leads, or allow their dogs and cats to roam freely. The friendly pets of returning residents will approach thieves offering treats and a "nice" voice. The residents of the entire New Orleans area must supervise their pets, even in their own enclosed yards, and not allow them to roam.

And for those of you who are unfamiliar with dog fighting practices, these evil "people" are often unrecognizable, as they appear with wives and children, in search of "bait" dogs, cats, puppies & kittens. (---the horrifying outcome for many "free puppies and kittens" offered by those who choose to "give them away" rather than the one time should-be-mandatory spay/neuter. But that's another story.)

The hurricane certainly was a benefit by dismantling many dog fighting rings, however, simultaneously costing the lives of many household pets.

HSUS announces it has personally assisted with 1300 reunions!!

December 15, 2005

In the weeks after Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast, hundreds of thousands of Americans expressed their sympathy toward the hurricanes' animal victims by making a contribution to The HSUS or other national organizations. It was an unprecedented outpouring of human kindness toward animals. The HSUS, in turn, has been committed to spending those donations entrusted to us in ways that benefit the animals in Louisiana and Mississippi—as well as benefit their caregivers and the animal care and control professionals who dedicate their lives to building a more humane world along the Gulf Coast.

To date, The HSUS has spent—or has committed to spend—more than $20 million on disaster relief services since those storms hit. By committed, we mean that the money has either been spent, set aside for a Katrina-related project in the near future, or been budgeted for bills not yet submitted to The HSUS.

"The HSUS responded immediately with an army of people who helped establish two massive shelters in the wake of Katrina's devastation along the Gulf Coast," says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "We are still on the ground with rescue activities, and we are still spending tremendous resources on reunions. But it is important to understand that we are going to be involved in this effort for years—restoring and enhancing the capacities of shelters and setting up spay and neuter operations that will address some of the fundamental problems of animal care along the Gulf Coast. We are grateful to the people who have offered their financial support. It gives us this staying power."

Here is what The HSUS has spent or pledged so far:

$8 million committed to direct Katrina expenses. The expenses to rescue and shelter an estimated 10,000 animals include bills for:

• Animal transportation—to move rescued pets to sites across the country;
• Rental space for our emergency sheltering operations in Louisiana and Mississippi;
• Staff and equipment for an emergency shelter at the Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, Louisiana
• Travel expenses for nearly 1,500 volunteers and professionals in the Gulf;
• Animal rescue vehicles and trailers that housed dispatch and communications centers;
• Equipment such as generators, computers, phones, cages, and many other supplies;
• Veterinary fees for more than 1,000 animals;
• Food for the hundreds of volunteers and professionals on site;
• Staff and equipment for an emergency shelter in Arkansas after Katrina animals were found there.

$1 million for ongoing field projects in Louisiana and Mississippi. This includes funds to:

• Manage a high-volume trapping program in Louisiana and Mississippi;
• Support rescue operations to deal with homeless animals.

$5 million committed to a Katrina reconstruction fund. This includes funds to:

• Help rebuild shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina;
• Assist the Louisiana SPCA (LA SPCA) with its reconstruction. We have already provided nearly $1 million to equip LA SPCA's temporary facility in Algiers;
• Help rebuild the Humane Society of Southern Mississippi's facilities. We have committed an initial $500,000 to this reconstruction project;
• Conduct assessments to determine what other local agencies need reconstruction support.

$2 million provided or committed to agencies that have helped rescue, shelter or reunite Katrina animals. This figure includes funds to:

• Reimburse local humane societies, animal control agencies, and rescue groups that have accepted Katrina animals and have worked to reunite them with their guardians;
• Reimburse groups that did their own rescue and sheltering work during the 45-day period after Katrina hit.

$1.5 million committed to reunion efforts. The includes funds to:

• Staff and equip The HSUS Reunion Center, whose workers have personally assisted with or confirmed more than 1,300 reunions, bringing the total estimated number of reunions to more than 2,270.
• Cover the transportation fees to reunite people with their pets.

$1 million committed to spay and neuter programs in communities impacted by Katrina. The includes funds to:

• Address the high proportion of animals in the Gulf who are unsterilized;
• Work with the Louisiana SPCA and set up an aggressive, low-cost spay and neuter program.

$500,000 spent on disasters that have hit since Katrina. This includes expenses related to our responses:

• In Texas and Louisiana after Hurricane Rita hit.
• In Florida and Mexico after Hurricane Wilma hit.
• In Pakistan after the country was ravaged by an earthquake.

$1.5 million committed to grow HSUS staff. This includes funds to:

• Expand staff and its capacity to deal with ongoing Katrina responses;

• Develop a bigger and stronger Disaster Services section, so we can respond in an even more meaningful way to future disasters, cruelty cases, puppy mills, and other hands-on crisis situations.

Dog Murderer Sentenced

(click on above link to read local newspaper article)

Frank Aquino was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, but later pleaded guilty to animal cruelty, a misdemeanor, for taking the life of a defenseless elderly family pet. Aquino is accused of viciously kicking to death 15-yr-old Roxi during a Memorial Day BBQ at his home in Putnam Valley, NY. Roxi, who was partially deaf and blind, was drawn into his yard by the smell of the food on the grill.

Witnesses say that after Aquino kicked Roxie so hard in the stomach, she rolled several times and then staggered to a neighboring yard where she died under a tree.

This is where her guardians found their beloved friend, a 45 lb German Shepherd mix whom they had raised since she was a puppy. "To viciously kick a dog is beyond words," said one of them. "She was such a sweet animal. We'd come in the door and her tail would be wagging. Now she is gone, and in such a horrible way."

If your New Orleans lost pet was not related to Katrina - Please Read

I've received several calls and emails from people in New Orleans asking for help about pets that have recently become lost or missing. I wish there was something I could do, but there is little I or other volunteers can do via the internet. Here are some suggestions for finding your pet:

1. Contact the Lousiana SPCA located in Algiers and visit there regularly to look for your pet.

2. Visit ARNO (Animal Rescue New Orleans) located at the former Celebration Station in Metairie. ARNO, in conjunction with Best Friends, is still trapping and picking up stray cats and dogs on the streets of New Orleans, bringing them in and holding them for 5 days while owners are being searched for. This rescue effort is being continued for a few more weeks in an attampt to get as many Katrina pets rounded up and identified. After the 5-day hold, the animals are being adopted. The rescuers and trappers have no way of knowing which animals are true strays, which are Katrina pets that are still roaming around, and which are pets that have recently become lost.

3. Post a lost pet report on Petfinder classifieds (not the AERN database); Fido Finder or Tabby Tracker; and Dog Detective. Also post on and check Craig's List, nola.com and of course the T-P lost and found pet classifieds.

4. Make a poster with a photo and complete details about your pet and post all around your neighborhood.

5. If you belive your pet was stolen, offer a reward immediately. If it's a pure-breed, check Petfinder classifieds to see if someone is trying to sell it.

Just because God is Dog spelled backwards....

This post and comment have been bumped to 7-14-08