Pet Evacuation Bill (Senate Bill 607) Extremely Important

SENATE BILL NO. 607 BY SENATOR FONTENOT
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=375498

Bill Maps a Pet Evacuation Route
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-pets26mar26,1,7592180.story

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
*Personalizing your comments adds impact
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.us/Senators/Default.asp
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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!!!!!

Cat reunited after 7 months....letter from Jane Garrison

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:26:07 -0500

FOR EVERYONE STILL LOOKING FOR THEIR CATS:
We just heard about a cat ARNO had been looking for since September. Angel was being evacuated after the hurricane in her carrier (in a boat) with four other cats when the carrier broke. Angel ran and was never seen again. We sent trappers and feeders out to look for Angel numerous times....no luck. Angel's mom put flyers and ads everywhere around NOLA and never gave up hope. She just got a call from a man who saw the flyers and said he had been feeding the cat for the past 2 months! Angel's mom is out in Oregon so she sent a friend to identify Angel...sure enough it was her. So, she was caught, looked at by the vet and now going home to Oregon almost 7 months later!!.

Do not give up looking for your animals. Put their photos everywhere in your neighborhood and continue to leave food and water at your home. Cats typically do not stray too far but may have gone several blocks to find food so be sure to hang flyers in a 10 block radius (at least). This is only one of many reunions we have seen...you could be next! Don't give up...

Warm wishes,
Jane Garrison

I Am Your Dog

I AM YOUR DOG I am your dog, and I have a little something I'd like to whisper in your ear. I know that you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have children to raise. It always seems like you are running here and there, often much too fast, often never noticing the truly grand things in life. Look down at me now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are beginning to ring my soft muzzle. You smile at me; I see love in your eyes. What do you see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing for just a simple moment of your time? That is all I ask. To slow down, if even for a few minutes to be with me. So many times you have been saddened by the words you read on that screen, of other of my kind, passing. Sometimes we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of your throat. Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even seem to know until the very end, when we look at you with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still the love is always there, even when we must take that long sleep, to run free in a distant land. I may not be here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes, that humans have when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry at yourself that you did not have just "One more day" with me. Because I love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see? If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and I, heart to heart. Come to me not as "alpha" or as "trainer" or even "Mom or Dad," come to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one another's eyes, and talk. I may tell you something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you something profound about myself, or even life in general. You decided to have me in your life because you wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very different from you, and here I am. I am a dog, but I am alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do not think of you as a "Dog on two feet" -- I know what you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I love you still. Now, come sit with me, on the floor. Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15 minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper to my ears. Speak with your heart, with your joy and I will know your true self. We may not have tomorrow, and life is oh so very short.

Love, (on behalf of canines everywhere) Author Unknown

This was posted as a Petfinder classified ad - click on the heading to read it in its original form.

From the Archives

From the Jackson Hole (WY) News & Guide:

Volunteers bring back 138 pets displaced by Katrina

"Animal Taxi" rescues dogs, cats, even a rabbit ­ all up for adoption.

By Samantha Worthington

When Lori Shey walked through a Louisiana shelter housing pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina, she was overwhelmed by the sheer number of cats and dogs crammed into kennels. The animals faced two futures: be rescued by someone such as Shey or be killed by a shelter employee needing to make room for more animals.

Fortunately, the 138 furry refugees that Shey, a Realtor who lives in Driggs, Idaho, and five other volunteers loaded into the "Katrina Homeless Animal Taxi" ­ an RV, a truck and horse trailer ­ will find new homes. The animals that escaped the hurricanes and kill shelters arrived Saturday morning at the Teton Valley Humane Society in Driggs and are available for adoption today.

The 87 dogs, 50 cats and one rabbit are available through the humane society and the Animal Adoption Center in Jackson. Michelle De Lange, humane society director, said in an interview Tuesday about 70 of the dogs and many of the cats already have homes.

"Right now we are holding them in quarantine," De Lange said Tuesday. "The vet is going to do a physical on every single animal."

The animals already have been vetted and have required health certificates showing they've had vaccinations such as rabies and parvovirus shots. They've also been tested for heartworm, a disease common throughout the world but more prevalent in Louisiana than in Wyoming.

The motorized Noah's Ark returned Saturday after a three-day drive.

"I am emotionally and physically exhausted," said Shey, who started the effort to rescue the pets. "The hard work is still going on."

The idea to drive to Louisiana arose after Shey decided she wanted to save pets displaced from the hurricane. She later asked De Lange if she was interested in helping.

"I decided I was going to go down in a horse trailer and get as many animals as I could," Shey said.

From there, the group started to draw other animal lovers.

Along with De Lange and Shey, De Lange's father, Bob, a retired animal control officer, and Chip Carter, a graphic artist, also went along. Danielle Flint, another humane society employee, and Sam Kitchen, a stay-at-home mother who volunteers at St. John's Living Center, joined them.

They set off to Louisiana on Sept. 26 and drove for two days with vehicles full of donations, which they gave to the Salvation Army.

"People were very, very grateful when we dropped stuff off at the Salvation Army," De Lange said.

Shey said people were "floored" that they would drive all the way from Idaho to help.

None of the volunteers saw the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused when it pummeled the Gulf Coast in August as the animal shelters were 100 to 150 miles away from the damage. Rebecca "Cupcake" Tinnes, director of the adoption center, said last week it is estimated 50,000 pets were displaced by the hurricane.

The volunteers picked up the animals at several shelters in Louisiana.

"The shelters were filled to the maximum," Shey said. "There were just kennels up and down the hallways."

Some of the animals at the shelters weathered Hurricane Katrina while others had been there since before the storm and were about to be euthanized to provide room for displaced pets that hadn't been deemed homeless yet.

"It was very, very sad," Shey said. "This was a kill shelter."

Shey said one of the shelters they went to euthanizes 300 to 400 every week. The shelter continuously kills animals to make room for ones that may still have owners searching for them, she said.

One of the dogs they picked up, a basset hound mix, narrowly escaped death. She was on the way to be euthanized, but as the volunteers loaded up the animals a man asked if they had room for the hound and they managed to fit her in.

"The biggest thing is that every one of these dogs has a story," Shey said. "They are all affected by the hurricane."

Most of the dogs are small breeds such as poodles, dachshunds, beagles, basset hounds and Jack Russells. There are some large dogs such as a Great Pyrenees and a weimaraner. In case anyone is wondering, the lone rabbit is doing fine.

"They are all just amazing spirits," Shey said.

The Katrina Homeless Animal Taxi was slow to come home because it had to stop about every three hours to let all the animals out. Shey said people passing by were in awe of the chaotic scene of dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes running around.

The humane society and adoption center seek donations to help pay for the trip and cover costs to feed the animals.

"We're still buying medications and obviously food," Shey said.

People also can bring dog and cat food and litter to either center. Both places also need volunteers to help walk, clean and socialize the pets awaiting homes.

To make a donation or inquire about how to foster or adopt an animal, call the humane society at (208) 354-3499 or the adoption center at 739-1881. Monetary donations, addressed to KHAT, also can be sent or brought to the First Bank of the Tetons.

Lori Shey's email is: adopt@onewest.net

Humane Society spending probed by Louisiana AG _ Times Picayune article

Group's head denies any wrongdoing

Saturday, March 18, 2006
By Robert Travis ScottCapital bureau

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana's attorney general has begun an inquiry of the Humane Society's financial activities related to the national organization's disaster assistance programs after Hurricane Katrina, the group's top official said Thursday.

Wayne Pacelle, president and executive director of the Humane Society of the United States, said the nonprofit charity has done nothing wrong and is cooperating fully. Pacelle said he did not know the intent of the inquiry but thought it might have been initiated by rumors circulating on the Internet about alleged inappropriate spending by the society.
"We don't think there's any issue," Pacelle said.

Attorney General Charles Foti is looking at fund-raising issues involving a charity that dealt with pets and reuniting pets with owners after the storms, Foti's spokeswoman Kris Wartelle said. She called it a "basic beginning of an inquiry" and declined to give more details. She said Foti has made no accusations of wrongdoing.
Donations to the Humane Society after Katrina were generous beyond expectations, Pacelle said. The group received $30 million toward relief efforts for pets and other animals after the storm seven months ago. The organization has already spent or has pledged to spend $25 million of that amount toward "recovery from Katrina and other disasters last year," and will eventually spend all the money, according to a society statement released this week.

"Only a small percentage of the money was specifically earmarked for the Katrina response, though we've spent the bulk of the money in the Gulf Coast," the statement said.
The society sent people to Pakistan and India in October to help after a major earthquake. It also assisted in Mexico and Florida after Hurricane Wilma. The estimated cost for the society's "non-Katrina disaster work" for 2005 was $500,000, the statement said.

"We're careful not to liquidate these donations in very short order," Pacelle said. The society will be dealing with the impact of Katrina for several years, and wants to use the money toward a sustained rebuilding effort, he said. Many animals victimized by the storm still need shelter and care.

The society has not used the money for staff bonuses, a "complete fabrication" that has made the rumor mill, Pacelle said.

Created in 1954, the society is based in Washington, D.C., and has regional offices around the country.
Within days after Katrina, the group provided personnel, equipment and financial support to local animal assistance and shelter groups along the Gulf Coast and participated in the direct rescue and care of more than 10,000 abandoned or lost animals. It also worked to reunite pets with owners.

The society reassigned more than 200 of its staff to respond to the crisis and coordinated and covered the field expenses for thousands of volunteers and animal-care professionals in the stricken areas.

Among the costs for Katrina, it spent $5.5 million on direct operations, $7 million in reconstruction grants to local organizations in the Gulf Coast, made $1.3 million in reimbursement grants to humane societies and rescue groups throughout the country that assisted relief efforts, and sent teams of professional trappers to the storm zones.
The group has committed $500,000 in partnership with Louisiana State University and the Dixon Correctional Institute toward an assessment for a permanent facility for animal care and sheltering. The society worked with the prison after the storm to run a temporary care center staffed by inmates.

The group worked in cooperation with the Louisiana Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to run a post-storm animal rescue center in Gonzales, and is spending $4.5 million to help get the LSPCA back on its feet.
Laura Maloney, head of the Louisiana SPCA, said her organization would be financially devastated were it not for the support of the Humane Society and the American SPCA, a national animal advocacy group not directly affiliated with the Louisiana society.

"We would have been in deep trouble if they hadn't come in with funding," said Maloney, whose local donor base was scattered by the storm.

The Louisiana SPCA, which handles animal control, sheltering and sterilization in New Orleans, saw its facilities wiped out by Katrina and lost nearly half its staff. It is operating out of a temporary warehouse in Algiers and is planning a new permanent home, Maloney said.

Maloney said she was not privy to the reasons for the attorney general inquiry. Under crisis conditions after the hurricane, the animal relief effort in many ways worked well but encountered logistical snafus and coordination problems between animal care groups and state agencies, she said. That was the extent of any problems Maloney said the Humane Society might have had with its operations in Louisiana.

ATTENTION: Lousiana Pet Owners Important Legislation

Senator Fontenot (District 13, Louisiana) is searching for Louisiana evacuees who were not allowed to evacuate with their pets, in order to enlist their help with testifying in support ofupcoming emergency pet evacuation legislation.

The bill is to be introduced on 3/27/06. It will be pre-filed this Friday (3/17/06).

Cathy Wells is the staff member from Sen. Fontenot's office who is collecting statements of affected parties.

Please cross-post and forward this to everyone you know who had to leave their pet(s) behind.

Email: wellsc@legis.state.la.us
Phone: 225-342-1126

Email I received today

...only surprise is that it took this long for the Katrina twist to these scams

MY DEAR BELOVED,

How are you, I am Mrs. Mary Smith I need to pass this urgent information to you as I have just been told by my doctor that I will be going for an urgent operation which he says will be a 50 to 50 chance of me living, my beloved I want you to know that I am old and I am 78 years old, as I am writing this email I am very ill and I suffer of a stroke and a heart problem which effected my mouth and my right leg keeping me sitting on a wheel chair, i must tell you that this information about the operation of transplanting of my full heart just came to me as a surprise and so I had to open up this great secret off mine to an honest and trusted person with the fear of the Lord in his/her heart to handle this great project of of the Lord for children effected in the Hurricane and as well as the needy.....

Well my Beloved let me tell you little about me I am a woman with out a child and I also lost my loving husband last year in the Hurricane Katrina, this was part of the problems in my life that kept me in this conditions because I think too very much, at the moment I am in u.k England because the hurricane wiped away our home living us with noting well I want you to know that even with all the Money that I have I could not still have a child to call my own its really painful but I live all complains to the LORD. I decided to use my funds which I had deposited in a company last year...... I had this money deposited at the Month I lost my husband because I wanted to secure our property and that is a lot of money, my beloved I am talking about 15million u.s.dollars it is now in a security company/Bank were I know is safe because I did
not let the company/bank know the content of the box which I deposited with them I told the
company that the box was contained with gold bars and they do not know that the box is contained with 15million dollars. My beloved i really need you to help me on this project because I believe that you will be capable and since you are a true believer you will have a very good idea/wisdom from the LORD to have good buildings of churches and daycares for needy children and as well good ideas of management of the funds when it gets over to you, please I really need you not to be surprised at this urgent information because I myself have never told any one about this, but it is because of the information I got from the doctor that makes me to open up now to you..... it will not be fair on the children VICTIMS and the HELPLESS if I die and that money is left over in that company without it given to the charity but I look up to you to help me handle the project.... I am not to strong to write more words now I will need you to get back to me if you will be handling this project for me, I want you to write me back so that I can give to you the full details on how you will receive the funds for this wonderful project of the Lord for children and the needy I would also like you to send your phone number so that I can have discussion with you the best way I can.

Remain Blessed
Mary Smith.
Mrs. Mary Smith
marysmith4kidds@yahoo.com

Adopted Pets with Contact Information

These are photos of pets that have been adopted, along with any information that is known about them. If you see your pet here, call or email the contact person asap. If you need assistance or support in recovering your pet, email: noanimalleftbehind@gmail.com
Male Grey and White Tabby
Here's what was written in his Petfinder record which was posted on 10-18:
Fat Tuesday (our name for him) survived more than a month with only occasional food and water. He lost a good bit of weight but fared extremely well considering the circumstances. Like so many of the rescued animals, he truly enjoys any time he can find with humans ... and the security of a full dish of food on the floor.

The rescuer felt the need to include this bit of commentary but there was no mention of where this cat was rescued from or found. Real nice.
Contact:
Lori West 300 Orchard Dr, West Columbia, S.C.
rescue@smithandwest.net
803-739-9333
803-407-1152


Female White Lhasa-Shih Tzu Mix
In spite of wearing a collar with a New Orleans rabies tag, this cutie was adopted out by the Sacramento SPCA.
Contact: ddrake@sspca.org (916) 383-7387, ext. 9149


Female Pom rescued from St. Bernard Parish
Petfinder record was posted/created on 10-7.
Adopted by Santa Barbara County Animal Services
Contact: 805-934-6953

Read this if you have someone's Katrina pet

This is a letter from an evacuee who is still searching for her beloved Yorkie named Timmy, sent to a volunteer who has been helping her locate him.

I have been in counseling for PTS Syndrome and the one thing that has always haunted me is the "guilt" that I feel over my animals. My therapist who is an animal person himself told me he did not like it when I did that to myself and told me to stop doing it, but the one thing you can never, never get out of your mind is the last time you held those animals and saw those little faces looking at you. I could not say morning prayers for weeks because everytime I said them I was on the sofa and Timmy my Yorkie would come and I would pick him up and put him next to me. The last morning we were together. He was high up on the bed...the water was rising and he chose to jump off that bed and swim over to me - that little thing - and I picked him up - he was all wet and smelling from the water that was already beginning to have an odor and he sat next to me as I read the prayers...that is a memory that will never fade nor will the memory of when I kissed him and he was so happy and excited and turned his little head toward me - he had no idea but I did know what was happening. The cats they were not as trusting - they knew things were not right from the beginning because they were mad that there was water all over and they could not get down off the mantle and table where they were....those are memories which will never leave you no matter how many times you hear people telling you you had no choice. I think that editorial letter should be sent to every newspaper in the country, to every government official in Washington as well as State officials and certainly to the shelters who are now ready to quit answering questions so that people and animals can be reunited!!!!.

Timmy is elderly and has cataracts, so he couldn't see so well. He only weighed 5 pounds. 5 tiny pounds that they would not let her bring with her from the house on Alexander Street.

Being forced to leave Timmy has broken her heart. She still has faith in humanity and prays that someone has Timmy, and just a picture of him posted to one of those PF records of found Yorkies that never had a picture included, would help her heal.

She doesn't even have a picture of Timmy left to look at, so Mollie is going to draw a composite sketch of Timmy, which we can use to look for Timmy and the owner can have a picture of her beloved little boy, that maybe, will help erase that last mental picture she has of him in her mind.

If any shelters, rescuers or volunteers are reading this, have you seen Timmy?

Beautiful and sad letter from a foster on returning a dog to his owners

Hi. I just wanted to share my story with the group. I have been working with Stealth trying desperately to reunite Katrina pets with their families, and had no idea how hard it was to let go until today.

4 1/2 months ago I found a HUGE, beautiful black lab in the middle of a very busy intersection. He was so terrified of the traffic swerving around him that he was frozen. After having him scanned for a chip, vet checked, putting up posters, listing on PF - all to no avail, he came home with me. I have periodically checked the paper and web for lost postings for the last 4 1/2 months. It was amazing to me to not find someone searching for him. He became a wonderful, much loved member of our family. He was great with my cats, my daughter, and my boxer/pit mix who hates other dogs. He spent Christmas with us, had gifts and a stocking, and a picture made with Santa. He slept in the bed with my baby girl every night, under a blanket with his head on a pillow. He weighed 120 lbs. and took up most of her bed. "Big Man Blackie Chan" was the most gentle giant. I love him so much.

I had just made the appointment to have him neutered, and decided to make one last attempt at placing a found ad in the paper. I ran 12 ads. I guess I figured that I would never get a call - not after this long. I left out critical details in the ad and asked the caller to id. This morning I
got a call from a man who said that he was pretty sure that he was wasting my time, but that his wife insisted that he call. His lab had been missing since right after Katrina - from Fairhope, AL. That is about 20 miles away from me, including a bridge spanning Mobile Bay. How could his dog have gotten 20 miles away and crossed a very busy 4 mile bridge? He identified EVERY detail that I left out of the ad - color & brand of collar, scar inside of left ear, etc. Needless to say, I was floored and in disbelief. As his wife was screaming in the background, "Is it Buddy?", I heard a small boy ask if someone had found Buddy. I gave them directions to come and view the dog. I still thought that this was a long shot. I decided that I would know by Big Man's reaction to them - he doesn't like strangers and will not approach them.

When they pulled up I watched the couple carry their 2 yr. old boy to my door. My heart sank when I saw Big Man run and jump onto the man and his wife. I have NEVER seen a dog so happy. They were in tears screaming IT'S HIM! IT'S BUDDY! I then watched how gentle, loving and protective he was over the baby as he threw his arms around Buddy's neck. There was no doubt that this was their dog. They showed me pics of him as a baby and pics taken right before he got lost. There was no doubt.

Without a doubt, giving him back to his family was the hardest thing that I ever had to do. I could not stop crying. Right before my gentle giant hopped in the car (without coaxing) he licked my tears and put his paw on my shoulder. It was as if he was saying thank you and goodbye.

I could see it in his eyes. I am so torn right now. I am happy that he is home with his family that so obviously loves him dearly. But, I still feel jelous - almost angry - and so hurt that I had to let him go. I know that this is childish and selfish, but I can't help it. I'm embarrassed to say that my 10 yr. old daughter is dealing with this better than I am.

It will be so hard to study for exams tonight without his head in my lap, or shower in the morning without him sticking his head in to lap at the water. I can't stop crying. I will miss my "Big Man Blackie Chan" more than I can express in words. I do, however, know deep down in my heart that I did the right thing. As hard as it is for me to take, I LOVED HIM ENOUGH TO LET HIM GO. I know that he will have a happy life and be spoiled! I wish that knowledge could somehow ease the pain of losing him. Maybe in time.

Alexis Houston

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