Massive Pet Rescue Ongoing
Release Date: September 15, 2005
Release Number: 1603-014
» More Information on Louisiana Hurricane Katrina
BATON ROUGE, La.-- State and federal agencies, along with numerous non-profit organizations, are united in an ongoing effort to save the pets and animals left helpless by Hurricane Katrina.
"This is the largest animal rescue in the history of the United States ... absolutely unprecedented in scope," said Larry Hawkins, spokesperson for the Unified Incident Command for Animal Rescue in Louisiana . "We have a huge number of people working on this and it's a big success."
Rescuers wade or boat through the flooded city in a house to house search for stranded animals. This joint effort includes the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association's Small Animal Response Team. Joining those efforts are the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Louisiana State University 's School of Veterinary Medicine , the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Humane Society of the United States .
FEMA Search and Rescue teams and elements of the military have also recovered numerous pets encountered in the course of their assigned humanitarian rescue mission.
Presently there are 3,850 animals being sheltered at facilities statewide and 445 rescued pets have been reunited with their owners. Scores more are expected to be picked up as soon as families find housing that permits pets. To date, over 4,000 pets have been rescued. Many more are coming in daily.
Animals are arriving so quickly that at one point the system was temporarily overwhelmed. During the weekend, the triage shelter at Lamar Dixon Expo Center temporarily closed its doors to new arrivals due to concerns about overcrowding. Contrary to reports, rescue efforts did not stop during that time. Animals were either sent to alternate facilities or fed and watered in place until they could be retrieved later. The situation at the Lamar Dixon facility has been remedied and additional locations for sheltering are being sought.
The rescue effort is a four-step process beginning with recovery of the animal. Next, the pet is processed so it will not be a health threat to humans or other animals. This triage phase begins with an examination by qualified veterinarians, including those from FEMA's and the American Veterinary Medical Association's Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT). Vets from Louisiana , the U.S. Public Health Service, USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), LSU and volunteers from around the country are also joining in to accomplish the mission. After the initial exam, animals are fed, watered, bathed and given critical medical care and appropriate vaccinations.
Identification efforts begin next. During this phase, a history of the animal is compiled including where the animal was found. This information is transferred to a microchip that is implanted on the rescued pet. Microchips allow animals to be tracked if they are transferred. Digital photographs of the animal are also taken to be posted at www.petfinder.org . The fourth step is sheltering the pet to await reunion with its owner.
Time has become critical for pets that have been stranded since the storm. If people know of a pet that needs rescue call the Animal Rescue Command Center at 225-925-3980. People can also visit www.petfinder.com or www.petfinder.org for more information on pet rescue. More than 8,000 requests for rescue have come in so far.
If someone is looking for a pet they should contact their nearest Humane Society or go online to www.petfinder.org . More information is also available at www.vetmed.lsu.edu .
Although there are some 400 horses and mules in the pet shelters, including those from French Quarter carriage services, more large animal rescue efforts are taking place outside the city. There, units including the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers work to get feed and fresh water to livestock. In Plaquemines Parish, the LDAF and USDA/APHIS are coordinating a state and federal airlift to carry lifesaving supplies to stranded cattle.
National response to the plight of the animals has been heartwarming and overwhelming. Individual and corporate donations have fully equipped the rescue with food and supplies. If people want to help, they are asked to make a cash donation to their favorite animal organization or see www.lvma.org .
Those involved with the rescue want to reassure pet owners and the nation that every humane effort is being made to save the animals left vulnerable by Hurricane Katrina. "We understand what animal owners want and we want the same thing," said Hawkins.
Press conference location:
Louisiana State Emergency Operations Center
7667 Independence Blvd.
Baton Rouge , LA 70806
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003 .
Last Modified: Friday, 16-Sep-2005 10:32:17