Services Honor Pets Lost In Hurricanes
Beloved pets need evacuation plan, too
Release Date: August 21, 2006
Release Number: 1603-537
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NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Friends and strangers joined together in New Orleans Sunday afternoon to show customary respect for their dearly departed. The honorees on this occasion were the beloved pets lost last summer to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A traditional New Orleans Jazz Funeral proceeded from the corner of Decatur Street and Esplanade Avenue to St. Anna's Episcopal Church for an interfaith service led by the Rev. William H. "Bill" Terry, Rabbi Ed Cohn of Temple Sinai, and the Rev. James Deshotels.
Honorees were best friends, sole companions, and family members. God's creatures one and all.
Furry four-legged cats and dogs as well as snakes, ferrets, pigs, and all other pets were properly mourned and celebrated with music provided by the Treme Brass Band and the Toryville Stompers.
The Louisiana SPCA, the Musicians' Clinic, and St. Anna's Episcopal Church organized the memorial service to honor the lost and aid the healing process for the humans who miss them so dearly.
"We hope mourning the loss of our pets together will begin the process of healing, said Father Bill. "We need to remember them and honor the love they've given us. We wanted to set aside a special time to mourn pets who died or were separated from thir owners. For many of us, pets are family members, and for some, they're all the family that exists."
Pets not only accompany us in our everyday lives, but also perform life-saving missions as service dogs and police dogs. Handicapped persons are often assisted through their lives by a series of service dogs on whom they depend. Police officers perform life saving tasks every day aided by canine officers. Search and rescue dogs find trapped, missing, or injured persons after disasters.
Plan for pet evacuation
The celebration of pets also highlighted a responsibility for masters. Owners of pets may be tempted to stay at home with their pets when a disaster looms. However, emergency preparedness officials say it is important to have an evacuation plan for both you and your pets. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asks every pet owner to evacuate with their pets if an order is issued by local authorities.
"If the wind rocks our house, we're going to roll on out of here with our dog," said Kenner band leader Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. Several Louisiana celebrities including Dopsie and his wife Tina have volunteered their time and energy to promote planning for disasters-including pets. They urge every family to have an emergency supply kit including basic pet needs to provide for three days away from home.
FEMA officials recommend you pack enough pet food, water and pet meds, plus bedding and appropriate leashes and collars. You will need a pet carrier if you plan to transport your pet with strangers. Remember, pets get unraveled when the rest of us get upset. And always check in advance to see if pets are welcomed where you are going. These are just the basics.
You'll find useful information about animal evacuation plans and more online at www.avma.org.
After disaster strikes, Veterinary Medial Assistance Teams (VMAT) are provided by FEMA. However, your pet would be grateful for a little emergency preparedness now instead of medical assistance later.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Monday, 21-Aug-2006 09:51:49