United States Animal Protection Saves New Orleans' Katrina Dogs Due to Die

03/22/2006

At 5 AM on Tuesday March 14th, animal rescuers evacuated the Tangipahoa Animal Shelter in Hammond Louisiana to save the lives of about sixty dogs and thirty cats. These animals had survived three hurricanes and the toxic, flood ravaged streets they used to call home only to end up on the shelter's euthanasia list. As dawn broke a convoy of MuttShack volunteers drove these surrendered pets to Atlanta and into the waiting arms of U.S. Animal Protection, where they are being put up for fostering and adoption. MuttShack animal rescuers have been in New Orleans, since Hurricane Katrina. They have rescued over 3,000 animals, but the rescue landscape has changed dramatically. Where animals were rescued from the floodwaters and homes after Katrina and Rita, they are now being rescued from shelters too.
New Orleans' residents are surrendering their animals. Many have returned to vacant lots where their homes once stood. Others have no fences and their backyards resemble toxic dumpsites. Some find their homes overflowing with homeless relatives and friends and simply have no room for pets. Only a fraction of the original shelters survived – most were completely destroyed, others are so damaged that they cannot operate. The ones that did make it, are running at capacity and with limited manpower and resources have no time to run their spay/neuter or adoption clinics.
"There simply aren't enough people in the City of New Orleans to adopt the animals that are being surrendered," said Amanda St.John, founder of MuttShack Animal Rescue "Where there once was a population of 500,000 there are now only 180,000. MuttShack Animal Rescue and Sunshine Dogstar, evacuated the dogs and cats from the shelter when the Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control, a governmental agency under the Tangipahoa Parish Council in Hammond, were forced to temporarily shut down their facility. They needed to evacuate the premises in order to fully disinfect and renovate it," she added
The City of Atlanta, which has been so magnanimous towards New Orleans evacuees, has once again come to the rescue. Atlanta's U.S. Animal Protection offered to assist in the Hammond rescue. Director, Dawn Taylor Bechtold, responded to the emergency and offered to assist in placing pets with families in Atlanta. Emergency crates needed for the transport and evacuation came at the 11th hour from Petsmart Charities. Upon arrival in Atlanta, film crews welcomed the Mardi Gras adorned pets. Remodel America a Kennesaw home improvement company that specializes in customizing home exteriors cleared out one of their warehouses to set up an emergency triage center thus providing a safe haven and comfortable environment for the very stressed out rescuees.
Pets were inspected by the Georgia State Department of Agriculture, and further veterinary examinations are being concluded by Dr. Michael Good of Town and Country Veterinary Clinic. The animals will be vaccinated, spayed and neutered and are available for adoption.