A friend of mine who is a vet provided me with this press release information from Louisiana.
Note there is a special need for kennels and money

Animal Evacuation and Recovery Plan for New Orleans

BATON ROUGE— The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA), the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA), the Louisiana Animal Control Association (LACA), and the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) are managing animal evacuations and recovery plans for New Orleans pets and displaced animals.

PETS TRAVELING WITH OWNERS
The LVMA is currently accepting pets at the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette, LSU in Shreveport, the Monroe Civic Center for small animals and the Ike Hamilton Center for large animals in Monroe, the Farmer’s Market in Alexandria, and the LSU Agriculture Center/Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge. Owners must be housed in a Red Cross shelter; owners are responsible for caring for their animals, including feeding and cleaning. Animals will be accepted 24 hours a day. Veterinarians will be on hand to handle any medical needs.

While owners are responsible for the feeding and cleaning of their pets at the Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge, the SVM, along with volunteers from the Baton Rouge Veterinary Medical Association, will provide veterinary care. If for some reason, an owner is unable to care for a pet sheltered in the Parker Coliseum (e.g., the owner is housed in a special needs shelter), SVM student volunteers will provide primary care, such as feeding and cleaning. The East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center will be taking stray animals.

The Parker Coliseum will be staffed 24 hours a day by a supervising veterinarian and student volunteers from the School of Veterinary Medicine. Pets in the Coliseum will be given physical exams and Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccinations. If a pet requires medical attention and veterinary monitoring, it will be sent to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

PEOPLE WITH PETS WHO ARE CURRENTLY EVACUATING NEW ORLEANS
The LA/SPCA will transport animals from pick-up points in New Orleans to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. The pick-up points have not yet been determined and are being coordinated with the agency charged with transporting people from New Orleans to other areas.

The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Rd., Gonzales, La., will serve as the primary staging area. Once the shelter is full, animals will be moved to temporary shelters in other areas of Louisiana and Texas.

The LA/SPCA Dorothy Dorsett Mobile Veterinary Center will be at the Lamar-Dixon Center to treat incoming animals as needed.


CONFINED PETS STILL IN DISASTER AREA
Beginning on September 1, residents who left pets in their homes may call a hot line to leave information about the number of animals, species, and their confined location. As soon as the hotline number is obtained, we will advise the media. WE CANNOT ENTER NEW ORLEANS UNTIL APPROVAL IS GRANTED BY STATE OFFICALS.

DONATIONS
Financial donations are being accepted to fund the animals’ care through the Dr. Walter J. Ernst, Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation at the LVMA at 1-800-928-LVMA.

A regional donation center is being established. Our needs include: large air kennels and metal cages, leashes, disposable bowls, canned cat and dog food, disposable litter pans, spray bleach, paper towels, sheets, towels, locks, hoses, bottled water, trash cans, trash bags, pooper scoopers, cat litter, extension cords, fans. The most urgent needs are kennels and monetary donations. The media will be advised of the address once determined. At least 175 animals are currently en route to Baton Rouge.

For more information or to make donations of the materials listed above, please call the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine at 225-578-9900 (www.vetmed.lsu.edu) or the LVMA at 1-800-928-LVMA (www.lvma.org).

ANIMAL EVACUATION AND RECOVERY PLAN CONTACT INFORMATION
Louisiana SPCA contact Laura Maloney 225-413-8813

East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center Hilton Cole 225-774-7700

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Becky Adcock 225-578-9900

Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association 225-928-5862

buckeyemom, "snowball" was the dog's name. Some time after I heard that, I saw video of a bus leaving for Texas, with a small white maltese-type dog jumping up at the door. It was a heartbreaking picture among so many other heartbreaking pictures.

OK, I admit I haven't read this entire post b/c I find the whole thing so upsetting that I can't so forgive me if this is a duplicate but the U.S. Humane Society has activated its emergency team to the area and is accepting donations earmarked for Katrina at its website...http://www.hsus.org/

Read the story about snowball & the boy. Was so horrified & upset I couldn't even express the feelings.

Can you imagine taking the pet from a family that has lost all they have? Why not keep all the families with pets together and send them to a shelter equipped for that. Send non-pet families elsewhere.

I guess organization on that level is just too much to expect in this crisis.

I still can't imagine that scene.

May help find it's way to all these people in need - now.

thanks for the info---
another donation for the Best Friends organization,

I am heartsick over the story of the child and his pet. I wrote to NBC asking for followup coverage. Maybe that will help....

There are so many images that it's just horrible to process. The one that sticks in my mind is of a homeless man a day before the storm hit, standing in an abandond building in New Orleans, with the only thing of value in his life, his cat, Patches. He refused to enter the shelter because he couldn't take Patches with him. I can barely sleep at night for thinking of this man and his adorable cat.. what happened to them?? I emailed the Los Angeles times (where the story ran)but haven't heard anything..This makes a very good object lession for all of us (including state an local governments) to have contingency plans in place for ALL members of the community. Everyone should have at least 3 days of extra food (pet and human) and water, and carriers for all of their animals and a plan for them if you have to vacate your premisis immediately or if disaster strikes when you are not home. Count me in for another donation to Best Friends.. Hugs and kisses for all the good folks making donations (of any kind) from our Fodors message boards!

Another donation to the HSUS Disaster Relief fund. I can't imagine having to leave my cats behind--don't think I could do it, even if that meant I would be in harm's way. I hate the thought of all the suffering that has happened in the wake of this storm...human and animal. My heart is broken for all those in the storms path.

Really wonderful support from the contributors to this site. God bless the people there to help and those who need them.

ttt

Totally agree re: PETA.

Unfortunately there are many more with "benign" faces that have extremist boards supporting "wacko" causes.

M

We have only been able to hear from my Uncle in Gulfport, MS a couple of times over the last few days, but yesterday he told me that they kept many animals for their neighbors that decided to evacuate. Now they are returning with food etc and everyone is pitching in..their houses are there, but not much else...he found a portapotty that had been blown into the woods and bleached it out and left in the cul de sac for anyone who needs it...small miracles...I too will be donating to an animal organization...

Thanks for the good news, Wednesday.

All real animal help agencies like Best Friends, SPCA, HSUS, all of whom I donate to on a regular basis, do wonderful things in a catastrophe such as this. Jack Hanna was on the news yesterday talking about this and also about the poor abandoned family pets. Those that were not confined of course have a much better chance of survival. Dogs, cats, and horses are actually pretty good swimmers but the horrible thought is they had no place to swim to. As far as leaving them behind..I like a couple of others here, am not certain I could, but it's easy to "arm chair quarter back". If you had young children for example, their welfare must come first. If it's only "you", then as an adult, you certainly have the right to choose what course you will or will not take. It would be impossible to have animals in the shelters. We all saw how bad the Super Dome was and I can't imagine a thousand dogs and cats in there. The also have to eat, deficate etc. Many would not be on leashes or confined in anyway, and there could be dog fights, people could get bitten etc. It's just so sad. I hope that many of these poor little creatures will be united with their owners, and those that can't be will be adopted into loving homes.

Folks, setting aside the screen name, this post is genuine. We care.
_____________________

Ok, so after donating to my charity of choice, I couldn't sit still. I wanted to go and offer help directly, but that wasn't feasable.

Instead, I have done the only thing I know I can do quickly and effectively...build a website!

I have created a Hurricane Family Help portal located at http://www.hurricanefamilyhelp.org

1st things 1st - we DO NOT accept donations.

Here is the stated purpose:

1) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer immediate SHORT TERM shelter.

2) To unite displaced individuals and families of hurricane Katrina with others willing to offer LONG TERM shelter.

3) To unite the survivors with family and friends.

4) To find full or part time employment opportunities for hurricane victims.

5) To provide contact information for charities, communities, and churches offering assistance.

Thank you,
Craig

The ASPCA website offers an excellent checklist for pet owners to use in disaster planning.

I am deeply saddened by all of the animals left behind in new orleans because they could not ride on buses or helicopters out of the city. It was not because they could not be taken it was people that have no concerns for animals. I can't help but think daily about how many will perish and are abandoned and there is no relief from the sorrow I feel for all these wonderful animals. Animals are never 2nd in importance to me.

Louise B.

I agree, Louis. Animals are never of second tier priorities to me, either. They are like children who depend on adults to take care of them- almost completely helpless otherwise. A human can reason with himself in a tragedy and think, "well, if I can just swim to that high ground over there, then take a 5 minute break, then swim another 10 minutes, I can get to the shelter"- an animal has no such thought processes and can't reason itself out of a bad situation.

It makes me ill to think of leaving domesticated animals to the elements. And sure, dogs can swim reasonably well, but are they better than humans at fighting exhaustion? Better at fighting snake venom if bit? Better at recovering from a car accident?

Think of how many hundreds if not thousands of people would have been saved or evacuated, at least, could they have brought their animals with them? I've heard countless accounts of "my 75 year old aunt wouldn't leave her home because she couldn't bring her pet with her." How's that for human welfare?

I have close friends who volunteered all weekend at Lamar Dixon facility in Gonzales, Louisiana. They cared for 22 horses and a number of dogs who were evacuated without knowledge of owners. They saw someone drop 3 lab puppies on the side of the road! Someone quickly adopted two of them and now our friends have a new yellow lab named Lamar! When they left the facility on Sunday, the word was that the mules for the FQ carriages would be arriving shortly. Hope that worked out!

Here in Baton Rouge EVERYONE is trying to do whatever is needed. This is truly an unbelieveable situation and our world has been turned upside down within just a few days.

Our family has cared for 4 families from New Orleans along with their 2 standard poodles, two chocolate labs and two cats. It is literally a zoo around here at times but things are settling down as housing is secured.

Please keep us in your thoughts.

You are certainly in my prayers. Bless you and your friends for what you are doing. So many contributors to this board have found ways to help with money and donations. Even though we are far away you are in our hearts every minute.