Posted on 09/02/2005 8:30:43 AM PDT by Iluvlabs not libs
September 2, 2005 -- Thousands of abandoned pets are on the brink of drowning or dying of thirst as a result of Hurricane Katrina, and many more are feared dead, animal-rescue groups said yesterday. Despite very limited access to evacuated areas, rescue efforts have begun, with teams from FEMA, Noah's Wish and the Humane Society racing against time.
Many people who ended up in shelters were forced to leave their pets behind because the Red Cross and the Louisiana Superdome don't allow animals.
"I'm guessing we're going to have tens of thousands of animals affected," said Dick Green, manager of animal emergency services for the American Humane Association. "There are literally thousands of animals in New Orleans alone stuck in homes . . . going without water. They don't have food. Every day that goes on, the situation worsens."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I did not say we should prosecute the donation of money, only the rescue of animals over people during a time of crisis.
That's heartbreaking. I can tell you now, I don't think I would be able to leave my dog.
Somebody needs to come drag you out of your comfy chair and get you down to N.O. Where do you live?
People first.
Ditto to that! I am donating to both the Salvation Army and to Animal Rescue.
One of the wonderful things about our society - we can make the choice as to how we direct our donations.
Thanks for that link. I'm already breaking a city ordinance by having more than three cats, so may as well go for the full monty!
Perhaps. But in a state of emergency, when people are dying and need rescue, those resources need to be directed elsewhere.
Secondly, the argument that rescuing a dog that does not cooperate is easier than rescuing a human that will cooperate is hollow.
The statue would be a "lesser included offense" of 2nd degree murder; depraved indifference.
However, you are correct: no leftist, demoncrap jury in LA would ever convict. Animals are far more important than those poor, oppressed people, don'tcha know?
This is true, but the history of child welfare in this country was started by the animal welfare organizations of the late 19th Century:
"In 1867, Henry Bergh, a former United States ambassador to Russia, was the founder and first President of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York City......Burgh brought by special warrant to the Supreme Court of New York, the case of a severely abused child, "Mary Ellen" and proved his claim that the child's custodians had beaten her cruelly and that she should be brought under the protection of the court. The resulting court action and publicity led to the founding of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children."
There is a difference between people and animals, to be sure, but the line is filament thin when it comes to the "innocent".
Thank you for what you are doing. I'm a huge animal lover and it breaks my heart to see these animals suffering.
"To advocate rescuing animals at this point is criminal behavior that is as bad as those shooting and looting."
Did you drive today? If so, should we prosecute you for using a scarce resource that would be better allocated to the disaster area? Using your logic, the DUers have the perfect impeachment strategy. Prosecution of the President because he failed to allocate 100% of our National Troop assett to the Gulf of Mexico.
Yes, human life is the priority. However prosecution in this case is unwarranted. In fact, if I were in that situation I might not have evacuated except that I have a dog and would have wanted to leave before I put that dog in danger. Sometimes owning a pet can help save the loss of human life.....
Do you make this known to your family and friends?
Keep your chin up, FRiend.
The (misplaced priority) bleeding hearts are in the house.
Um, to donate money to save cats and dogs when people are dying and otherwise in desperate need is criminal.
In times like this the only reason to save animals is to kill them to eat them.
Animals are LESS than important in this case.
Rescuing a dog over a human is "depraved indifference"?
I can't imagine a DA making such a charge with a straight face.
I just made my third and hopefuly final donation to Katrina. Now I have to help my family.
Houston SPCA rescue effort for animals abandoned in New Orleans
It sounds like they are adopting them out. I wish they could hold them for awhile and try to reunite them with families who survived.
Just before I went to bed last night I read a sad account of a mother who sent her daughter to safety with relatives in Alabama, stayed behind, survived (probably went through who knows what) and had to convey the sad news to her daughter that her beloved dog was lost.
I'm a mother, too. I'm sorry my child has had to sacrifice 3 pets fleeing a foreign country in turmoil, but we're alive, and that's all that matters. Our family survived. We suffer PTSD, and we're sad about our pets, but we thank God every day that we got out alive and we're together. Yeah, I miss my cat that had to be on my computer monitor or on my neck, and my GSD that was a genius of a dog, but I'd miss my child a lot more, or any other family member. It's been up close and personal for me. This kid will get over it. How many kids won't that will lose family. People have to come first. Believe me, I'm a softie- my parents threatened to kick me out in college if I brought home one more pet.
I remember my mother, an elementery school teacher, coming home after "Jaws" was released. I remember her being in shock that the kids were so upset that the dog was killed, but could care less about the humans. Somehow, they could all feel for the pets, but screw the people. I know now it's a psychological defense mechanism. Yes, I love animals, but people are dying. They take priority.
The article is talking mainly about rescuers plucking dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from the water. Most of these animals are small and light.
And if you drop them, they don't sue.
As for horses, I didn't see any detail about that, but I doubt there are a lot of horses left in the city of N.O. If there are many carriage horses left behind in the historic district, I would be surprised. But better to save them than have their rotting corpses adding to the mess. And NO, you cannot rescue a human in the same way as you can a horse.
Not a perfect analogy, but the point is: resources are being taken and used without asking.
I advocate taking resources from animal rescue to save people, in this situation.
There's worse things than being a bleeding heart.
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