Thanks so much, potlatch! It is wonderful story. Pets are so special! I love this picture that came with the story!
Posted on 11/06/2005 2:08:52 PM PST by potlatch
Max Keene seemed to have lost everything to Hurricane Katrina, but he got a piece of his life back early Halloween morning.
Keene's wife, Vera Smith, was killed by a hit and run driver in the chaos following the storm, and her body went unburied for days - until he and his neighbors took it upon themselves to construct a tomb for her right on the New Orleans sidewalk.
Images of Smith's makeshift grave and unforgettable epitaph, "Here lies Vera. God help us", appeared in newspapers and television broadcasts all over the world and became one of the symbols of the tragedy in New Orleans.
Keene was later forced to leave his home at the point of a National Guardsman's gun, he said. "Someone aims an M-16 at you, you go, right?"
(Excerpt) Read more at thevictoriaadvocate.com ...
Thanks so much, potlatch! It is wonderful story. Pets are so special! I love this picture that came with the story!
It broke my heart when I saw Vera covered over so lovingly on the side of the road. You've filled the story out for me in a way I never expected.
The person who took Snowball was trying to save as many human lives as he could. Not all of us would have made the same decision, but most of us weren't there and don't know how traumatic the conditions were.
I have to admire anyone who was there trying to help. Mistakes are inevitable, but we need the people who are willing to help.
It's nice to find out the endings to some of the stories we read and hear about. So many times we never do and are left wondering. Now we know the final story about Vera's 'family'.
I'm glad Max and Clyde are back together.
They can ease each others pain.
Bump!
Great post, potlatch! I'm so glad this man at least has his pet for comfort. I'll never forget "Here lies Vera" as a memory from this terrible storm. Katrina pets are being adopted up in Syracuse, NY. Shelter volunteers drove to NOLA with supplies, and returned with "orphaned" pets. Glad for the pups to find homes, but I wonder if sufficient effort was made to reunite pets with owners. Kind of haunts me.
It's still ongoing it seems. Petfind was one of the links I went to before I posted the story. It is a site to put in all the information to find your lost pet.
I really think all those who helped save these pets deserve a lot of praise.
Carolyn
My neighbors here in Virginia adopted a Katrina dog (one of the few things PETA has done right). The little poodle has become the self-appointed guardian of the house, the people, and even the two other dogs and the cat already living there. She still has abandonment issues, and will not leave the husband for a moment, so we assume she was owned by a man before.
Pet rescue always seems to have less importance than human rescue. However, it seems that is about to change as plans are now being made to accomodate pets in evacuation centers, etc. It's about time too. I'm glad this man got his dog back and sorry about the loss of his wife.
I think it's been because of this heart wrenching story that pet rescue has been pushed to the forefront. Animals give so much to our lives and to have to leave them behind during these devastating storms is inthinkable. That's why so many people did not evacuate.
We have two dogs, one is 16 years old, and we would not ever leave them behind. As you said, they are part of our lives and we would not abandon them.
Carolyn
I love happy endings!
Uplifting story BUMP!
There may have been a legitimate reason for the decision to not let him take his pet, but I can't see it, and I doubt there were very few people, if any, on that bus who would have wanted him to leave Snowball behind.
So great that the little Poodle fit in with the other dogs and cat!! Poor little things [abandoned pets], wonder what they 'think' about losing the people they loved?
I am in Texas and mandatory evacuation was put into effect for those of us near the coast during Hurricane Rita. They said that in the future, pets would be allowed - I guess in evacuation buses.
There is one sad aspect of this that has not been mentioned. During the Hurricane Rita evacuation it was taking over 16 hours for a regular 3 hour drive. Cars were often moving only a few miles an hour making it necessary to turn off the air conditioning so the motors wouldn't overheat.
In 100 degree Texas heat many animals died in the cars and people were seen laying them by the side of the road!! You were not allowed off of the main evacuation route, no food, no water, no gasoline and no restrooms.
That was one of the dumbest plans because most of us could have been using small roads to take shortcuts to where we were going!
Many people will never go through that again and will stay at their homes during a hurricane! Texas evacuation was considered 'orderly' so I can't even imagine what they went through during Katrina.
That's horrible!
Volunteers are still working to reunite people with their pets.
Shelters taking Katrina pets have been asked to hold them (foster them) until 12/31/05 to allow more time for owners to find their pets.
There was a post just today on Katrina Pet Rescue Info from a woman who lost 2 dogs in Katrina. She has just now been able to get computer access and is trying to find her pets.
Shelters are also supposed to post pictures, descriptions and other information about any Katrina pet for which they have undertaken care.
Many are not.
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