Best Friends And The Humane Society Rescuing Abandoned Pets In Flood Areas
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
June 19, 2008 10:36pm CST
As many people know, there has been so much devastation due to the floods out in the Mid-West areas of America, such as Iowa, Missouri, Indiana...lives have been ruined, farm crops and homes destroyed. I've been watching about the flooding during this whole time, sometimes not believing what I've been seeing. Yet, as you can imagine...being the animal lover I am, I kept wondering...what about the animals?
Well the great news is that both Best Friends and The Humane Society have teamed up to rescue animals that have been stranded, left behind by their owners...okay great...wonderful, I'm overjoyed that such efforts are being made...
Here are two links to articles..one about Best Friends and the next The Humane Society
http://news.bestfriends.org/specialfeatures/index.cfm?mode=sfstory&sf=3568&story=6277
http://www.beloblog.com/KHOU_Animal_Attraction/2008/06/animals-rescued.html
Here's a short excerpt from the Humane Society article
(quote)
[i]"Hundreds of people have lost their homes and thousands have evacuated in the face of floodwaters--but the number one concern for many of the affected residents is seeing their pets safely rescued--and that is what we are here to do," said Scotlund Haisley, HSUS senior director of emergency services. "This has been an exhausting mission, but seeing the look of relief in the eyes of each animal we have plucked from the waters has made it all worthwhile."The HSUS is operating as the lead animal rescue organization under the request of the Iowa department of Agriculture. With seven team members on the ground, and more on the way The HSUS is performing water and land rescue as well as supervising an emergency animal shelter. Additional water rescue assistance is being provided by the Humane Society of Missouri, Code Three Associates, Cedar Rapids fire and law enforcement and all branches of the military.
The rescued animals--ranging from cats and dogs to a variety of exotic species--are being transported to an emergency shelter at Kirkwood Community College. All of the animals are being decontaminated, assessed and treated by veterinarians before entering the facility. As of Saturday evening dozens of animals had been reunited with their families and more than 300 were being housed at the emergency shelter. The rescuers still have a long road ahead--with well over 100 rescue requests pending and more than 50 additional requests coming in daily. [/i]
Like I said I'm overjoyed that so many animals are being rescued..
BUT..
I'M SORRY...what the hell wrong with people??? Why did they leave their pets behind in the first place??? These people were able to evacuate themselves...uh, like why did they neglect taking their pets? Since the people themselves FOUND the time to rescue themselves, they couldn't take their pets as well...???
This picture I have here is of a white cat being rescued from a home and let out a window ....if you look...you'll realize that the window is one the second floor under the roof!!
I'm sorry,..but if God forbid some natural disaster were to occur where I am,...I sure as hell take my "babies" with me and wouldn't just leave them--
5 people like this
19 responses
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
20 Jun 08
for the life of me i don't understand why people leave their pets behind.if there's no room at the shelter for them,i'm not going either.they'd behave themselves in their cages.there's no way i could sit at the shelter calmly,wondering if my pet is ok.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
23 Jun 08
definetly.i'd carry them on my back if i had to.
wow..what a sight that would be 
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I could maybe understand if there was no warning and no real time to evacuate properly, but these people did have a lot of time and a lot of warning to include taking their pets..to my mind no excuse for leaving their pets behind
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
That's what annoys me...these people had plenty of time to evacuate yet left their pets behind
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I am glad to hear that the Humane Society is helping as they are my major charity. I had a mandatory evacuation a few years back due to a hurricane and I took my babies with me. There is no way I would have left them behind.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Yes the Humane Society is a great organization, just like Best Friends is...it is nice to know they are trying to help out...but those pets shouldn't have been left behind in the first place
1 person likes this
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Well, if the people themselves had to be rescued by emergency services, they sometimes wont allow evacuees to take their pets. Its a horrible thing but it happens. Otherwise people should be ashamed at leaving their fur babies behind. There is no way that I would leave without my precious kitties.
1 person likes this
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I am more likely to deal with one of those lovely California fires, but I always keep tabs on them and had decided if they came our ways and it looked like there was any possibility that I would have I might have to evacuate, I would take the kitties to work with me so that if I have to evacuate I would be sure to have them with me.
1 person likes this
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Right now I haven't heard of any in my area. But gets hotter its 108 F here, the fires will start to flare up. I think people who purposely leave their animals behind when evacuating should face some kind of charges. Either jail time or hefty fines or something.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I wish they would be filed charges too..just like the people who abandon their pets when a person's home goes into foreclosure and leave them behind
@Marg12 (329)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I sure as heck wouldn't leave my animals behind. I had to evacuate for hurricanes when I lived in Charleston, and we took everything. We had 30 horses to move, friends came with trailers, we stuffed cats and dogs and even the goats in cars, and took them all. We did that about four times. Then had to find to keep all these animals when we got away from home and get them home again. So I agree with you, why don't people take their pets. I guess there would be situations where it might be impossible to take them, but I think I would find a way.
I would give anything if I could help rescue those animals.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Oh wow..30 horses??? But kudos to you for saving not only the horses but cats, dogs and even goats and making sure they were safe
1 person likes this
@trickiwoo (2702)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I work at Petsmart, and all this week Petsmart is collecting donations to help the animals affected by the midwest floods.
I agree with you though!!! If I have to evacuate, my first concern is evacuating my pets too! I can't imagine how anyone could possibly leave their pets behind!!!!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I can't imagine leaving pets behind either, especially when they had fair warning to evacuate in time
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I have often wondered that myself. I can understand if you have no warning, but they knew enough in advance that they were able to evacuate themselves. I am pretty touched right now because I am in the process of being adopted by another cat. Not what I planned, but hey, he called my name.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Can't agree with you more...it wasn't like these people didn't have fair warning to evacuate..they did have the time
aww...so a kitty called your name...glad to hear you are adopting another "baby"
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
22 Jun 08
aww--Leo looks like a former cat I had..Footie..so named since he had those extra toes on his feet.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
21 Jun 08
I am glad that they are being rescued the poor things have no idea what happened.
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Do you remember Katrina?
They didn't let pet owners to take pets with them when rescued.
I wouldn't leave my pets behind, but I don't know how rescue workers are regulated.
They may promised people to take pets on separate trip.
We don't know.
It is very sad once again....
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I would do the same. I can not imagine to left my pets behind...
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Yes of course I remember Katrina...but I would have a to hell with it attitude and take my babies regardless of rules or regulations
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
23 Jun 08
I couldn't leave my babies either.
Unless it really was a me or them situation and then I would do everything I could before hand to prepare to take them with me.
It's really sad ... all those poor animals.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
24 Jun 08
There is no excuse in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
23 Jun 08
What's annoying is that these people had ample time to evacuate and in their own cars....so couldn't they take their furbabies too???
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
20 Jun 08
That is all very well pyewacket... but in practice... it does not work that way.
I don't know about the situation with those floods in the US....
But if you have hundred... or worse... thousand of people who need to be evacuated... Getting the people out comes first.
Unless you can get out of there with your own car... taking your pets with you is not an option.
Animals can look after themselves. A cat will climb up to safety. A dog can swim to safety.
Imagine if you were evacuated... Even if the rescue workers did let you take your cats... wich is debatable... it would very much depends on the emergency of the situation... Where would you go with your cats? You cannot keep them in a box for a week. When the chips are down... you are face with some tough decisions. And people have to make a choice rapidly. Your cats would be just as much traumatised going through an evacuation process as they would be if they were left behind. And all those things need to be taken into consideration.
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
20 Jun 08
I can understand you doing that... because I probably would have done the same thing.
But it has to be a calculated risk.
Putting your life in danger to save the cat... is not going to help the cat if you get killed in the process.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
These people all had time to evacuate and all had cars...there was plenty of time to leave, and leave with their pets....More were concerned about taking family photos with them than their pets from what I heard. My cats have two separate traveling cases...so much better than a mere box...I actually WAS in a situation where we had to evacuate our building many years ago. There was a very serious electrical fire in an apt that spread...we were told to evacuate our apts, since there was the fear that it could pop up elsewhere...at the time I had a LOT more cats, not just two. So, yes did leave my apt. Once we were all out, the cops barricaded the building to prevent anyone going in again...uh...hehee...well it pays to be short, thin and wirey...Our building has a side entrance with steps that go down..into the garbage area, then step up to the main part of the building...when in a split second no one was looking I made a beeline dash down that entrance and went up to my apt...the idea being that if heaven forbid the fire did spread I could at least be in there to somehow get the cats out--did have gigantic storage containers if worse came to worse could have dumped them in there. Thankfully the fire didn't spread anymore....but I was willing to risk things by being back in my apt just to help my cats if need be..I seem to have a "thing" with fire...even put a major fire out in my own apt once by keeping my cool on just how...LOL...it too was an electrical fire.....
@TriciaW (2441)
• United States
24 Jun 08
I am with you. There is no way I would leave my babies behind. I know when we were camping and the bad storm hit I yelled to grab Bella right away. She is like my child I couldn't leave her or either of my cats behind. They are a part of my family too. It is sad that so many left their animals behind. Then to hear they were reunited I am sorry if I was the one giving the animal back I am sure I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to yell at them for leaving them in the first place.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
25 Jun 08
To quote you....Then to hear they were reunited I am sorry if I was the one giving the animal back I am sure I wouldn't be able to resist the urge to yell at them for leaving them in the first place. Exactly...I be yelling at the owners like crazy...and maybe even saying a few choice words that I can't repeat here
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I've been following the pet rescues myself, Pye. I have several chances to go and help with the rescues from a local group here in my town BUT noone will do my routes for me while I go help. Hubby can't stay home from his full-time job to do my routes since his job pays the mortgage. My boss has been trying to find someone who could do my routes for a week while I go help but no other carrier will or can do them. I wanna help and I'm stuck. 
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I'm the same way, Pye. I WILL take my babies with me if I ever had to evacuate. I know enough ppl who would take us all in in case of flooding or a tornado even a fire but doubt a fire would be my cause for evacuation. I just don't get some of the people over there not taking their pets with them when they evacuate. They don't deserve their pets back after leaving them behind when they had the time to take them with.
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
20 Jun 08
It is very frustrating. I don't live that far away. Maybe about a 4hr. drive, 6 at the most. If my boss happens to call me with the news she found someone, I'll be hopping in my car and heading out within the hour. I've got my babies covered for care just in case I do end up going.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
It must be frustrating for you since here you want to help but can't...I could never live with myself if some disaster struck and I didn't take my two babies with me--I'm so annoyed when I do hear people just abandoning their pets.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
30 Jun 08
I am soooooo with you on this pye!! I would never ever everleave my fur babies behind!! NEVER!! What is wrong with these idiots?? Why did they get the animal in the first place? If anything were to happen in our area, which it has when we were in Texas, my fur babies are going with ME!! Or they can all go to hell for I'm NOT going anywhere without them!
@littleowl (7157)
•
21 Jun 08
Hi Pye that is awful to leave your pets behind like you there is absolutely no way I would or could leave my dogs/babies behind afyer all said and done we can save our seves but what about our furry friends etc they would be scared stiff of what was happening and what to do without our or other peoples help-blessed be littleowl
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jun 08
I know...I can only imagine how petrified those pets must have been to be left behind and try to fend and survive on their own
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
20 Jun 08
I do not know why they leave their pets behind. It is really cruel to see it. I know for a fact that I would not leave my pets behind in a situation like that. I would do what I could to take them with me, I could not leave them behind to die.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
20 Jun 08
I would never leave my babies behind...I'd find some way to take them with me
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jun 08
pyewacket if I could have pets and was in a natural diseaster
my pets would surely go with me no matter what. alas I live
'in an apartment where no pets at all are allowed. woe is me.
I do not understand people like that either, if they could
get out they could bring their pets with them surely.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
21 Jun 08
Also it wasn't like these people didn't have adequate time to evacuate and many went in their cars to leave...so why not take their pets? Really don't understand that
