Animals Pets :: Katrina :: New Orleans
Return To NewOrleans/HurricaneKatrina Homepage
Animals Pets :: Hurricane Katrina
| |
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), USDA APHIS Veterinary Services, Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA), LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Animal Control Association (LACA), and Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) are working together to help pets and displaced animals from storm-ravaged areas of south Louisiana.
| |
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/
Animal Charity
Organizations List
Continue below...
The
Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), USDA APHIS Veterinary Services,
Louisiana Veterinary
Medical Association (LVMA), LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), LSU AgCenter,
Louisiana Animal Control Association (LACA), and
Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) are
working together to help
pets and displaced animals from
storm-ravaged areas of south Louisiana.
The animal shelter
at the John M. Parker Coliseum opened on August 31, 2005. Within 48
hours, over 500 animals had been received. Veterinarians, technicians,
and students from the School, as well as volunteer veterinary
professionals from all across the country and Canada have come to the
shelter to help.
As of
Friday, September 23, the
Parker Coliseum was housing 806 companion animals,
including 475 dogs, 298 cats, and assorted pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs,
ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, mice, tortoises, and birds. Most of these
pets are being cared for by volunteers; owners who are staying here in
town are caring for 11% of the animals.
The shelter reached
its peak numbers on September 12, 2005, with 1,287 animals.
We are
happy to report that the number of animals checking out to go home
with their owners is now exceeding the number being taken in!
All remaining Metairie Small Animal
Hospital patients went back to that facility early in the morning of
Friday, September 16. Owners of these pets should contact M.S.A.H. for
more information.
Causeway Animal Hospital will be
picking up their cats to take back to their practice during the
weekend. Owners can contact C.A.H. on Monday, September 19, about
these animals.
The
Shelter is entering its last week of operation. No new animals will be
accepted after September
30, 2005 and the operation will close on October 15, 2005. Owners must
reclaim their animals by September 30, 2005, or give consent for foster
care or adoption. For more information,
click here.
Hurricane Rita
Because
of the anticipated effects of Hurricane
Rita, the shelter will close at noon on
Saturday, September 24. Normal hours
will resume on Sunday, weather
permitting.
Game Day
Information
Because of a home football game on
Monday, September 26, the
Shelter will be open only from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon.
After noon Monday the doors will be locked and there will be no
access to the building for the remainder of the day. We will re-open
and resume normal hours of operation at 8:00 am Tuesday, September 27.
If you are an owner who will need to check your pet out of the
Shelter during the closed period, please come by the front desk or
call 225-578-6111 as early as possible to make arrangements.
Volunteers who will be working on
Monday should check in with the Volunteer Coordinator for scheduling
and parking information.
New! See photos of our efforts!
Due to the overwhelming response of the American public, we are not
currently in need of supplies. Thank you so much for giving so
generously
for the care of these animals!
We do, however, have
an ongoing need for funds to continue
our day-to-day operations, as do all
organizations and facilities around the
state that are involved in the hurricane
relief efforts for animals. There are
several avenues for potential donors to
consider, which are listed below:
-
Donate to LSU SVM
The College of Veterinary
Medicine at the University of
Missouri-Columbia has graciously
provided a means of accepting online donations
on behalf of LSU School of
Veterinary Medicine, which is
working with the Emergency
Animal Shelter to provide care
for the pets housed here. When you
click the link below, you will be taken to the CVM's web site, where
they have a secure server for donations.
- Donate
online
-
Spirit of Veterinary Medicine Hurricane Katrina Animal Relief Fund
This fund is
administered through the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and will be
used in the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics, where sick
and injured animals are
being treated,
Donations are tax-deductible.
-
John D. Rhoades Veterinary Student Support Fund
Helps LSU veterinary
students who find themselves in a financial crisis either now or down
the road due to they and their families having lost jobs and so much
of what they own in this disaster.
Donations are tax-deductible.
Click here to
donate online to either fund
-
Donate by phone
To make a credit card donation by
phone, please click here
for the number to call.
-
Donate by
mail
If you would prefer
to donate by mail, please make checks payable
to "LSU Foundation" with "Spirit
of Veterinary Medicine Animal Relief" written on the
memo line,
and send to:
c/o Ms. Pat Edwards
School of Veterinary Medicine
Skip Bertman Drive
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
-
Donate directly
to the LSU Emergency Animal Shelter
If you would like
your monetary donation to go
directly to support the efforts at
the LSU EAS at Parker Coliseum,
please make
checks payable to Walter J.
Ernst Veterinary Memorial Foundation (write
"Animal
Emergency Shelter" on the memo line)
and either
bring it to the
facility or mail to:
Office of Public
Programs
LSU School of
Veterinary Medicine
Baton Rouge,
LA 70803=8410
-
Donate to support
statewide animal relief efforts
The
Louisiana
Veterinary Medical Association
will receive funds to support the various groups that are providing animal relief.
Donations are tax-deductible.
-
To donate by mail,
please make
checks payable to Walter J.
Ernst Veterinary Memorial Foundation (write
"Katrina Fund" on the memo line)
and mail to:
LVMA
8550 United Plaza Blvd.
Suite 1001
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
- To donate by
phone, please call
1-800-524-2996
during regular business hours.
-
Donate funds
to assist affected horses
Please consider making a monetary donation to offset
the cost of items not usually donated such as gas/diesel used during
rescue operations and other needs that arise during our rescue,
recovery, treatment, sheltering and rehabilitation of these horses.
-
To assist the Louisiana Horse Victims of Hurricane Katrina provide a
monetary contribution by making a check payable to the
"LVMA Equine Committee" (write "Horse Hurricane Relief" on the memo
line)
and mail to the following address or call 337-235-9945:
Dr.
Sonny Corley
LVMA Equine Committee
121 E. Gloria Switch
Lafayette, LA 70507
TOP
The LSU
Regional Emergency Animal Shelter has
special needs for volunteers who can
commit to work at least 5 days in a row,
especially in administrative and animal
care coordinator positions. We need
volunteers to provide direct care to
animals in the shelter as well as to
perform various non-animal care jobs at
the site.
Shifts are from:
8:00 am to
12:00 pm (noon)
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
If you are
interested in volunteering and can
provide assistance, please contact us at
lsupetvol@gmail.com. If you are
in Baton Rouge, you can come to the
shelter registration desk at the front
of the John M. Parker Coliseum on the
LSU campus at South Stadium Drive and
Highland Road, and ask for the Volunteer
Coordinator. The Volunteer Coordinator
or the facility staff may request that
volunteers perform jobs at the site that
may or may not involve direct care of
the animals. Volunteers will be
instructed upon arrival at the facility
what job they will be performing on a
particular day. When reporting for duty,
volunteers should wear casual,
comfortable clothing and enclosed shoes
(no sandals). All volunteers must be at
least 16 years of age.
We are also
seeking experienced DVMs, veterinary
technicians, animal control officers,
and administrative staff who can make
their own arrangements for lodging and
can stay for an extended period of time.
If you are an animal care professional
and want to volunteer, please contact
cmiceli@vetmed.lsu.edu.
In addition, the Animal Emergency Response Network is helping coordinate volunteer
veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other individuals who want
to help. If you would like to volunteer your time to assist at the
Parker Coliseum Regional Animal Shelter, please visit the
Animal Emergency
Response Network on Petfinders.com and click the link that says
"I want to REGISTER to FOSTER displaced pets or VOLUNTEER to help pets
in need." Please fill out the form in as much detail as possible so
that your abilities can be matched to shelter needs.
TOP
Evacuees Seeking
Pets That Were Boarded in Veterinary Clinics
At
this time, some (not all) animals from the following veterinary clinics are being
housed at the John M. Parker Coliseum on the LSU Campus:
-
Animal Emergency Clinic
-
Animal Medical Clinic on Magazine
-
Audubon Veterinary Hospital
-
Belle Chasse Animal Hospital
-
Causeway Animal Hospital (some pets) - all
remaining cats will be returned to C.A.H. on September 17-18
-
Lake Veterinary Hospital
-
Magazine Street Animal Hospital
-
Metairie Small Animal Hospital - as of Friday, September 16, all
remaining animals have gone back to M.S.A.H.
-
St. Tammany Animal Shelter
-
Southern Animal Foundation
-
The Cat Practice (Metairie)
-
VCA Airline Animal Hospital
-
Companion animals owned by people who were in Red Cross-associated
evacuations (Causeway and I-10 bus staging area)
This list will be updated as needed.
If you are a pet owner whose animal was boarded at one of these
clinics,
please call (225) 578-6111
for information about your pet(s).
Please note: Phone service in south
Louisiana may still be unreliable because of damage caused by the
hurricane and heavy usage. We are sorry for any inconvenience,
but ask that people please be patient and keep trying to get through
to us. Thank you.
The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales is currently housing
the following:
-
Stray companion animals (may include pets that escaped from homes or
were otherwise lost)
-
Some pets belonging to Superdome evacuees
-
Rescued dogs and cats from flooded areas
-
Horses
To check to see if your pet is being
housed at Lamar-Dixon, please click here.
TOP
Request Help for a
Pet That is With You
If you need help with a pet that is currently with
you,
please visit the
Animal Emergency Response Network on
Petfinders.com and click the link that says "I
need HELP with my pet that is with me." Please
fill out the form in as much detail as possible so
that you can receive the assistance you need.
TOP
Request a Rescue of a Pet Left Behind
in the Disaster Area
To request a rescue, please visit the
Animal Emergency
Response Network
on
Petfinders.com
and select
"My pet needs to be rescued (for LEFT BEHIND pets)."
Fill out the online form with as much detail as possible.
Residents are now being allowed back
into certain parts of the Greater New Orleans areas. While we will do
everything we can to rescue as many animals as possible, your pets
will have a better chance if you can get in and rescue them
yourselves. Please watch the news media for announcements of which
areas residents may re-enter.
If you do rescue your pet yourself
after requesting rescue through this shelter, please notify us so that
we can remove your name from the waiting list.
If you need a place to leave your
pets for housing and care after rescue, please bring them to us at the
John M. Parker Coliseum on the LSU Campus. We will care for them until
you can be permanently reunited.
TOP
Check to See if Your Pet Has Been Rescued
If you have
requested a rescue or want to see if your pet has been rescued
already, please
visit the
Animal
Emergency Response Network on Petfinders.com and click the link that says
"I've LOST my
pet."
Please fill out the form in as much detail as possible to maximize the
chances of locating your pet and click Submit.
If you would like to search the lists of pets that have been found,
please visit the
Animal Emergency
Response Network on Petfinders.com and click the link that says "Search FOUND
Pet Reports." Please fill out the form in as much detail as
possible and click Retrieve to access these reports.
To view the Petfinder.com list
of rescued animals currently housed at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in
Gonzales, La., please click here.
TOP
Report a Found Pet from the Disaster Area
If you have found a lost pet in
one of the affected areas, please
visit the
Animal
Emergency Response Network on Petfinders.com and click the link that says "I
have FOUND a pet in the disaster region." Please fill out the form
in as much detail as possible to maximize the chances of reuniting the
pet with its family.
TOP
Fostering
Many kind and generous families in the Baton Rouge area have offered
to temporarily foster pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Relocation
of your pet from the Parker Coliseum Emergency Animal Shelter to a
foster home is a
simple and wise decision for several reasons:
1. Pets are much less stressed in the caring environment of an
air-conditioned home where they can receive individual attention.
2. Foster homes present a much lower risk
for infectious disease associated with a
shelter where many animals are congregated together.
3. Once you have re-established your own residence, you can contact
the fostering family directly to bring your pet home.
Please inquire at
the Foster Homes desk in the Entrance Hall of the Parker Coliseum
or visit the
Animal Emergency Response Network
on Petfinders.com and click the link that says
"I need to find a FOSTER HOME or temporary care for my pet."
Please fill out the form in as much detail as possible so that your
abilities can be matched to shelter needs. Or you may use the link
that says, "or "Show me people offering FOSTER HOME or temporary care"
to browse the list of people who have offered foster care.
If you are interested
in fostering a pet from the Parker Coliseum Regional Animal
Shelter whose owner is temporarily unable to care for it, please visit
the
Animal
Emergency Response Network on Petfinders.com and click the link that says "I
want to REGISTER to FOSTER displaced pets or VOLUNTEER to help pets in
need." Please fill out the form in as much detail as possible so
that your abilities can be matched to shelter needs. You may also
click the link that says "Show
me pets that NEED FOSTER care"
to search for specific kinds of animals or animals
in specific areas.
TOP
Teams led by LSU and local equine veterinarians
rescued horses from the affected areas. As of
Monday, September 12, 2005, the Lamar-Dixon Expo
Center was housing about 350 horses. These horses
are being cared for by veterinarians, veterinary
technicians, owners and volunteers. Current
efforts are focused on reuniting owners with their
horses.
If
you need help with feed/hay/water for a horse that
is currently with you, please call 888-773-6489
and have detailed needs ready along with detailed
instructions on your location. It is possible that
a centralized location has already been
established in your area where feed/hay/water may
be accessed.
Request
a Rescue of a Horse Left Behind in the
Disaster Area
To request an
equine rescue, please call the the State Veterinarian's office
at 888-773-6489. Please be prepared to give as detailed
description of the situation as possible to aid in our ability to
facilitate rescue.
If your horse is
rescued by you or someone else after requesting rescue through the
hotline number, please notify us so that we can remove your name from
the list.
Check to See if
Your Horse Has Been Rescued
If you want to see if your horse
has been rescued already, please call 225-578-9501
and select option 1.
Please have a detailed description of the horse,
original barn/pasture location, the microchip
number, and/or tattoo number ready.
TOP
Report a
Found Horse from the
Disaster Area
If you have found a lost horse in
one of the affected areas, please call the State
Veterinarian's office at 888-773-6489. Please have
a detailed description of the horse ready along
with details of the location where the horse was
found.
TOP
If you would like to volunteer equine
transportation and equine shelter (pasture/stall space) to assist with
equine shelter efforts please visit the
Louisiana Veterinary Medical
Association web site and click the link that says
Equine Evacuation Information and add your information to the
database.
The equine shelter at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center currently is staffed
with adequate volunteers. We have also been very fortunate and have
adequate supplies for our relief efforts at this time. Please consider
making a monetary donation to offset the cost of items not usually
donated such as gas/diesel used during rescue operations and other
needs that arise during our rescue, recovery, treatment, sheltering
and rehabilitation of these horses.
Currently, horses are not up for
adoption, as we are actively locating owners for the rescued horses with
great success.
TOP
Owners
have the option to release their pets to the
Parker Coliseum Emergency Animal Shelter for adoption if they find
they will be unable to keep it for the foreseeable future.
Many loving families in Louisiana and
throughout the United States are standing ready to take into their
homes pets that have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
If you are interested in looking into
permanent adoption for your pet, please visit the Fostering Desk in
the front entrance hall of the Parker Coliseum for details.
Public
Information Officer for Louisiana Department of Agriculture and
Forestry:
Dr. Larry Hawkins
225-389-0436
Public Relations
Coordinator, Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine:
Ginger Guttner
225-578-9922
gguttner@vetmed.lsu.edu
Media Contacts - Equine
Director of Advancement
Equine Health Studies Program
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
Ky Mortensen
225-578-9590
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/
