Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue

THE FIRST PART OF THE VIDEO HAS NO AUDIO. THIS IS ON PURPOSE. My name is Terri Keefer. I went to New Orleans for animal rescue, five weeks post Katrina. There was a temporary shelter housing all animals, about one hour outside of New Orleans. It was called Lamar-Dixon in Gonzales, LA. We took care of animals there, before most were transported out of state. No one in Louisiana would take them. The animals in the city were terrified, and many would run from us. Others were injured, sick, aggressive or already dead. We did everything we could to save just one animal. We spent two hours prying an air conditioner out of a window only to find the cat we were trying to save was dead. I want to commend all rescuers for their tireless efforts, hard work and willingness to live in extreme conditions (mosquitoes, 103 degree heat, lack of food). I had never attempted animal rescue before this, now it is a huge part of my life. Most of the photos I took while literally running from place to place. Some of the field rescue photos were generously given to me by HSUS to use for my non-profit, non-commercial, personal video account of my time spent there. Thanks for watching.
MUSIC: Celine Dion - Prayer - live on Larry King when she was speaking to him about her disgust of the rescue efforts during Katrina; The Carpenters - Bless the Beasts and the Children; Melissa Etheridge - Heal Me.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Hurricane
• Katrina
• Rescue
• Animal
• Dog
• Cat
• Volunteer
• Rescuer
• Pet

[TheDisasterChick]

Update on a dog in this video! The small brown dog with a cast on his leg was one I took care of! I sent him to my personal vet in Atlanta, where he had pins and plates put in his leg. 8 weeks later he went to West Palm Beach, FL to his new home...with the fireman who rescued him in Mississippi. His new Dad was with the National Guard and was told to leave "Ditch" behind, but he couldn't. I got the call to keep this dog safe until he could come home.. Ditch is now HUGE and much loved!

[Tigkat]

This is amazing news about Ditch! Do you have any photos?

I loved that little guy.

[ArsenalBoi4Life21]

is it ment to be bad or good i cant tell sorry

[Tigkat]

it's both really

[HamburgerExplosion]

why cant i see the video

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TALK TO ME a8

[Tigkat]

make sure you have the right software on your computer for viewing.

[xoMikkaMouseox]

I'm gonna volunteer in a animal shelter. :)

[gingergrl88]

God it just makes me sick how people can just leave their pets. They warned you a huge hurricane was coming! How can people be heartless as to leave these poor creatures who depend on you behind? Especially locked in a house or tied to a chain where they cant even get away?! I know to some they are "just animals" but they are FAMILY, would you leave your family behind? THANK everyone who helped save these babies and gave them a new chance at life when the families they loved left them for dead!

[muffinkissesxxx]

how does the writing on the walls work... did the owners write that so the rescuers could no how many animals were inside

[EvilRosewood]

Is it just me, or do most of the animals in the 2nd half of the video look as if they're saying "thank you!"

[EvilRosewood]

If there was ever a reason to microchip your pets...

[Heriboux2]

@Belletsa66 Oh my, she's a pure beauty. She looks so sad ans so tired on the photo! I'm happy she is fine now <3

[Belletsa66]

I adopted a Katrina dog from our local SPCA here in NH, 12/2005. She is in this video, she is around the 4:40 mark MAXine back then, now MAGGIE. I knew she had been treated for various infections but other than what I had seen on the news at the time I couldn't even imagine what she had been through. She was slow to trust us and to this day needs to take medication to deal with heavy rain or thunder/lightening storms. Maggie is doing GREAT. Thank you for volunteering to help the animals.

[vanna4animals]

They saved 8.500 animals in katrina, 1.000 were reunited with owners and adopted , So what they did to the others ? Killed for not having homes ?

In the shelters they went in other cities ?

[rubiconski2008]

This is what I love about America.

Much love to all the rescuers/shelters/transporters­.

[zeabolso]

@LeeSmith9595  me too!! It is so different! they always depend on us,I`m glad ppl like them can do this. I wish I could!

[foryourpetssake]

STOP KILLING YOUR PET! You can add years to the life of your pet and reduce many of their health problems, if you know one important fact your veterinarian never tells you. - foryourpetssake . net