Sept 2005 Rescue

A Collaborative Effort To Rescue Animal Victims of Hurricane Katrina

In early September, 4Paws got involved in a collaborative effort to rescue animal victims of Hurricane Katrina. Three veterinarians (Dr. Kim Danoff of Veterinary Holistic and Rehabilitation Center in Vienna, Dr. Anne Mixson of Del Ray Animal Hospital in Alexandria and Dr. Tom Lomax of Festival Bel Air Veterinary Clinic in Maryland) and three other volunteers drove two cargo vans and a horse trailer to Gulfport, Mississippi. Their vehicles were packed to capacity with medical supplies, pet food, bottled water, and other supplies necessary to care for and transport any animals rescued.

The community's generosity was overwhelming. On September 9, 2005, the day of departure, car after car arrived with supplies being donated for the trip. So many donated items, that not everything could fit in the vehicles, which turned out to be quite fortuitous, leaving supplies to care for the animals that were brought back.

Wednesday, September 7th the idea was hatched of gathering a group of doctors and volunteers to take supplies down to the animal refugees of Hurricane Katrina. By 9:00 p.m. two days later, drivers, doctors, supplies, and vehicles were headed down to Mississippi to help the animals.

4Paws' major contribution to this effort primarily came into play when the weary travelers (people and animals) arrived in Northern Virginia, back from Mississippi, five days later. More than a twenty-four hour drive in each direction, the trip was difficult, but the end result was oh so rewarding… especially once all of the animals were cleaned, fed and set up in their dry and safe temporary quarters. The animal evacuees consisted mainly of fifty-four cats, but also among the group were two dogs and a few other small animals.

Volunteers spent countless hours getting the animals settled. Scared, hungry, and dirty when they first arrived, these animal survivors were amazingly accommodating especially given all they had gone through in the previous days and weeks. They had lost everything that was safe and familiar-their families, their homes, their sense of security. A bath, fresh food and water and a warm place to sleep, this was the beginning of their new lives, safely away from the trauma and loss that they left behind in Mississippi.

Once their immediate needs were taken care of, their medical needs could be addressed. Wellness exams included vaccines, blood tests for Feline AIDs and Leukemia as well as treatment for parasites. As would be expected, the incredible stress of the previous weeks caused several of the cats to become sick, primarily with upper respiratory and fungal infections. Medical care-wellness and illness-is ongoing and, as can be expected, has become quite a drain on financial resources.

In the days after their arrival in Virginia, the rescued animals were all placed into foster homes. 4Paws took responsibility for nearly all of the cats, finding temporary housing with people who came forward to help the feline Katrina Refugees. It is quite fortunate that existing 4Paws foster homes were not needed for Katrina cats, allowing 4Paws to continue rescuing local cats and kittens without any interruption or reallocation of resources.

Almost all of the cats were relinquished by their owners. People who had lost their homes, everything they owned, were comforted to know that even though they could no longer care for their pets themselves, their cats would be well taken care of.

The vast majority — 38 of the 54 total cats — had been in the care of the Humane Society located in Diamondhead, Mississippi when the hurricane hit. The facility where they were staying was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Overcome by 5 ½ feet of flood waters, all but one of the cats in the facility survived the hurricane and were later relinquished to 4Paws.

Because they were relinquished by their owners (or the Humane Society) and not lost pets, once the cats settled into their foster homes and began to thrive, 4Paws could begin seeking permanent adoptive homes for them. Many of the people who initially volunteered to foster these feline refugees have decided to adopt them. Other Katrina rescues have found permanent homes through 4Paws' adoption fairs or website. As of mid December, of the original group of 54, still, 13 feline survivors of Hurricane Katrina are looking for permanent loving homes.