Hub is Opened to Rescue Disaster Cats
“Stray and feral cats are the unseen and often forgotten victims in every catastrophe,” said Becky Robinson, ACA national director.
Volunteers are needed who are organized, collected, and can manage people. Physically and emotionally strong women and men are requested as are people with experience in a clinic or shelter setting who can deal with loud barking dogs and cages full of cats. Also needed are drivers and vehicles for transport such as SUVs and trucks. SUVs are preferable. Supplies wanted include cat food, water, carriers; etc. to be purchased and transported to the base camp. A list of supplies needed will be provided. Foster homes and barn homes for feral cats are also requested as well as transport there.
Regarding Hurricane Katrina lost pets, ACA strongly urges pet owners who are missing their animals to look for them in shelters if able. Rescue workers are pulling animals out and ACA said they are hearing reports of people finding their pets in these shelters but the rescuers are too pressed for time to notify people when they have been to their home. It is very difficult to reach the shelters by phone, according to ACA. They strongly recommend that if pet owners don’t find their pets at the shelters listed on their website (alleycat.org) they return home to recover their pet. Rescuers are working at full capacity but are unable to reach all animals in need, they said.
Animals from New Orleans and surrounding areas are generally going to the Emergency Animal Shelter at Lamar-Dixon (Horse Expo Center), 9039 St. Landry Road, Exit 177 off I-10.
The Austin Humane Society/SPCA 124 at West Anderson Lane at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez Street in Texas is another resource.
To report a feral cat colony or to volunteer, go to alleycat.org.
You can also look for your lost pet on petfinder.com. There is a page on that site for pets that are at the Lamar-Dixon Shelter. Louisiana State University (LSUA) has a shelter in Baton Rouge, LA for owned pets.
ACA said they have passed any information provided to them to rescuers on the ground.
Louisiana residents who left pets in their homes may call toll-free within Louisiana 1-888-773-6489 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. From out of state call (225) 925-3980 during the same hours. You can also email Katrina@ldaf.louisiana.gov.
The Mississippi Resident Hotline is 800-252-0923.
Pets 911 is offering a national hotline – 800-PETS911 to report lost animals or you can go to their website, animals911.com.
