Update August 30, 2006

Hurricane Katrina - One Year Later
Rescue and rebuilding continue on anniversary of national tragedy

It was exactly one year ago yesterday, Tuesday, August 29th, that Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast region. The Category 5 storm killed at least 1,800 people and caused over $80 billion in damages, making it the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

Animals were hit perhaps the hardest of all. While some guardians refused to leave their homes without their animals, tens of thousands of animal companions were abandoned to almost certain death because Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rescuers ordered evacuees to leave their friends behind. Many drowned in the floodwaters while others died from starvation or disease in Katrina's wake. Millions of farmed animals also lost their lives.

Brave rescuers from around the nation who entered the disaster zone as the storm receded to help animal survivors found a devastated wasteland in total chaos. They broke into houses and took any animals still alive to makeshift shelters that were quickly filled beyond capacity. Their heroic efforts saved thousands of lives and relieved much suffering.

IDA-Project Hope rescuers were among the many that conducted search and rescue missions and provided care for newly-homeless animals. We are still dealing with Katrina's aftermath even a year later. IDA's Matt Rossell and Connie Durkee, for instance, have made numerous trips to New Orleans and Mississippi, assisting with rescue efforts for animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. They rescued dozens of animals and continue, to this day, supporting the overcrowded shelters in the gulf area by transporting animals to the Northwest. Connie is currently on a relay meeting volunteers from the Waveland Animal Shelter in Mississippi halfway in Denver to transport displaced animals to the Seattle area.

Katrina was a wake up call for the nation, and the U.S. government has taken action to help prevent such tragedies from reoccurring. Many states have passed or are considering bills to ensure the safety of animals in large-scale disasters, and Congress recently approved the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act. If President Bush approves the PETS Act, local and state authorities will be required to provide for the needs of animal companions and their guardians during disasters to be eligible for FEMA grants.

While these new federal and state laws are a step in the right direction, each of us must also do our own part. The new documentary Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues, sponsored nationally by IDA, is a timely reminder that we must never let such a tragedy happen again. Based on his experiences making the film, director Mike Shiley stresses the primacy of individual preparedness. "Anyone who believes their government will fully protect them during an emergency is setting themselves up for disaster," he said. "Every person must take personal responsibility for the welfare of their family—human and animal alike—before disaster strikes."

What You Can Do:

- Learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family for disaster.

- Learn more about Dark Water Rising, including when it will screen in your area and how to order a DVD.

- Donate to IDA to support our ongoing rescue efforts. Please indicate "hurricane" in the first name field in the "in honor of" section of the form.