Update January 4, 2006


IDA Continues Hurricane Relief Effort Through the New Year
IDA Employees Continue to Make Crucial Food and Water Drops for Surviving Animals

IDA employees spent the week between Christmas and New Years on the ground in New Orleans doing food and water drops for the many animals roaming the streets. Many have been humanely trapped and brought to shelters, yet countless others are still scavenging to avoid starvation. Workers spotted many animals (who were once loving companions) waiting for humans to leave so they could feast on the food left behind. Rescuers were often flagged down while driving around doing food and water drops. On several occasions, IDA workers provided food to residents who have been caring for roving cats and dogs in their neighborhoods left homeless by the storm.

IDA's work was not just relegated to cats and dogs. The guardians of an overweight potbellied pig named Gordy abandoned him just before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. When a caring neighbor who had been feeding Gordy had to move out of the area, she called IDA, and we helped transport Gordy to a sanctuary in Baton Rouge.

In another instance, IDA rescuers, lured into a house by a wayward cat, discovered a neglected aquarium full of fish. Four months after the hurricane struck the area, seven small fish were still alive in the filthy tank, having survived only by eating the remains of their dead tankmates. Sadly, thousands more former animal companions are likely still languishing in the storm-ravaged area, slowly dying of starvation after being left behind and assumed dead by their guardians. These seven fish had a much happier ending: they were transported to Virginia and will spend the rest of their days in a forty gallon tank replete with clean water and lots of plants and rocks to explore.

The week culminated in the transport of 20 dogs and cats to California, Maryland and Virginia. A Virginia delegate and his wife are adopting one lucky dog after reading about IDA's life-saving work in the Gulf region. With your help and continued support, IDA has saved countless lives over the last four months.

• It has been a continuous challenge to keep the Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) Food and Water program stocked with wet and dry cat and dog food. Workers report that for the last four days they have had no food to drop for the thousands of Katrina animals who are alive today because of its extensive food and water program and the hundreds of volunteers who have been maintaining it since early September 2005. ARNO needs your help to keep a steady flow of food coming to New Orleans well into the New Year so these animals (and their new litters) can continue to have a chance at survival. Please send donations of food to:
  
  ARNO Food & Water Program
  Attn: Cadi Schiffer, ARNO F/W Coordinator
  Celebration Station
  5959 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
  Metairie, LA 70003
  
  
• We need funds to continue our relief work. As an illustration of the financial resources needed to rescue animals, rental of a vehicle and gas for one week costs upwards of $1000. Please contribute to IDA's hurricane relief fund when making your end of the year donations. To donate, send checks made payable to IDA with a note reading "for hurricane relief" to In Defense of Animals, 131 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941. Click https://secure.ga0.org/02/varescue and scroll down to donate online using your credit card.