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Images of IDA's rescue efforts on behalf of the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina in rural Mississippi
Follow IDA Volunteer Coordinator, Anita Carswell, and IDA Volunteer, Scott Cecile, on a day of rescues in New Orleans, LA | |||
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Donate to protect future victims of disaster
On Tuesday, August 29, 2005, 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 first on the ground and the last continuing to help animals in the affected areas. IDA staff and volunteers conducted search and rescue missions and provided care for newly-homeless animals. We continued to deal with Katrina's aftermath even a year later. IDA's Matt Rossell, Connie Durkee, and Kristie and Eric Phelps, for instance, made numerous trips to New Orleans and Mississippi, assisting with rescue efforts for animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. They rescued dozens of animals supported the overcrowded shelters in the gulf area by transporting animals to the Northwest and Northeast.
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 President Bush recently approved the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act. The PETS Act requires local and state authorities 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.
Learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family for disaster.
IDA has established a disaster relief fund to help animals in future disasters. Please help us support this crucial work by donating to IDA’s Disaster Relief Fund. To donate, send checks made payable to IDA with a note reading “Disaster Relief Fund” to:
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd.
San Rafael, CA 94901
Click here to donate online using your credit card. Please indicate "Disaster Relief Fund" in the first name field in the "in honor of" section of the form.
We at IDA mourn the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita with the rest of the country, and hope for the safety of everyone affected by the disaster. We also offer condolences to those who have lost loved ones. Thousands of people lost family members to the storm, including many beloved companion animals. The hurricane's devastation shows us how important it is to plan ahead for the safety of animal companions in case of emergency. Do you know what you would do if disaster struck? Where would you take your animals? Do you have enough food and water stored away? Who would check on your animals if you were away from home during a disaster? Your animal friends' life could depend on your answers to these questions. For your safety and that of those who depend on you, be sure to have a plan for preparedness should disaster strike your area.