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HSUS Volunteer Assists Animal Victims of Katrina
After weeks of watching the Gulf Coast devastation on the news and spending countless hours worrying about the impact to animals and companion pets in that region, my husband and I jumped at the opportunity to travel down to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. During the last week of September 2005, we boarded a plane along with four other animal lovers from Charlotte. ST Motorsports and the Animal Adoption League donated the air transportation for our group of six in order to make the trip possible. We were also very grateful that Charlotte Kennels offered to board our four large dogs free of charge while we were away. We spent the week working at a temporary relief shelter managed by The Humane Society of The United States (HSUS) for the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina.
We had been given fair warning that the accommodations were similar to camping, as the heat would be intense and the work would be hard both physically and emotionally. The heartbreaking television accounts of the frightened white Boxer in a tree, the hot rottweilers on the roof and the helpless pit bulls chained to front porches made the decision to go an easy one.
Upon arrival in Mississippi, swarms of “lovebugs” greeted us and kept us company the entire week. The “lovebugs” are a species of fly, but we were grateful to have them instead of mosquitoes. During our stay, we were housed in air-conditioned tents set up by FEMA and ate our meals in the FEMA mess tent. Restrooms were of the portable variety and showers were available in pods. The HSUS staff set the daily routine, but each day brought new projects and challenges to overcome.
The heat was oppressive for the animals and humans alike. Dogs were not walked during the heat of the day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Each afternoon, one by one, each canine was retrieved and hosed down to provide them some relief from the heat.
Animals were housed in a series of barns at the Forrest County Multipurpose Center. We were informed that over 1,600 animals had passed through the facility, but by the time we arrived, the count was down to around 950. When we left at the end of the week, the count was closer to 350, and plans were underway to get the remainder of the animals into foster care as quickly as possible.
Our day began at 6 a.m. with a quick trip to the mess tent and then a scramble to get dogs walked prior to the 8 a.m. daily meeting. This was the coolest time of day, and volunteers took advantage of it by attempting to give all of the animals a good walk and some fresh air. The 8 a.m. meeting was an opportunity for the HSUS staff to update volunteers on daily plans, make volunteer work assignments, and address concerns or suggestions.
The “Charlotte group,” as we were known, was given a barn assignment. The dogs on a certain row of one of the barns were our primary responsibility. After the 8 a.m. meeting adjourned, the morning feeding began, followed by second walks for those who had not completed their “business” previously. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., dogs took it easy and stuck close to the fans that were set up to cool them. Volunteers became very familiar with bleach and soap during this time of day. Bleaching floors and kennels, washing dishes, and the never-ending job of breaking down and cleaning crates were daily chores. FEMA provided a bag lunch of sorts, which was greatly appreciated but difficult to stomach after the second day. They also provided a hot meal at 6 p.m. The evening included a second feeding and evening walks for the animals when the sun went down. By the end of each day, we were looking forward to a few moments of cold water in a stall of the shower pod!
I was extremely impressed with the “organized chaos” of this temporary shelter. The animals were receiving lots of love and attention, there were plenty of supplies, and the attending vets and technicians were available to address any health concerns immediately. Some animals were fighting kennel cough, and at least one on our row had to be transported to a local vet after kennel cough, stress, and heat had become too much for her. Nevertheless, most of the animals were in amazingly good spirits and were appreciative of the toys, bones, and bedding that had been donated from animal lovers around the country.
Another daily challenge, at which my husband proved to be particularly useful, was in loading the transport vehicles. Rescue and animal welfare groups, pre-approved by the HSUS, arrived from all parts of the country daily to pick up animals from the facility. These groups agreed to house the animals for at least 30 days, mostly in foster care arrangements, during which time the animals would be advertised online in an attempt to reunite them with their owners. These rescue groups also agreed to transport the animals back to the region if any owners came forward. After a holding period, the animals would then be available for adoption. Each member of our Charlotte-based group quickly developed favorites among the animals. We were fortunate that most of our favorites made it to rescue transports before we left Hattiesburg.
A daily joy was in occasionally hearing the ringing of the “Found Bell,” meaning an owner had been reunited with his or her pet/s. All of the Katrina animals in Mississippi were sent to the HSUS Hattiesburg shelter, so distraught pet owners arrived daily to complete the “Lost Pet” form and search the barns for any possible matches. It was obvious many of the animals in our barn had been beloved pets. One weimaraner on our row quickly offered a sit and “shake” when presented with a treat. Another gentle and affectionate pit bull just wanted someone to sit with him in his stall so he could nap with his head in your lap. It was difficult to see them go and know that it was not possible to bring them home with us and ensure that their lives would never again be so uncertain. We all felt we were doing the best we could to improve their situation. Several of the Charlotte volunteers even put notes in the medical paperwork of their favorites stating they would foster or adopt if no placement could be found.
We all left Hattiesburg eager to get home to our own animals, our own beds and showers, but I am sure many of the other volunteers wonder daily as I do about those special animals that touched our hearts during the trip. I did not see the frightened white boxer I had seen on CNN who was perched unsteadily on a tree branch attempting to stay out of the filthy water, but I did find a senior brindle girl with a horrible crop job on her ears and a tumor on her leg. She needed me just as much as the one dog on CNN. Spending time with her and making her feel more comfortable in that environment was enough to take away my feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that many people across the country felt as we sat in our cool, dry homes surrounded by our own pets while watching the tragedy unfold on the television.
Beth Josey was an HSUS volunteer who wrote this piece for “Four Paws & a Tale,” the newsletter of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control Bureau in North Carolina.
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