NEW ORLEANS — David Woodsum poked his head out the attic window of his flooded house on Gladiolus Street on Tuesday and yelled at the men sitting in the flat bottom boat.
“I’m not leaving,” Woodsum said. “I won’t leave my two cats.”
Pets appeared to be the No. 1 reason many of the estimated 10,000 residents still holed up in their flooded homes are refusing to leave.
“I don’t know why the government won’t let us take these people’s pets out,” said Steve Miller of Dutchtown, a volunteer who navigated his flat bottom boat down the flooded streets trying to persuade residents to leave.
“But FEMA has told us we cannot take the pets. They told that we could not take one cat or dog in our boats,” Miller said. “It’s a stupid rule. More people are going to die because of that.”
Pet owners refusing to leave homes Rescuers say efforts disorganized by Sandy Davis, WBRZ 2 News, Baton Rouge, LA, Sept. 7, 2005
Read the ASPCA’s hurricane diary
Donate to the HSUS rescue efforts
Well, at least there’s some good news regarding animals and New Orleans.
Nearly all of the New Orleans zoo’s 1,400 animals have survived Hurricane Katrina, zoo officials say.
Two otters died at the Audubon Zoo, curator Dan Maloney said.
The zoo is at one of the highest points in the city so the flood levels did not reach them. Officials said they had planned for years for a major storm.
Twelve members of the zoo’s staff stayed to ride out the storm, which felled trees and ripped off branches in the grounds.
“They are a stubborn lot, zoo people,” Julie Balentine from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association told the BBC.
“They care greatly for their animals, and feel that the responsibility they have is one they take to heart.”
Lost alligator
The zoo had laid in enough food to keep its animals alive for days, Mr Maloney told Reuters.
He said that some animals went missing after the storm hit, but he stressed that all were accounted for, except for an alligator.
“I’m sure the alligator will return too,” Mr Maloney told AFP news agency.
He said the human suffering outside the zoo’s fence was a tragedy, but he was grateful he and his staff managed to save the animals.
“We stayed here because the animals can’t leave,” he said.
Thousands of people are estimated to have been killed in the flooded city.
– New Orleans zoo survives Katrina, BBC News, September 7, 2005
I understand completely – to some of these people their animals are their entire life and all that they have. The rule sucks. I have donated to HSUS and have encouraged others to do the same. The story on the news the other day where all at the superdome had almost been bused out save a few people who were hoping that they would be able to get on the last buses with their animals but they were still being told no. One man 24 whose dog was 14 would not go and the reporter was so moved that he made arrangements right there on the spot to take that young man’s dog and a few others to the place he was staying at in Baton Rouge. The young man was re-united with his family member the next day. The reporter said he didn’t give a s**t about the cameras he was not going to let this family be separated just because one had four legs. Great post – will be back to read more.
Hi Woodstock…
Just corrected that link on my blog….so it goes directly to Point your finger….
STB