The Truth About Cats and Dogs-New Orleans policeman was right to confiscate Snowball

I understand where there coming from but I would be a hold out ... I wouldnt leave without my"kids"

Hmmmph.

First of all, the writer makes it sound like nobody really cared about Snowball's owner, the little boy. But most of the people I've discussed this with were moved as much as if not more by the emotional impact on the child - the fact that the poor child was being deprived of his beloved pet's company in a most traumatic time of his life, than by the plight of his dog.

And of course the reporter, a casual observer, heard the child shout his pup's name "Snowball", but even if the reporter had been able to approach the boy to ask his name, I doubt he would have been in any condition to give it.

Secondly, the writer apparently assumes all animals would be as poorly trained and behave as badly as his own dog, who he clearly doesn't even care enough about to take her to obedience class so she won't behave like a mad dog on a leash, disturbing and frightening people in his neighborhood every time he walks her. Good grief.

Clearly not everyone in the affected area had the financial resources (car, fuel, $$$) to leave with their pets and take them to a boarding facility or pet-friendly hotel out of the hurrincane's path, as the writer advised. What about them?

I believe that if people needing to evacuate are able to provide containment for their pets in a shelter environment (crates, carriers, muzzles & leashes for frightened dogs) that they should be allowed to take their pets to a shelter. If everyone in the shelter with pets has containment, there's no reason it should become the madhouse scenario that the writer describes. But then that probably wouldn't occur to someone who can't bother to teach his pet to behave decently.

Requiring that a person choose between personal safety and abandoning a family member (pet) is simply inhumane.

That writer can go pound sand. This is something tramatizing only made worse if you cant take your animal family with you. my animals are my children. Period. I would have to stay if they couldnt take me with them.

I agree, his dog isnt trained well if thats what she does on a walk around the block.. and most people can control their animals. I agree also with the containment

Great post, I totally agree and I emailed that jerk that wrote the article and told him what I thought of him and told him to get his dog some training then maybe he could take her out in public. The guy is lame.

I haven't really seen the part about the "untrained" thing..Maybe I missed something..

But I have to disagree here. I would say that a very small percentage of dog (pet) owners have adequate voice control over their dogs....This is sadly why so many end up in shelters and pounds. (ie, "he just kept jumping up on Grandma" or "on the couch" or "kept chewing my shoes"..)

Nothing angers me more... Sorry to hijack a bit..A tender spot

But that is the owner's fault, not the dogs

from the article: "Simply walking my dog Sabrina around the block, I've noticed, creates a mild social disturbance. Although Sabrina is very sweet-natured, she strains at the leash to bark at other dogs, and she tries to leap up onto strangers who, in their body language and facial expressions, often communicate very strongly how little they like dogs, which of course is their right."

This guy seems to think it's OK that his dog acts this way. No wonder dogs are unwelcome in so many places! (Another of my pet peeves: people who let their dogs jump all over other people &/or don't pick up their poop, leading to "no dogs allowed" rules everywhere).

Sadly, I think you're right about the lack of control.

That's why I think containment is necessary (plus the fact that it's really impossible to predict how a frightened animal will react, and also that to crate-trained pets a kennel provides a "comfort zone"). If owners can provide containment for their pets, they should be allowed to evacuate with them.

I agree with that. I also think a lot of owners think that everybody loves their dog and wants to be jumped on and licked and such. Which angers me even more, I like dogs. They're fun to play with and great companions but quite frankly if your dog is large or even small and comes running towards me barking I am going to be scared. I know it's my problem that it scares me but I've also had dogs try and take a bite out of me and then had the owner say well he was just trying to be friendly. Or dogs can sense fear, so you shouldn't be afraid. Yes the problem lies with people not the animals.

And I have seen nice, well trained family dogs turn violent due to confusion and fear, I can't imagine that wouldn't happen during a evacuation as well. Heck my cats will turn violent if they are scared enough so I can't fault the dog but wow what a risk.

Oh, I know! I know...I know sigh..

You are dead on here. I LOVE dogs. But not all people do.
And its not even that I am afraid of them.
And I do get irritated for exactly this reason when owners call out "oh he's friendly" as dog jumps up on you, sniffs your crotch, stands in your way on the sidewalk...I don't give a crap if your wonderful dog is friendly..You should have it on a leash and not allow it to be doing whatever it feels it wants...

If I have to put your dog into a sit until you come and get him/her, I am going to be pissed that you aren't taking better care.

Argh.. this is why I like animals better than people most days. (with the exception of all of you )

The author of this article isn't very smart.
The reason we know the dog's name (Snowball) and not the boy's is not because nobody cares about the boy. It's because the boy was scraming dog's name. On the other hand, the dog wasn't screaming the boy's name, but was just barking.

wait. we have to be fair, eliz. Some people don't know yet that dogs can't talk.

I read in the "disaster advice" on Noah's Wish that it is better to take your pets to a shelter & leave them in the car, checking on them frequently than to leave them to fend for themselves. Personally, i would love to see a disaster-plan in place in all communities that had a list of pet-friendly options, as well as a service specifically for the disabled. the Red Cross has a pamplet for "Disaster Preparedness for the Disabled" that could be useful when applied to pets as well. the tragedy in New Orleans just seems to go on & on

I dont often use internet jargon but ROFL !!!
that about sums up the situation for me.

I love my cats with my whole heart and I would probably try and smuggle them out, but I have to say that the article brings up some valid points. Nevermind the author's idiot-trained dog.

Where do rescuERS draw the line?? If you only allow (lap or carry-on pets) then you get accused of being prejudiced against the large dog, goat, pig, owners. What about them?? The article mentioned a 125 lb pig that put too much extra weight in the rescue boat. What about accomodations?? During the chaos that immediately followed the hurricane, the local and state government could barely get PEOPLE to a dry place in an orderly way. The Superdome was a miserable, squalid cesspool after 3 days. Can you imagine adding animal excrememt to that?? If you allow SOME pets to go, then you have to allow ALL pets (babies to most) to go. It would have been impossible. I feel horrible for that poor child, but a rule is a rule for a reason.


I know that I would have either smuggled my cats under my clothes or in "clothing bags" OR if my life wasn't in immediate danger and I had some provisions, I would have waited and only gone if forced. I love my animals but (and no disrespect for those who disagree), I could never place the life of an animal (even mine) over a human.


Also, think about this: What IF the rescuers had said, "Fine. Stay with your pets at your own risk." Can you imagine the backlash if people died (which I am sure some have) because they wouldn't leave their animals?? Then the government would be blamed and criticized for NOT forcing people to leave their pets.

an encouraging follow-up, plucked from the story below:


Galveston Calls for Voluntary Evacuations

"Buses were to begin running Wednesday morning for people who can't leave on their own, taking them to shelters about 100 miles north in Huntsville. About 250 people had already made reservations for the bus as of noon Monday, Naschke said.

Residents may take their pets along on the buses if the animals are in cages, Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said. "We found that so many people didn't want to leave New Orleans because they didn't want to leave their pets behind," she said."

Yes, There needs to be a plan by FEMA/RedCross/whoever with the ASPCA/Humane Societies to not only have plans for sheltering humans but for the pets.

I agree! I don't think people realize how physically and mentally detrimental losing a pet can be, especially in a situation where they have lost EVERYTHING else! If you care more about people than animals, fine, that's your prerogative, but at least care for them right. The trauma and anquish that can cause could be more taxing on their physical and mental health than losing everything they own, including their lives.

People have died because they wouldn't live their animals.
So, what backlash?

I know I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to my Limerick. My sister worked hard to save her cat's life so you know she's not going to leave Able. Why would you ask people to do such a thing!!!! Why can't these places open shelters for people and thier pets??? Seperate the cats from the dogs, keep pooper scoopers on hand, give all the animals the "Kennel" shots so they don't get sick. Get a sand box for the cats, an "indoor lawn" for the dogs to use and plenty of food. Yes it's a lot of work, but so is adopting/buying a cat/dog/whatever. You wouldn't ask a parents to seperate from thier kids, why ask the same of pet owners?

That is so great, looks like some people are learning from the travesty that happened with all the beloved pets in New Orleans. Good for Galveston.
Should have known the Mayor is a woman.

I know this isn't the point of the story or the discussion but... what happened to Snowball?

Right. In addition to the preparedness we all saw evident like having FOOD, WATER, and sanitary conditions for HUMANS, they had PLENTY of pooper scoopers ready and waiting, vets still in a flooded city, ready to stand by and give thousands of pets shots, Yep!! The prepared citizens of N.O would have sand for cats, and lots of indoor lawns lying around for the dogs. O.K

It is one thing to gather up all of these provisions AFTER New Orleans had safely evacuated people but do you honestly think in all that chaos immediately after the hurricane (what with people shooting, looting, raping, etc) that the rescue teams could accomodate people's pets during and right after the rescues??

The point is no matter how much people wanted to leave immediately with, and have accommodations for, their pets, it just wasn't possible given the dire situation for the people.

That said, I would have smuggled my cats out any way I could but I can totally understand why pets were not allowed to go with at first. It has been mentioned before but how do you play fair and allow people with potbelly pigs, huge dogs, horses, etc, to go with their owners too?? You can't. Therefore NO pets to be fair.

I think that any animal being brought on board should be caged or crated, but allowed. As far as the larger animals, I don't know of a good solution there. the problem with large animals is that the vast majority of people who have them don't know how to train them- and therein is the problem. If everybody's fido was voice trained and on a short leash, and would sit and be quiet, then it'd be easy, but it's not that way. and dogs in a herd are more likely to all lose their heads in a bad situation.

Aside from the animals being scared and more likey to add to the chaos, what about people who are serverly allergic them them? In this time of disaster, there is no medicine.......heck, there was no water, food or anything needed for human survival.

Also, if a boat passes by you and your family with no room for you because it has 3 cats in cages and a dog with their owners, do you think you would still understand?

My family comes first but I would try to smuggle my pets, and many did even with the police knowing. Many times, if there was an effort made to hide the animal, the police looked the other way.

And so people died because they would not leave their pets. Such is life huh?
Nice

Yes, I would understand. Animals shouldn't be discarded like old shoes in case of emergency.
They should be saved, and people should be allowed to bring them with them.

I have a very hard time with something like this, because I do believe that humans are very important and should be accorded every assistance. In an emergency, I would have to leave my ferals and would be worried sick about them. But my insiders? Never. I would box them up in their carriers and wherever I went, my babies would be there too. If I was refused entry onto a boat, bus or whatever, then I would stake out whatever I could in the line of shelter and there we would stay. My insiders are my family, and family comes first.

Personally, I feel like the author of this article is perpetuating a dangerous dichotmy that separates humans and animals. How quickly we forget that we're just mammalian animals as well. It's just this attitude that says that animals' lives are worth less than humans' lives that makes me so sick to my stomach. We're all in this together, as they say. And if conventional human-saving methods make saving animals chaotic, then that's fine, but...find another way.

And another thing...this guy seems to be all concerned about what animals do when they're frightened and upset...barking, jumping, fighting, biting, etc...how quicky he forgets how humans act when they're facing the same thing. How arrogant is it to assume that we're above these creatures when we so clearly react in the same ways. And there are ways around animal behavior like this...muzzles, leashes, carriers, crates...

Maybe we need people containment, too So I can put the writer of this article in it. Hmph!