News Release

ANIMAL SEARCH AND RESCUE WORK
IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE IKE

NEW ORLEANS, LA (9/19/08) - At the request of the Houston SPCA in Harris County TX, the
Louisiana SPCA deployed its urban animal search and rescue team on Sunday September 14, 2008. These teams were deployed to Houston and Galveston last week to assist in animal rescues following Hurricane Ike. The team reports that as they continue to assist in animal rescue and recovery they have observed a “spectrum of extremes –from really devastated to normal operations.” The team is being led by Kathryn Destreza, LA/SPCA’s Director of Humane Law Enforcement. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Destreza was the lead field officer for the LA/SPCA.

Initially, the LA/SPCA team assisted in the sheltering operation in Houston. This involved cleaning and feeding hundreds of companion animals in addition to over 600 baby squirrels and other wildlife as most of the Houston SPCA staff members experienced catastrophic loses.

Destreza reports that the devastation in some of the areas of Galveston is not unlike the damaged landscape seen following Katrina. “In the Katrina parts of town- the sludge is there and the smell,” writes Destreza. “But there are birds and bugs alive and well. The smell has a salt-water tinge to it, but it’s still overwhelming. My concern is the flood water; especially close to the beaches – the salt water is more dehydrating to the animals.”

Activities conducted by the LA/SPCA over the past week include:

• Setup of an emergency animal shelter in Galveston as its shelter was completely destroyed

• Assisting in loading hundreds of animals, dogs, cats, and rabbits for transport from the island [Galveston] to Houston

• Feeding and watering in place and rescued animals that were old, sick, injured, pregnant, and any exotics as well

• Rescuing many birds, finches, cockatiels and dogs

• Handling over 50 rescue calls each day

• Off loading a “bazillion” pounds of dog and cat food to be kept on the island – many of the calls have neighbors caring for a block of animals, so leaving as much food as possible.

The LA/SPCA will continue to work on the Galveston Island through Friday afternoon and will be returning back to New Orleans sometime Saturday as replacement teams from other organizations arrive. Along with the LA/SPCA the following organizations from around the country have been assisting with rescue work. The Humane Society of Missouri, for example, is handling livestock issues on the island today.

Additional assistance is being provided to the Houston/Galveston Area by:

• Code 3 Associates

• Denver Dumb Friends League

• Humane Society of Boulder

• Humane Society of Missouri

• Humane Society of the Pike's Peak Region

• Larimer Humane

• SPCA Los Angeles

• SPCA of Texas in Dallas

Texans have been grateful for the LA/SPCA’s support and involvement. Repeated, local residents have stopped the LA/SPCA team to “give us thumbs up and shake hands.” We are glad to be able to reciprocate the generosity that was shown to us by our Texas neighbors after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

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