A personal story on people not evacuating because of pets

[jobycom]

My aunt drove to Mississippi from California two days ago to volunteer her nursing skills. She and my parents grew up in New Orleans, and my parents have lived on the Mississippi Coast for over forty years. My aunt visits, but has traveled the world, between joining a convent, becoming a soldier, then a National Gaurd officer, and finally a nurse and a professor of nursing (really cool aunt, btw).

Last night she called from her hospital wanting us to take in two more dogs. We are caring for two German Shepards for a friend already, plus my parents' own dog, plus a cat, plus four acres of downed pine trees. So we started trying to find a shelter for the two other dogs.

The dogs belong to a couple in their eighties. They live below the railroad tracks in Gulfport, and this area is not only condemned and off limits, it is supposed to be evacuated. It is full of collapsed homes, debris, dead animals and yes, people. It stinks of muck and raw sewage from busted lines and death. Needless to say, there is no water, plumbing, electricity, or phone service. But this elderly couple wouldn't go to a shelter because they couldn't bring their dogs.

The husband finally got so sick he had to go to the hospital, but the wife wouldn't go with him, because of the dogs. The husband has to go to a shelter, or he will die. The wife is probably not far from this condition.

Anyway, before we could talk a friend into taking the dogs, another nurse found a refuge for them. The man was put in a shelter, but my aunt learned that the shelter was grubby and in bad shape, so she and my mother are now driving around trying to find a better shelter for this couple. I'm sure they will. They aren't the type to give up on anything.

This type of thing is happening all day long all over the Coast. Just one more story to put a personal face on what is happening, and the many ways people are helping each other. There are so damn many heroes that they outnumber the common people.

[tedoll78]

1. Yup.

My parents found a dog when they went home yesterday in Jefferson Parish to look at their house. They called the dog's owner from the number on the tags; he'll be back with his daddy this weekend.

It's happening all over the place.

Had I been given the choice between leaving Jake (my akita) behind and staying with him, I would've stayed. He is my baby. We would've found another way out to Metairie/Kenner.

[ret5hd]

2. I don't have the words to explain it, but...

if we (wife and i) had to choose between staying or leaving our pets...we would have to stay. i could never face myself if i deserted a creature that has given his entire faith and love to me.