# Rescue: Louisiana Flood -- ongoing help needed



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

For some reason, the national media story isn't focused much on what just happened in Louisiana -- Baton Rouge and it's surrounding areas was totally inundated. Many thousands of people lost their homes. Folks, it's really bad. 

I've accounted for all our foster parents and dogs, but there's so much devastation. I'm okay, as are all the ones I love.

A number of our breed rescue volunteers are also first responders (FD and LEO), and some of them lost homes too -- 1/3 of the firefighters in the local department had their own homes flooded. Hospital staff are sleeping at the hospital because they have no homes to return to. Hundreds were stranded on I-12 on what became an asphalt island for more than 24 hours. There were no resources to rescue them. Helicopters were air-dropping MREs.

However bad it looks on the little bit they're showing on TV, it's worse far in real life. The devastation is mind numbing. Tia Torres has posted some real-life photos on the Villalobos FB page that are worth looking at. 
https://www.facebook.com/VillalobosRescueCenter/posts/10153673885931143:0#

We don't yet know what the breed rescue needs will be, but this feels enough like Katrina for us to expect that the sheltering needs will be massive in the coming days and weeks. Many vet clinics went under water (including our rescue's own clinic). 

Some of the official rescue boats refused to accept pets, forcing people fleeing for their lives from quickly rising water to leave dogs behind. Now private boats have been pulling dogs and cats left behind. I'm hearing that rescuers are even breaking windows to get trapped pets out of abandoned, flooded homes. Worst of all several animal rescues and public shelters were completely inundated -- one had to just open kennel doors and let the dogs swim out and try to climb on the roof, as there wasn't time to get them out with how fast the water came.

The breed rescue I work with is already getting a trickle of FB messages asking us to take on GSDs for people who lost everything and are now homeless. However, some of our rescue's volunteers lost homes too, and we were already full to the brim with foster dogs -- there's not much capacity to take on more dogs. We're networking them out to other rescues. 

Public animal shelters already were at max capacity (busiest time of the year). I think HSUS is transporting out all the dogs that were in the shelter _before _the storm who were adoptable already, to make space for the storm dogs who may be waiting a long time for people in emergency shelters to be able to claim them (cars are flooded, of course, so owners may not have a way to even go look for the dogs). 

As usual, the official Red Cross shelters have turned away people with pets.  People with pets are now camped out at the sound stages at Celtic Studios (a private movie studio that opened up their space; that studio is somehow making itself home for the 2,000 people staying there, along with all those people's pets). Others with pets are at the Lamar Dixon fairgrounds, located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

*Out-of state rescues: help will be needed in the coming weeks. *Over the next month, we expect many pets will not be reclaimed, based on the Katrina experience. Most are not chipped and have no tags. Transports out of state will likely eventually be needed, after enough time has passed for owners to come forward. (Keep in mind nearly everything coming out of La. should be _presumed _heartworm positive for 7 months until you get two negative HW tests--one on arrival, and another in 6-7 months.)

The organizations with the highest need *right now* are:

*CARA's House - Sarrento, LA* -- their shelter flooded. They are now operating from the fairgrounds (a/ka/a "Lamar Dixon"). They're also operating only storm emergency shelter accepting pets in hard-hit Ascension Parish, and taking all strays. They need every conceivable kind of support.
https://www.facebook.com/carashouseascension/

*Denham Springs Animal Shelter - Denham Springs, LA *--their shelter flooded and will have to be rebuilt
https://www.facebook.com/DenhamSpringsAnimalShelter/

*Tangi Humane Society - Hammond, LA*-- their shelter flooded a rural area where they were the only hope for a lot of dogs. The rescue founders lived on-site and lost their home, too.
https://www.facebook.com/Tangi-Humane-Society-107024265982459/

*Companion Animal Alliance - Baton Rouge, LA **-- *this is the "city pound" for East Baton Rouge Parish, which has been hard hit; it is operated by a 501(c)(3) with minimal public funding, but it struggles to satisfy basic needs for dogs on its best days, and with this storm, they're overwhelmed. More than 100 dogs have come through intake in the past day, and it's only just beginning. AC can't keep up, and humane officers are coming from the surrounding region to help. 
https://www.facebook.com/companionanimalalliance

There's not yet any centralized way of making offers or arranging transport that I know of. If you are in a region where all-breed rescues can band together to each take a few dogs and figure out transport, please contact any of these shelters through their FB page for all-breed (and cat) offers. They may not respond quickly because they're so slammed. 

If you are a GSD rescue and take only pb (or high mix) GSDs, PM me and I'll try to keep a list of offers in a Google Doc. We have no ability to transport (remember that many here just lost cars due to flooding), so an offer _with_ a transport plan can be an incredible help.

For whatever reason, some corporate donors are turning down requests for even modest help -- with a few exceptions. Blue is on FB trying to get dog food to groups that need it (bless them!). Datamars/Petlink is sending microchips to the storm shelters to help track dogs (bless them too!). Nearly all the shelters are running on small donations from the same people who just made it through the flood -- the movie studio shelter got stocked by regular folks who still have cars, going to Costco to buy whatever they could for the thousands of people who left home with just the clothes on their backs. Many grocery stores are now very bare--we were cut off by interstate long enough that we're waiting for supply trucks.

Please pray for Louisiana. It's going to be a long, hard recovery for many people here who lost everything. If you feel inspired to help for ANY natural disaster, your money will nearly always get the most bang for the buck in the hands of local organizations who are on the front lines, saving lives in the middle of the disaster.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

This is so sad. My friend has family there and they took a picture of a gator in the flood water, which can't be safe for those that are in those waters.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Gators, snakes (water moccasins), fire ants, and leaches are all in the water, and coming to high ground. There was a gator photographed in the middle of a major traffic artery to LSU.

There's a picture of a fire ant colony ball floating in water here:
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_ro...cle_7cdcf8d2-63cb-11e6-a6fa-b70dde7f526a.html


----------



## Jen H (Jul 26, 2016)

My friend in MS is rallying the troops so to speak to make runs for animals that are lost or abandoned due to the flood. She is working with a few of the shelters in LA right now. She has a lot of good folks helping her out. Bringing blankets, dog food, you name it. I just cannot fathom the lack of media attention on this. Election year or not, it is a massive disaster! If I wasn't all the way in South Dakota, I would be right in the thick of it.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Local news just warned it's not over. All the water that crested in and around BR is now headed south. The southern parishes are in for it next. This started on Friday.


----------



## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

Thank you for posting magwart. 

I can't do much help wise except throw some $ donations their way but in times like this every bit helps. 

I hope you don't mind, I copy / pasted your post to forward to some other dog people I know. 

My thoughts are with all those struggling down there right now.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Maggie - can I share your post on facebook? On the IPO and GSD pages?


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Yes -- you can also link to Red Stick German Shepherds FB page.

I just got a call about 3 mals that have been loose for 3 days in Vermillion Parish -- an IPO trainer is on her way out there to try to catch them. Owner is MIA. Working dog breed help will be needed.


----------



## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Is there a PO Box or mailing address where (specific, requested) useful donations can be sent? Perhaps an Amazon wish list (food, cleaning supplies, non-prescription meds?) 

It's so easy to donate things securely and quickly by Amazon - if this is a possibility - I'll send something. I'm leery of Red Cross and would rather send something useful directly to the person who will use it. 

I'm very sorry, I hope for the best for all of you down there.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Shared on one and sent to the admin of the other for posting


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

OH??? I had no idea you were there! Hope you are Ok?? CBSN Live (internet) has been covering .. they made no mention of "Pets however. 

I did see that the storm "parked" over the area and dumped "24" inches of rain in 24 hours! That's about "two years" worth of rainfall for us! 

They also said that area is about 4 feet or so above sea level ... we are at 4400 feet above sea level! 

But back on pointe, no mention has been made of pets in trouble?? I thought they would have started to make "adjustments" in policy during emergencies??? But ... apparently not?? 

I can't even imagine being in that situation?? And having to chose to abandon my "pets" I don't think "I" could do that?? But you know ... talk is cheap.

On the West Coast we have "Fires" my DIL is under threat yet again ... she lost "one" home last year in the same area ... this year ... the fires are back burning up areas it did not get to last year! OK so far and now Southern Ca is under threat! Thousands have been evacuated!!

At any rate keep us posted ... at some point I would "hope" someone can come in "facility" getting pet's out?? I may be able to "convince" Marilyn that we could do the "Foster" thing again?? Rocky kinda sorta "put her off" that hole experiance ... my bad. 

But stay safe and keep us posted.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I'm disappointed the news programs aren't devoting any time to this. I'm trying to figure out what I can do to help.


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

You have my prayers for everyone affected by this terrible flooding. Is there a way to donate? I wish I could do more but I will gladly pray ,help out with transport whatever . I am so sorry. Glad you and yours are OK . Do you need supplies? PM me if you have requests or ways to donate. Sounds like this is even bigger then Katrina and that was horrible. Stay safe to all the first responders and rescue folks.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I contacted a large rescue group with a lot of contacts and they were already working to help. The word is getting out.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

For those motivated to give, the shelters I linked to above all have links somewhere on their FB page or website for donations. CARA's House has the worst needs, but I don't know how to mail them stuff at the fairgrounds. 

I was just at CAA in BR today. Some of the displaced dogs may possibly be going to the local prison to be housed there and cared for by the prisoners, for lack of anywhere else to put all of them. They got out 50 pre-storm dogs on transport yesterday, and had a mandate to get out 20 more pre-storm dogs by the end of today to make space. Unfortunately, a lot of the transport offers have come with stipulations like breed bans or "no HW+ dogs" and that doesn't really help in an urgent situation like this, where all the pre-storm dogs have to go NOW because so many storm dogs are coming in_. _

CAA is running out of weird stuff--the shelter was full of dog supplies being brought by the public, but they had run out of pens or basic supplies used by humans to get work done. I know the stuff they use, so I took them a load of it today. They are going to try to keep FB updated with "right now needs." CAA definitely has an Amazon Smile page with a wish list too. I think it's linked at the top of their FB page.

Please don't judge the people who left dogs behind -- some of these situations were along these lines: "Ma'am, we have room in the boat for you and your 4 year old, but not the big dog. Are you coming with us?" It's easy to say none of us would ever leave our dogs, but with water rising and a real possibility of drowning in minutes, people chose to save their kids and not be separated from them. Some of them were also at work and couldn't get home -- if you crate your dog, imagine what that would feel like for a second, knowing you can't get home because roads are already flooded. 

Right now the estimate is 20,000 people displaced from homes, but it goes up every day. For those who want to follow along on the animal side, there's a lot being posted here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/852899371477166/?hc_location=ufi


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Magwart said:


> For those motivated to give, the shelters I linked to above all have links somewhere on their FB page or website for donations. CARA's House has the worst needs, but I don't know how to mail them stuff at the fairgrounds.
> 
> I was just at CAA in BR today. Some of the displaced dogs may possibly be going to the local prison to be housed there and cared for by the prisoners, for lack of anywhere else to put all of them. They got out 50 pre-storm dogs on transport yesterday, and had a mandate to get out 20 more pre-storm dogs by the end of today to make space. Unfortunately, a lot of the transport offers have come with stipulations like breed bans or "no HW+ dogs" and that doesn't really help in an urgent situation like this, where all the pre-storm dogs have to go NOW because so many storm dogs are coming in_. _
> 
> ...



I will donate when I get home and post as I cant reach FB here at work.. Having to make a choice between saving your child or staying w/ you dog is no choice at all. You have to save the child. This happened in Katrina and when the general tool over he ordered take the pets too. My prayers are still with you. Stay safe down there Magwart.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Thank you for this information I will donate and spread the word. Prayers for you and all the families and animals who lost there homes. Stay safe.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I can't even imagine the pain of having to leave a beloved pet behind, but I'm sure all of us understand what is going on there. Thank you for sharing details. I will be thinking of you today.


----------

