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“Sad and Emotional Day”

Many Hurricane Ike evacuees chose to leave without their pets

“Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single-family one- or two-story homes will face certain death,” noted a National Weather Service advisory to Galveston Island residents prior to Hurricane Ike.

Unfortunately, many of those same people did not give that same consideration to their pets.

The situation in Southeast Texas is far more dire than anticipated, not only because of the tremendous destruction caused by Hurricane Ike, but because of pet guardian apathy.

The Rapid Response team, along with Galveston Animal Control officers and a sheriff performed search and rescue throughout the day yesterday, saving six animals including one kitten, one wart hog (who will be released) and four dogs, one of whom was found chained and caught in a fence. However, those victories were bittersweet as the team encountered many deceased animals who had been abandoned by their guardians prior to evacuation.

“Wednesday was a sad and emotional day for everybody,” noted Rich Crook, Best Friends Rapid Response Manager. “It is difficult to see that people would leave their animals.”

The team estimates that at least 50% of the evacuees left without their pets. Despite repeated warnings from local officials of catastrophic flooding, numerous animals were left behind - chained or crated - many of whom have paid the ultimate price for their guardians’ indifference.

Outrage following Hurricane Katrina, when people were forced to evacuate without their pets, prompted the national passage of H.R. 3858: Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006. This law ensures that both local and state emergency plans are to include companion animals.

Such legislation leaves no excuse for anyone leaving a pet behind during the Hurricane Ike evacuation or any other emergency situation.

“Any pet owner who willfully left their pet behind, chained up outside or left in crates, after advanced warnings of catastrophic flooding, should be charged to the fullest extent of whatever cruelty laws are on the books there in Texas,” said Paul Berry, Best Friends, CEO. “Such careless, thoughtless neglect for another life is absolutely inexcusable.”

What those guardians did when they left their chained dogs behind was not only inexcusable, they actually broke the law. H.B. 1411 passed during the last Texas legislative session and became effective 9/1/07. The new law specifically prohibits guardians from leaving dogs tethered outside between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. or in extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes.

So the clock is ticking for those abandoned animals who survived the storm, now going on five days without food or water. Best Friends will continue to search for those unfortunate pets whose guardians chose to leave behind and will provide the medical care and assistance needed (see Rapid Response in action in Hurricane Ike – Left Behind).

Best Friends is assessing the situation. Additional measures must be in place to encourage residents to evacuate with their pets, to prevent a reoccurrence. Please check back regularly for updates on how you can help avert such catastrophes in the future.

Take action now:

The government includes pets in evacuation plans, so it is important for all caregivers to take personal responsibility and never leave in an emergency without your animals. Keep in mind, disasters are not limited to hurricanes, so whether or not you live in a coastal area, it is important that you prepare now, so you are ready in case disaster strikes.

FEMA offers plans on care for animals prior to, during, and after emergency situations. Additional links to informative sites can be found here.

Remember, your pets are entirely reliant on you for their care and safety. Possessions can be replaced, but family can not. You can start immediately by preparing an emergency kit for your pets as well as an emergency plan.

Do not spend a lifetime of regret because you failed to prepare today.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1. You don’t have to be on-site in Texas to help. Be a part of Best Friends’ efforts to save companion animals in emergency situations. Please make an online donation to the support the Best Friends Rescue Fund. It is through contributions like yours that Best Friends is able to provide assistance in disasters such as Hurricane Ike.

2. Donations are needed by the The Joe Vickery/Galveston County Animal Shelter. Supplies such food, collapsible wire cages, de-wormer, disposable cat litter pans, and Frontline® flea & tick control are in great demand. Donations may be brought to the shelter at 3412 Loop 197 North in Texas City, Texas (map to location).

3. Interested in helping in future emergency situations? See Hurricane Ike Is Coming! for more on what you can do to prepare in advance to join the Best Friends Rapid Response team.

For more information:
• The Houston SPCA has activated a disaster hotline. If you need to report lost or found animals, please call 713-435-2990, 877-661-0161, or 713-861-0161.
• The Orange/Jefferson County disaster hotline is 409-980-7280 or call the Humane Society of Southeast Texas Rogers Spay and Neuter Clinic at 409-838-2510.
• Thousands of Cattle and Horses Roaming in Texas
• ‘Like Katrina without the water’
• Best Friends Animal Society Rapid Response Community

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Pam Crook

Posted Sep 18 2008, 05:48 PM by jhayes

Comments

Posted 18 Sep 2008 6:21 PM by marla

It is mind blowing how people have left their pets behind. It would be great if they went to jail.
Hopefully they will rot in hell someday.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 6:48 PM by Sherylcatmom

I don't understand. If I didn't do every possible thing in my power (and a few things I didn't think I could do) to help the living beings in my care, I would never sleep another night in my entire life. I would be in hell already. I understand that sometimes circumstances get beyond people's control, but 50% of pets left behind?!?! Someone made choices that I just cannot support. My heart aches for these babies. Thank you, Best Friends, for helping these innocents.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 7:17 PM by Bipedal

Friends who have done S&R with their trained dogs
say that the dogs get depressed when they can't
find someone alive. I'm sorry for you for what you're
witnessing. But your presence there HAS saved those lives in this video. Thank you for saving them and for pressing on in the hopes of saving more. You are invaluable.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 7:28 PM by bogiedew

It sounds like a lot of these people let their dogs live their lives on chains..so obviously they dont care about them..so when it is time to evacuate, why would they care about them then? These people should not be allowed to ever have an animal again..but first they should be charged with animal cruelty.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 8:44 PM by Mimi

I'm with bogiedew. I've seen the pictures of the devastation and felt such sadness for the people whose lives have been so upended. No more. Now all I'll see is people who ran to save their own hides while their animals were left CHAINED. They didn't think about those dogs even long enough to release them and give them at least a stinking, infinitesimal chance in the face of a HURRICANE. Every last one of them responsible for an animal's death should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as Paul Berry said, regardless of the severity of their other losses. He was being charitable in calling their actions "careless, thoughtless neglect," when we know that, given the circumstances, it was actually killing.

Is it possible to amend the statutes of gulf-coast states to enable law enforcement officials (or other duly deputized personnel) to confiscate any animals found confined when they're doing their last-minute, get-out-of-here-or-you're-dead house-to-house visits?

The more I think of it, the more it seems to me marla might have something with that "rot in hell" idea.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 9:15 PM by rmce72a

Thank you seems inadequate for all that you are doing to care for these poor animals whose people did not care enough to take them to safety. The fear and confusion they must and felt and are still feeling is heartbreaking. Thank you and bless you for your love and compassion. If I were younger and healthier, I get myself trained and be right there beside you. Since I can't be there physically, please know that thousands of us are there with you in our hearts.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 10:31 PM by Leftybuds

Thank you again to Best Friends for being there for the animals. I can't not understand the incredible cruelty of leaving your pet behind chained or crated. There are so many people who worked so hard after KAtrina to ensure that dosen't happen again. Instead these people had a choice and just left them. Thank you for saving the ones you can. May the rest find love and campionship on Rainbow Bridge.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 11:15 PM by starsmom44

Is it possible that Best Friends could present evidence on these dead animals and their addresses, so that the local courts can get a warrant out for the arrest of the owners, who abandoned them? This is a heinous crime and they should be prosecuted. I hope that someone steps up to turn over the dead animals and the evidence, address, etc. to the proper authorities.

Posted 18 Sep 2008 11:37 PM by wyohorsepoor

I'm beginning to wonder about the IQ's of those humans living along coastlines! Not one single penny will ever go to help human hurricane storm "victims"ever again. Unlike those hit by tornadoes, these people had days to evacuate and never gave a thought to their animals. IQ's of 7 perhaps?

Posted 19 Sep 2008 12:54 AM by TerrySoCoRescue

I agree Starsmom44! Isn't this against pet abandonment, neglect, ABUSE codes? I realize Texas has a LOT to deal with right now - but that doesn't negate the fact that crimes have been committed...

Posted 19 Sep 2008 8:12 AM by jamesw2

Does anyone remember the school in a Parish where people put their dogs and they found all tourtered and dead. Where any arrests made?
Here again we cant hate the people who left their pets behind. we can only feel sorry for them for what thay are missing. It will take the efforts of every avaiable sole for the next 200 years to turn the paradigm around. This article/Ike should be a wake-up call to give you an idea of how much more needs to be done to educate people. Laws abour crulity don't mean anything unless they learn to respect living things. the people who left their pets behind and chained would not understand any punishment or be remorseful. an example who among you felt sorry for the dragon fly that was splattered on the windshield in the movie Men in Black?

Posted 19 Sep 2008 9:13 AM by pongosplace

I am a teacher in Pearland-a hard hit community south of Houston, and a Best Friends member. I helped with fosters during Katrina and saw the utter chaos of New Orleans first hand. I am so grateful for the MANY who did take their pets with them-the shelters that accepted them-and of course as horrified as others to learn many were left behind and even chained!

Unfortunately the practice is a large one in our local communities-but please remember we are trying to change future generations-I started a Humane Society Youth Group at my school in Pearland-granted I am the first of any school that I know of in the area-but interest is high-kids did great things last year-and even though I don't know when our schools will open-we were in full swing of getting business sponsors in the Pearland area to help our school club do things like animeals on wheels for our low-income seniors, creating valentines-which I have done every year-for Dogs Deserve Better-and to create educational tools for my 6th graders to teach city council, school board, and other kids about the values of spaying and neutering, proper care, and adoption of animals.

I want you to know that many of my 6th grade kids in my class-whether they were in the club or not-have gone on to volunteer at our shelter-educate their parents and really get involved-so PLEASE know we are trying to make a difference in animal care in the Houston area-
Unfortunately our fundraising for the club will be halted for a few months as businesses struggle to reopen in Pearland-but the money we had raised thus far-about 650.00 will be used for continuing this club-and promoting the idea to other schools-please if you are a teacher-or know someone that might be interested in doing something like this-PLEASE have them contact me at lsljackson@aol.com or my school email jacksonmj@pearlandisd.org I teach at Sablatura Middle School in Pearland-and even though we are currently seeing our shelters overfilled etc.-I do see TONS of improvement over what I saw during my volunteering in Katrina-so I hope we can continue to send positive thoughts to our future generations about care of the environment, pets, and wild animals.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 9:58 AM by Sherylcatmom

Re: the St. Bernard Parish dog and cat shootings, unfortunately, this is the latest story I've seen.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 10:21 AM by cattees

Have I mentioned lately...

Posted 19 Sep 2008 11:22 AM by Bear1

I am a Texan, I am ashamed.

I am heartbroken and mad as hell.

I will try to make a difference.

God help those who did this to these animals. Ignorance is no excuse

My anger is real and I will NOT apologize for it.

Lisa

Posted 19 Sep 2008 11:24 AM by brownbat

Whether or not 'punishment' would be effective seems to be in debate, but it looks like most of the posters here agree that the residents who abandoned their pets should be held accountable. So who is stepping forward to enforce the law? (Yoohoo, BF, answer needed here.)

And is any organization doing door-to-door searches in the other hard hit areas? Galveston got most of the media attention but it was not the only location devastated by IKE. Mandatory evacuations occurred in other cities where dogs were just as likely to be staked out on chains.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 12:21 PM by southerndogmom

I post my animal welfare vidoes in youtube and subscribe to the BF channel in youtube. I came in this morning to find a video shot about some animals found by Rapid Response. They were chained in a yard and left behind. I couldn't watch the whole thing.

Fifty percent left animals behind? Simply incomprehensible. It's bad enough to leave animals behind to fend for themselves. To chain them or tether them is, to me, a premeditated act of violence. A dog roaming at large can seek higher ground. A dog on a chain cannot.

There must be a way to identify those people who left animals trapped so that if nothing else, they can be legally enjoined from ever having or caring for another animal.

Ignorance is no excuse. This isn't ignorance. It was a conscious decision which was made when resources were available to help people and their animals. I normally try to be fairly open minded. I just can't this time.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 1:08 PM by bookkeeper

I have 21 cats and live on the Gulf coast of Florida. I would never leave them. I'd take them with me, or stay with them. I don't know where I'd go with all of them, but if I had to leave I would, and they'd be with me. My plan, however, is to stick it out unless we faced "certain death".

I don't believe the people who left their dogs chained up ever really cared about them. I have always been baffled by people who get pets and don't really want them. Why can't they just leave them alone. There is no reason to ever get a pet unless you are going to love it and take the best care possible of it.

In case anyone is wondering, all my cats are neutered, are up to date on their shots and have all their routine vet checks. All but 3 were rescues.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 1:10 PM by Tammy_CT

50% of them left to die. Intentionally - willfully left to die in a hurricane, with no fighting chance. No way for them even to use their instinct to survive because a person had already decided their fate for them. The terror and abandonment they must have felt. I am so angry and sad. I can literally feel my heart break for them.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 1:13 PM by southerndogmom

Now that I've calmed down a bit from my earlier tirade, I just wanted to thank Rich Crook and the other Rapid Response team members who were there to help. I'm sure they've all seen some terrible things over the years and they try to steel themselves for the worst. I imagine, however, that there are some images which never really leave your heart once you see them and some things about "humanity" which simply can never be fully understood.

God bless the people who tried to help, from Rich to the woman I saw in the video who said that she would do whatever she had to in order to spread the word about what happened.

Posted 19 Sep 2008 2:38 PM by jbandk9s

50% of PETS were left behind to die by their "humans?" Stunning, appalling, unconscionable. Hurricane season has given me cause to stop and wonder what kind of people live in Texas and Louisiana... Best Friends, you are a PR machine, can you get lots of articles into the press about this? Can we whip up some national outrage that hopefully opens the eyes/minds of people who would do such a thing? There is NO EXCUSE in the world for leaving the animals in your care behind. I would absolutely die alongside mine if I could not get them out with me. I would vastly prefer dying with my loved ones to living without them, knowing I had left them to die alone. I have to go cry now for all those poor babies in Texas. Its beyond shameful....

Posted 19 Sep 2008 3:55 PM by jamesw2

As long as we are on “Sad and Emotional Day” theme. I saw the pix of the St. Bernard school before they were pulled off a web site for evidence. So what is the plan? Act locally think Globely
Thanks everyone at Best Friends

Posted 19 Sep 2008 4:42 PM by southerndogmom

The BF video on youtube about the dogs left behind has been pulled. Although it was difficult to watch the whole thing, I hope our comments here had nothing to do with that. I think people need to see what happens when an animal is left defenseless in the face of imminent flooding. Perhaps in youtube there is no way to protect content from younger viewers.

Posted 20 Sep 2008 11:53 AM by Weatherguy

Please don't think these coastal residents represent the state in general. We are an animal loving state full of animal rescue organizations (I volunteer at a great rescue shelter near Austin). Obviously, though, there must be a concentration of low-lifes in the hard hit area. I would like to see them arrested and prosecuted as soon as possible. I also think they deserve the hardships they are now facing and the fact that their lives will never be the same. Many of those who left their pets through neglect no longer have jobs, no insurance, no home, no nothing, and I have no sympathy any longer. Those who left their pets through neglect deserve everything that is happening to them now. By the way, I'm broadcasting this story on every forum I can find. I hope others will do the same. I want this story to be national and world news.

Posted 21 Sep 2008 2:53 AM by mklitt

Federal law means a provision must be made for animals in an evacuation. As a result, local shelters are provided.

Louisiana state law provides that transportation must be provided for animals. BIG DIFFERENCE.

Animals in some cases were left behind because the owner had to accept state transportation and no provision was made for animals. (I am not excusing or blaming, just explaining.)

The federal statute has to be amended to specifically provide that animals are to be transported. Until that happens, states need to enact legislation similar to Louisiana.

I helped out in New Orleans with the pet evacuation for Gustav. It would never have been possilble without the state oversight and the many volunteers.

Posted 21 Sep 2008 9:48 AM by bogiedew

If the owners have no way of transporting their pets, then the least they can do is let them off that chain or out the that crate to give them a chance..did they do that?? no

Posted 21 Sep 2008 9:55 AM by bogiedew

Also, if these people cant afford to have a car, why do they have pets? How can they afford to feed them and take proper care of them? If I could not afford to have a car, I certainly would not have any pets.

Posted 22 Sep 2008 1:11 PM by Slipper75

Did they leave their children too??? A very sad comment about anyone who has animals no matter what state it is.

Posted 23 Sep 2008 10:27 AM by beckie

I am a houston resident who just got my power turned on. When I read this about the people in the Galveston area leaving their pets behind in crates and on chains It made me sick. Why have we not heard one word of it on the news?
I think the news media needs to know about these people. I am going to try to get them to report this story. The people in this area need to know what kind of krap really went on out there. A lot of them were the "die hards" that were going to ride it out untill the water started coming in faster and higher than they expected. Then they were screaming for help to come and get them out leaving their animals behind.
Notice I said I am a Houston RESIDENT. I will never be a Texan.

Posted 25 Sep 2008 2:33 PM by graycat

MKLITT, if understand it correctly, Gov. Rick Perry made it possible for people to take their pets on state transportation. Additionally, I know they could have taken them on any federal transportation...I have seen a group of federal-level Department of Transportation planning employees grapple with how to ensure room for people and pets on all federally-provided disaster evacuation modes of transportation (Dept of Ag also works on the same issue) as well. Considering that Coast Guard and military vehicles were also taking pets, I think someone was taking the easy way out and just left them to die. I'm a Texan, living out of state and I say charge them with animal abuse!

Posted 2 Oct 2008 10:10 PM by cutenewt

To the person who asked - "why isn't this abandonment issue more in the news?" I totally agree. Of course we want to help the people in need and we want the news after a disaster, but how about an animal story instead of the same few video clips over and over of one event during this storm? Maybe more stories about animal abandoment would get more people to take action.
At first, it seemed like we made headway after Katrina. People on government transport could take their pets with them out of New Orleans this time. These folks who loved and respected the life of their pet but were strapped for a dime could even get pet carriers from great orgs like BF to get their pets out.
Hooray!
Then I saw a brief story on CNN on their Ike disaster stream. They were interviewing people who had ridden out the storm on Galveston or who were making their way back. They went with a homeowner as she returned to her devasted and flooded home. She she said she was so sad as she looked at her two dead puppies that she had left behind in a pet carrier on the floor. Apparently, she said, there just wasn't time to put them in the truck as she and her family drove away. I'm sorry to put this sad story here but I must comment to get out some of my anger. I'm sure it is not the only story like this as 50% of pet owners left their pets behind. This is not a person who was plucked from their roof by helicopter (some of them even had their pets with them - thanks Coast Guard!!) or whose car was flooded trying to escape, or who didn't have a car or family and was trying to escape any way they could....
This person just drove away - knowing from the warnings the house would definitely be flooded and probably completely destroyed. How can they possibly claim to be sad?? What are we dealing with?? And no one else I know saw this story (maybe it was pulled?). News agencies - this is horrendous. So publish it. Publish it all over the place. Let people get outraged about something meaningful. Publish and we the public must push for laws that will prosecute this behavior. I don't know what else will work.

Posted 3 Oct 2008 11:09 PM by qualitygeek

"Many Hurricane Ike evacuees chose to leave without their pets ..."

And, how many of those pets that were found on the peninsula had owners who are still missing, presumed washed out to sea or are buried somewhere under the debris? Don't assume all these owners you are crucifying just left.

Why aren't you talking about those owners who refused to leave because the so called rescuers would not take the pets as well? And, yes there were Bolivar residents who stayed because they were not allowed to take pets with them in spite of the laws you referenced. OK, so file charges on the idiots who actually abandoned pets, but TELL THE WHOLE STORY.

The surge came in earlier than expected. Many residents were trapped - with pets. You are doing a great disservice to Bolivar by printing this kind of one-sided misinformation! If you were not there, YOU KNOW NOTHING. We evacuated early to avoid traffic. Our dogs are with us. We have nothing left but a slab & posts. Last weekend when we were finally allowed back home for a look & leave was the first time in many years that our dogs have not been with us at Bolivar - they stayed with family in North Texas.

We have been active with the CRT (Chihuahua Rescue & Transport) for many years. After reading this one-sided bunch of half truths, I would NEVER support your organization. In fact, you are ranked right down there with PeTa & HSUS, dregs of the animal activity world.

Posted 3 Oct 2008 11:09 PM by marla

cutenewt
You are absolutely right