Hurricane Katrina

Roicy AC: Deadline For Death In Lafayette

Roicy Duhon Animal Control
613 W. Pont des Mouton  /  Lafayette, LA
(Off North University or I-49 N to Carencro)
337-291-5645, fax: 337-291-7051
roicyvolunteers@gmail.com

View Animals: acadiana.petfinder.com
petfinder.com/shelters/LA40.html

All animals at Roicy AC are on death row, unless rescued. The current group needs salvation by 5:00pm Thurs Oct 5. Animals not held over are gassed.

10/2/06, Jennifer Rohrbach  ~  Several dogs and cats held over from last week need rescue ASAP. Labrador Retriever puppies and adults are the most loyal dogs, with easy-care coats and bright, tail-wagging personalities. The Labs are athletic, compatible with kids and other animals, and responsive to training. Please consider a brown, yellow or black Lab pup or adult. Someone dumped a cutie-pie Jack Russell Terrier who recently had puppies. A Border Collie Mix is eager to please, with love for whomever enters her kennel. Several small Terrier Mixes want to go home with you!

On the feline side, a Tortie, Russian Blue, and several black kittens have been held over at least once, so their days are numbered! A Gray Tabby "Kissing Kitty" is so affectionate she literally licks volunteers' hands. A Siamese Tabby Cross with lovely blue eyes wants to be close to people. Many cats are so love-starved they throw themselves against cage edges to make contact with anyone who passes them.

Please give any of these wonderful animals a chance to live. They have till Thurs, October 5, at 5pm with PTS Friday morning unless held over.

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Calif Fires: Woman Forbidden To Get Pets

Original Alert  ~  California Fire Officials Won't Let Woman Retrieve Animals

Update 9/28/06, Jane Garrison  ~  Animals stuck in a home surrounded by wildires in Lockwood Valley, Los Angeles area, are now safe! Yesterday we pressured fire officials into getting the woman's three dogs out and today she got her four cats. Thank you to everyone who helped. I am certain there are more people and animals who need help so I will update you.

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Mauled Cats In Orleans, City Park Area

10/3/06 Maria Alvarez, Stewardship For Strays  ~  More mauled cats in the Carrollton, Orleans, City Park area where Sections 11, 12 and 27 meet. I believe cat maulings occurred here pre-Katrina. Unaltered dogs, who were either dumped or found their way to City Park, established their den and had puppies. Mauled cats have also been found in Lakeview, not too far from here. It may be the same pack (or several) in City Park since the storm. Please forward to others in the area.

10/3/06 Cherie Faget  ~  We have cat killers in the neighborhood. Bryan Mullen's two cats were killed near his house on Moss Street and the Bayou recently. He had seen three stray dogs on Harding who looked [aggressive]. More victims: Marilyn's cat at Adrian's Florist. Sharon, nextdoor, mentioned someone told her another two cats were badly mangled and killed in Marlyn's area around Orleans, Carrollton and Dumaine last week. I hate that it may be dogs. I feel sorry for them too.

10/2/06 Reply To: Lurie 504-342-4385, Still Looking For Lost Kitty  ~  Sorry to post again but we miss our boy, an all gray male cat, 12 pounds, red collar/tag. He was last seen in front of 619 N Pierce Street (next to Home Depot at Toulouse and Pierce). I've heard about wild dogs in area but there haven't been any reports to animal control. We offer a large reward for his return and compensation for any helpful information.

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Katrina Lifeline Transport

Reply To: Katrina Lifeline
Garo Alexanian, 718-544-7387
Companion Animal Network
P.O. Box 750214
Forest Hills, NY 11375

10/3/06 Telemundo TV16 & NY Daily News  ~  Saved: 56 Chihuahuas, 18 pups, 5 dogs! LA parishes have few local adoptions. Out-state export reduces gassing. We can transport pre-vetted animals for foster and adoption.

NY Daily News, A Dogged Pursuit Latin Style, By Richard Weir  ~  Marbles, a shivering, speckled wisp of a dog, is one of few Chihuahuas still homeless after a nearly 2,000-mile odyssey from Louisiana to Long Island.

The pint-sized pup was among 56 Chihuahuas rescued from a Marrero, LA puppy mill and transported to North Shore Animal League for adoption. Capitalizing on the breed's popularity in New York's Latin American community, North Shore staff appeared with pups on the Spanish TV station Telemundo. "The segment caused a flurry of phone calls," said Joanne Yohannan, North Shore's vice president of operations and emergency rescue. "There were 20 potential adopters waiting at the doors when we opened."

Since then, the Port Washington-based animal shelter has placed 41 Chihuahuas. But 10, including Marbles, remain unadopted. Marbles and five more Chihuahuas suffered health problems due to filthy, overcrowded conditions at the Marrero home of Patsy Chism, 61. When Jefferson Parish officials raided Chism's home they found a feces-strewn, disease-infested backyard kennel and some 80 dogs. The dogs, 1 to 8-years old, had little water or food. Chism faces felony animal cruelty charges, plus unrelated obstruction of justice tied to her boyfriend's murder.

Dog Survived Weeks In Water, Needs A Home

10/2006, Written by "Joe," the man who saved Stormcatcher's life  ~  My partner and I rescued Stormcatcher, a German Shepherd, from his house in New Orleans East on Wednesday, 10/5/05. His [guardian] left Stormcatcher behind when he evacuated Katrina landfall on 8/29/05. The house went underwater when the levees broke. It stayed four feet under for at least two weeks thereafter. Stormcatcher survived for five weeks in deplorable conditions beyond your wildest nightmares.

Underweight and starving, Stormcatcher still guarded the turf where his person had abandoned him. After two days of sheer determination, we finally coaxed him into a crate baited with food. His coat seemed part of the toxic soil around him, a filthy ragged mess. His eyes had the look of someone in intense combat. Once in the crate, we securely loaded him on a horse trailer used for transport. Then Stormcatcher's eyes softened, as if he knew his fight to live had turned a corner. The dog entrusted us with his fate.

We named him Stormcatcher, Storm for short. He traveled to Florida with a dog trainer until I could arrange his transport north to Cincinnati, where I live. We already have two dogs, two cats, and two children ages seven and four. My wife would not agree to give Stormcatcher a permanent home with us, but did let him recover with us until ready for adoption. So in January 2006, Storm moved in with us. Storm is a large dog whose stare can intimidate. His deep bark commands attention and respect. At first he barked at my kids when they ran about the house and he bothered my small female dog, adopted from a shelter nine years earlier. He also loved to bother the cats (he still annoys them when opportunity presents itself). It became obvious he'd never been taught how to live in a house.

But Storm quickly grew on us as we taught him Doggie Manners 101: How to walk on leash and live peacefully within the family pack. We discovered an insecure dog beneath the abrasive surface, a dog who simply wanted to belong. We learned to not place him in situations that triggered old fears and anxiety.

I spoke to several qualified dog trainers and read a few books on use of food and positive reinforcement to effectively teach him. The information I gathered on prey drive was critical to understanding Storm. I even reached out to a California animal communicator, who agreed to talk to Storm even though we live in Ohio [Kinship Circle wonders: Did Storm get on the phone?]

She told me Storm said he'd been left outdoors all the time at that New Orleans house. She said Storm knew he'd survive Katrina and its horrifying aftermath. Storm had set out to stay alive, while many others could not.

Storm has come a long way. He sits by my desk as I work at home all day. He still bothers (though never harms) the cats and barks in the backyard when alone. He has issues with dogs under 25 pounds, and should not be placed or allowed to play with small dogs. He does very well with my two dogs, Murphy an Australian Shepherd and Maggie an All-American.

Storm has a graceful, easy gait and walks well on leash. He gets excited if other dogs are encountered on walks, so I usually avoid them. He is current on all shots and takes Heartguard monthly. Storm is housebroken, but we learned to carefully monitor his diet and not deviate too much or he gets diarrhea. We feed Storm Nutro and some Science Diet.

Storm is a beautiful German Shepherd (maybe King Shepherd) who is 28 inches at the shoulder and weighs 120 pounds. The kennel staff say he is excellent when boarded. My vet believes he is about two-years old, but the animal communicator said he told her "he felt about five."

Storm would thrive with a single person at home a lot or a couple without kids. Although I correct him with a sharp "No," I never yank him or use physical punishment. Storm wants to be at your side. He loves to be petted and groomed. He knows sit, down and wait but could use a bit more work on come and stay.

Storm taught me a very important life lesson: Love is more powerful than fear.

I have enlisted Barb McGrady to help place Storm because I know her to be very thorough with potential adopters. She is called "too picky" by many, but I've heard her reply, "thank you." Storm deserves the best of everything. He is magnificent. Joe