These are some of the faces from the hurricane animal shelter at Louisiana State University's Parker Coliseum, a huge livestock and agriculture arena which students and alumni fondly call the "Cow Palace." Usually the site of rodeos and horse shows, the arena has been transformed into a housing facility for the non-human victims of Katrina.
Animals pictured are owned animals whose people are in Red Cross shelters.
At the daily operations meeting, people in charge of critical needs report and confer on what needs to be done. The huge operation requires individuals to be in charge of veterinary care, supplies, safety, security, donations, and other critical needs. ..and, of course, a volunteer coordinator.
A warbling meow called my attention to this huge fellow, who is grateful to the volunteer who bathed him, combed him out, and placed him in a clean, dry kennel with a ltterbox and a jingle toy.
Many dogs and owners arrive wet and exhausted from hours in floodwaters, long car rides, etc. This dog was sleeping soundly in the midst of the hubbub ceated by over a thousand barking dogs, yowling cats and the activity of volunteers and visiting pet owners. She lifted her head for a moment when I was near her kennel.
Many volunteers help provide not only the basics of clean kennels, fresh food and water, but also provide individual attention for the animals in our care. These people are interacting with cats and kittens...
...and this volunteer is placing a happy and freshly bathed dog in a clean kennel. Large dogs, and "families" of dogs from multiple-pet households, are housed in the hundreds of livestock stalls adjacent to the Coliseum.
This view of the arena floor was shot on the second day of operations when we had only about 600 or so animals in our custody. The kennels shown here represent less than half of the animals in our care that day ... small and medium sized dogs like the one pictures with the volunteer above.
I will post more pictures as time allows. Our thanks to the thousands of people who called to volunteer in animal care and rescue, some of whom we have not re-contacted yet. The need for caregiving and rescue is ongoing, so if we have not yet returned your call, please do not think we don't need your help or that we are ungrateful. Everyone will be contacted soon and we appreciated your continued generosity as the rescue effort continues. Please be aware that animal intake will end on October 1st and that re-homing efforts will begin for animals unclaimed by October 15th. We do not need any more pet food! But we still need crates, especially the extra-large sizes.
Dez Crawford
