Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans has stopped all animal rescue!

[BigBearJohn]

I just received this in an email:

"Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans has stopped all animal rescue now that mandatory evacuation have begun. Please sign this petition, and forward it to anyone you can to sign, to make sure animals are included. Animals can survive on this water, but they are going to starve to death and the contaminated water will shortly start to kill them. Many are chained and cannot get food."

This is the only website the email provided.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/840979272?ltl=1126071044

REVISED:

The aircrews said they have seen dogs chewing on the corpse near the London Street breach. That male body, lying facedown in a patch of grass, was clad only in boxer shorts stained gray by the dirty water.

On one run, the pilots witnessed the desperate measures now being taken to control animals that have been running wild in the city.


Pit bulls feeding on dead
"Oh man, they are shooting those dogs," one of the pilots said over the helicopter's communications net. Crew members later described seeing authorities on the ground shooting pit bulls that had been feeding on bodies.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3342641

MORE:

(on revision)
Animal rescue groups in New Orleans have just been told that they have three days to rescue all dogs before authorities start shooting them. Evidently, some of the shootings have already begun. Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deanne-stillman/stranded-dogs-will-be-sho_b_7098.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Done.

[lindisfarne]

2. Are you sure you are up-to-date? hsus.org has reported rescuing animals

as of yesterday. Can you provide a link?

[BigBearJohn]

9. There is another post on DU (see link below)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4707079&mesg_id=4707079

[lindisfarne]

15. The link you provided says "72 hours" - this was stated Sept. 8

That is horrible enough, but the OP makes it sound like it is immediate. We need to stick to facts, otherwise we end up losing credibility. PET RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS NEED DONATIONS; PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN: www.hsus.org, www.aspca.org, www.vetmet.lsu.org, and others.

http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/NEWS/NEWS.htm
UPDATE: 4:03pm PST Authorities have informed our rescue team that they have three days to rescue all dogs before they start shooting them. They believe that dogs are eating dead bodies to stay alive and need to eliminate them. We are outraged. Animal rescue groups were not allowed into the water until last Tuesday. To give us just another 72 hours to get a job, of biblical proportions done, is ludicrous. We are doing our best to beg for more time. We would ask you to call or write to someone but frankly, the lines of communications are so poor, we have no clue where you can begin. Because our team is on the ground, they have direct contact with law enforcement. If we have to, we'll work 'under the radar' to get the job done.

Edited to add:

It is important to protest the 72 hour notice. However, it's not clear WHICH agency said this, or whether it is official policy rather than just some random person saying it (see website where originally posted; link above).

We do want to make it clear to Mayor Nagin and other officials that shooting animals should not be done. If we can get their reassurance that it won't be done, this will discourage random police/guardsmen from doing it on their own.

Also, if you're anywhere near the hurricane affected area, please consider driving to help. There are pets in small towns and rural areas which aren't getting any attention. Call your local shelter and see what they know; try volunteering at the major rescue websites - but they are swamped with everything they're doing - and consider driving with at least one other person (more is better) to do rescues. The animals quite frankly don't have the time now to wait for official organizations to get to them. Take a full tank of gas, lots of pet food and water, pet kennels if you have them, 2 spare tires, and possibly a 2nd vehicle). Keep track of where you find the animal and take it to the nearest shelter - it will be far easier to match the animals to owners if they stay in the local areas. Take pictures of the area and the animal if you have a camera (digital is best). You also might take supplies for the human victims; the Red Cross hasn't gotten into many areas yet.

[BigBearJohn]

17. More links

The aircrews said they have seen dogs chewing on the corpse near the London Street breach. That male body, lying facedown in a patch of grass, was clad only in boxer shorts stained gray by the dirty water.

On one run, the pilots witnessed the desperate measures now being taken to control animals that have been running wild in the city.


Pit bulls feeding on dead
"Oh man, they are shooting those dogs," one of the pilots said over the helicopter's communications net. Crew members later described seeing authorities on the ground shooting pit bulls that had been feeding on bodies.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3342641

[nicknameless]

30. There was a video clip of 2 dogs being murdered

http://tinyurl.com/9n73s

That was what caused the urgency.

[Joe Chi Minh]

3. How to win friends and influence people....

Can't get enough bad PR can they!

[electropop]

4. This is EVIL.

I have written to my Senators and Congressman about this, and I have used a connection to another Congressman. I have also Media Blasted on this topic. I urge all animal lovers to do the same. And donate to your favorite animal rescue charity.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Done

:cry:

[Mutley]

6. Done.

[Coventina]

7. WHA?!

Well, he just lost my respect.

Yet another failure of our companions, in a string of failures.

I am sickened.

:cry:

[PublicWrath]

8. Done

[hiley]

10. signed

thank you BigBearJohn

[smbolisnch]

11. Oh no!!!!

This is terrible! :cry:
Signed, recommended and kicked. :(

[Beaverhausen]

12. not true please see link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4702550

[BigBearJohn]

18. What about this?

The aircrews said they have seen dogs chewing on the corpse near the London Street breach. That male body, lying facedown in a patch of grass, was clad only in boxer shorts stained gray by the dirty water.

On one run, the pilots witnessed the desperate measures now being taken to control animals that have been running wild in the city.


Pit bulls feeding on dead
"Oh man, they are shooting those dogs," one of the pilots said over the helicopter's communications net. Crew members later described seeing authorities on the ground shooting pit bulls that had been feeding on bodies.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3342641

MORE:

(on revision)
Animal rescue groups in New Orleans have just been told that they have three days to rescue all dogs before authorities start shooting them. Evidently, some of the shootings have already begun. Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deanne-stillman/stranded-dogs-will-be-sho_b_7098.html

[lindisfarne]

20. Your orig. message (incorrectly) said all animal rescue has been stopped.

"Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans has stopped all animal rescue now that mandatory evacuation have begun."

That's not true. It's VERY important we get our facts straight.

As I said in a previous message, it's also important to contact the authorities and let them know animals should not be shot. If a directive goes out from the top, it will help discourage random individuals who act on their own. I have no doubt that some individuals have done this, but it doesn't seem to be a policy. It's no wonder that hungry pets are eating whatever they can get; if pet food was hauled in mass into the city, it would stop some of that. If animal rescuers were allowed in mass into the city, they could get the animals out. If every National Guardsperson was allowed to rescue just one or two animals, we'd get most of the pets out! (animal rescue agencies could collect the pets from wherever the National Guardspeople sleep - I believe for at least some, it's at the airport but I could be wrong).

[hiley]

28. video of dogs being shot!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4716068&mesg_id=4716068

[nicknameless]

31. That was one victory. See post #48 on that thread.

We thought things were looking up, but then an animal rescue group posted that information on their website.

One of the most visible animal rescue organizations, doing WATER rescues (THAT'S the biggie) is BestFriends.org.
It's good to check out their site for the most up-to-date info.

[NewWaveChick1981]

13. Done.

Makes me sick to think that all those poor pets will simply be abandoned to a certain death.

[SiouxJ]

14. I hope he has no control over the NG and CG

because they have just been told to go ahead and rescue the animals.

U.S. Coast Guard and National Guard Respond to Pleas to Help Animals; Government Search & Rescue Agencies Reportedly Authorized to Rescue Pets http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=52959

[lindisfarne]

19. That is wonderful news; I hadn't seen the official release, although I

knew some NG were helping.

[nicknameless]

33. Wonderful news about CG. Some in the NG have been working with

BestFriends.com to rescue stranded pets. There are some pics here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4684792&mesg_id=4690763

Water rescues are the overwhelming need right now.
Very glad CG and NG will be helping.

[Barack_America]

16. I do not believe this to be true.

Nagin does not have authority over the rescue groups or troops. Thus he does not have the authority to halt rescues.

If he tries, he will have to take on Honore who has given his troops not only the ability, but the responsibility to aid in rescues (as per recent conference seen on CNN).

[nicknameless]

32. There are conflicting stories. Tonight on CNN, Cooper apparently was

interviewing a police chief who said that they were taking their orders from Mayor Nagin. The police chief wouldn't answer the question about whether or not there would be future shootings of animals.

[BigBearJohn]

21. IMHO, it doesn't hurt to sign the petition IN ANY CASE

[lindisfarne]

22. Yes, sign the petition; it can only help. Call the media, too. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. CNN said that Honore is going to be getting them out. Just reported.

[hiley]

26. some people are shooting them!

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2005/katrina_video/straydogs.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4716068&mesg_id=4716068

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

27. From what the soldier talking on the interview said is that they

weren't shooting them.

It might be some nut out there that has to be arrested.

[A-Possum]

29. It's a St. Bernard Sheriff's officer

clearly identified in the Dallas New video and saying "it's the humane thing to do."

[idiosyncratic]

24. Don't believe it. Just another way for Mayor Nagin to be smeared

by right-wingers. If they haven't swayed people away from believing all of this is Nagin's fault yet, they can appeal to the animal lovers and get at them from this angle making them think Nagin is a bad guy afterall.

[hiley]

25. a new poster gave me

a link to video of dogs being shot and killed.
http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2005/katrina_video/straydogs.html
from A-Possum
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2077480&mesg_id=2077533