REALITY CHECK - KATRINA

[CKC]

This is a miniature horse forum..... why can't we as a group discuss helping someone who has asked for help to save their horses. No one said they weren't trying to help the poor people that have been hit by this terrible disaster.

I for one am making a donation to the Red Cross as well as CMHR.

 

[shminifancier]

This is a miniature horse forum..... why can't we as a group discuss helping someone who has asked for help to save their horses.  No one said they weren't trying to help the poor people that have been hit by this terrible disaster.
I for one am making a donation to the Red Cross as well as CMHR.

460405[/snapback]

​

Yes,, this Katrina may have taken over 10,000 Human lives lets think on the Human side as well as helping our 4-legged ones...10,000 human lives are lost so Mother Nature took a few animals also is sad but Humans should be number one then animals 2nd. I don't care what others think...This is the most tragic situation to ever hit the USA in the way of a Natural Disaster...Lets keep it on track to what people are going through...The Hurricane Season IS NOT yet in its peak~!!! Many weeks of High Hurricane activity yet to come~!~

 

[Kippy]

Well you have me stumped. I don't understand what the problem is. People and animals need help. People everywhere want to help. Everyone brings to life's table different talents, interests, skills and passions. God gave those things to each us. We developed them throughout our lives and now we have a chance to make a difference. That is to be questioned? How do you know that God did not tap these people on the shoulder and ask them to take "care of these horses for me"? Could we all not have different missions, different prayers to address? He will send others for other works. We can, and should, help according to our ability and skills. Nobody said don't address human needs. As so many have said here on this thread, we can do both. Sometimes we are given the opportunity to be an angel to those in need. Bless the angels out there trying to make a difference to all the people and animals laid low by this tragedy. Ok Carolyn, where do I send the $$?

Cheryl

 

[Hosscrazy]

It's personal choice, and I also am not condemning those who chose to leave their animals behind. HOWEVER, I would not chose to leave my animals behind. Did you see on the news the woman who returned to her apartment only to find that the dog that she left behind drowned? I personally would never forgive myself for that.

Personal choice. I would stay with my animals.

 

[shminifancier]

HOWEVER, I would not chose to leave my animals behind

And that is just one reason that there maybe up to 10,000 Dead...Is people just could not leave there pets behind... Now not only is there beloved pet dead, but so are they..

 

[Marty]

[SIZE=14pt]I'm just furious! They aren't even rescuing the people let along any animals! [/SIZE]

The mayor of the city is right when he was SCREAMING for ANYONE to come and help and cannot understand WHY it is taking so long! The animals will not be saved if this continues at all.

WHY???????

WHERE ARE OUR BOYS???????

OVER THERE!!!!!!

[SIZE=21pt]BRING OUR BOYS HOME[/SIZE]

TO SAVE OUR OWN!

 

[ClickMini]

WHERE ARE OUR BOYS???????
OVER THERE!!!!!!

BRING OUR BOYS HOME

TO SAVE OUR OWN!

Marty, with all due respect, I am an Armed Forces veteran, and there are many other wonderful woman out there doing the job and doing it well. I was an installation and maintenance tech for Air Traffic Control radar. Please don't forget that there are many fine young WOMEN out there doing the same work. It is important that they be recognized as well.

 

[susanne]

I know you meant the women, too, Marty --so I absolutely agree with you. We need them all here at home.

I also agree that we needn't choose between helping people and helping animals. Let's not blame those who chose to protect their families first. Let's help the people AND the animals, AND help the people help their own animals.

 

[shminifancier]

Man oh man give the people and the military some time... Do you think alll that food on all those trucks are stored that way? They had to get everybody lined up then put the food on the trucks then Drive the trucks down there.. wow.......Beides Disaters always Starts First with the Local Goverment and itrs agencys then Fema comes in to Organize there effects.. It first starts on the local level then goes to the national level for aid...But things take time People have to be called up people have to get there own stuff together and get to the area.. And with Only ONE road open and the only other way in is by air it takes time~!!!!!..

 

[ruffian]

My employer has a plant in St. Charles. We don't expect power for a month or more. We still haven't heard from half (500) people who work there. That is our first priority.

What we've learned today:

The main road between Houston and St. Charles is gone. Not bad -- gone. Most bridges and roads are destroyed. There are looters everywhere. The security forces are having horrendous problems left and right - trying to rescue and save who they can, and keep themselves safe.

Diesel is being limited to 50 gallons max. Gas is iffy. Most trucking companies won't deliver to that entire area. Can't blame them, not sure if they can get in or out. And that's what I know from 6 states away.

It would be great if someone could go in with a horse trailer and pick up the horses and the people. But put yourselves in the policeman's shoes - here comes a big trailer into a devastated area. Are you picking up horses or anything that comes along?? (TV's computers, jewelry?) There are some evil people who have no compunction about lying about their intentions!

Whose fault is this? Katrinas - could people have been more prepared? Probably. SHould everybody have evacuated? They sure would have had anybody realized the levee's would break and destroy their world. But how many hurricanes have hit this area with rain and wind and still left the towns? Some folks are coming this to 9/11 and the speed with which that was helped, as well as the Tsunami. Neither covers the hundreds of miles affected by Katrina, so where do you direct the aid first??

Everybody's offers to help and heartfelt emotion is great on this topic. I wish we could just transport those and the thousands of other animals out, but we need to get the thousands and thousands of people taken care of first.

I would love to be able to take my trailer down and load it up at the first animals I came to, but I can't get in, and not sure I could get back out. So I'm going to do what I can from here - donate to Red Cross, and several of the animal groups mentioned here, and let them do their jobs.

 

[Miniv]

I've basically posted this same idea on another thread, but here it goes again......

There are people who specialize in rescuing HUMAN BEINGS. There are people who specialize in rescuing ANIMALS. Why can't they BOTH be working TOGETHER??????

If things are just MANAGED properly, human beings will not be made secondary in this entire effort. Infact there are far more charity organizations out there for people than for animals -- so what's the problem????

Since I can't get across the country to help in person, I have donated to both types of charity organizations....

MA

 

[GREENWOODMINIS]

I agree with all of you that the poor animals left behind are just heart breaking!!! I applaud anyone that extends help...be it animals...people...lets all step forward.

I think there is many talents out there...and, help can come in all shapes

I am taken back a bit though by the harshness of several people saying well, they (people) could leave couldn't they??? Oh, what a sad thing...when, instead of compassion...its almost like hey I told ya so???

A VERY large amount of the people that chose or should I say...had no choice to stay...had no other choice.

This is a VERY, VERY poor area...where would they go...NO money or place to head too??

What if you were elderly or handicapped and, had no one, someplace else that even cared???

 

[Minimor]

For anyone that thinks 9 Minis can't be/shouldn't be rescued out of Waveland MS at this point in time, please read this--it's taken from another board; apparently the officials in Louisiana weren't quibbling over horses being rescued ASAP:

Yesterday, I was involved in a joint project of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, the US Dept. of Agriculture and the Lousiana State Vets office to rescue aproximately 70 horses from New Orleans.

The vets from the State and the USDA, took 5 or 6 trailers into the NO area and brought us back the horses. We are now caring for them at the Agri-Center at Lamar Dixon. We ended up getting 63...there was one badly foundered that would not load....he was left but his owner is caring for him.

The conditions at there barn was not goof from what I was told...the roof was ripped off, etc. We have 2 or 3 badly lame from injuries, but for the most part they are in pretty good shape. Seems as though most of the are ASB's or just *horses* of no particular breed.

During the time we were waiting for them, we got the stalls ready, managed to get donations of feed, hay, shavings, halters, etc. and were ready and waiting when they got to us.

I give a HUGE round of applause to the men of the USDA and the State Vets office for taking the risk to get these horses. They will be reunited with their owners soon, I hope.

In the meantime, we have a team of volunteers from the local Pony Club, area barns,feed store employees, and the vet students at LSU that are caring for these guys. I and one other volunteer are heading up the effort to take care of them. LSU is providing medical care.

Elizabeth

 

[lilhorseladie]

You know someone probably already said this, but if I lost my home, my property, possibly family and all I had left were my pets, they become on the human level. The point is those here who volunteered to help are giving what they have. If they had the ability to help people they would. This is horse people helping horse people and hurting no one.

 

[Bella Alba]

One of the problems in a major disaster is who's calling the shots. The mayor is in charge of activating all the police force in the city. If he needs help, he has to ask for the govenor to activate the State Troopers, the State Parks & Wildlife, Fish & Game, and the State Guard. Then if they can't handle it, they ask for federal help. Evidently, the mayor did not ask for additional help before things began to deteriorate. Sad that so many helpless innocent needy people have had to suffer because of a very few thugs that decided to rip off jewelry stores, etc., and shoot at law enforcement and try to carjack people including EMS ambulances. One officer in Miss. (I think) found looters stumbling over a family dead in their home while they took anything they could. The officer said he should just fire one off, put a sign on the body stating "this is a looter" and leave as an example. And they need to make examples of those in New Orleans immediately. Latest news is that Federal Marshall Law may be declared so that troops can enter the fray, then looters will be charged with federal crimes.

We just need to pray that the Lord is with all of the injured and homeless, the Navy, Army, Coast Guard, State and local law enforcement and emergency personnel. And that this disaster just brings out the best in America!! We'll recover, we're resilient, and we've jsut got to be faithful and thank God that we can be the helpers and not the helpless.

Jackie

 

[minihaven]

This may be off topic slightly but to the question asked over and over here .[SIZE=14pt]Why are they not getting PEOPLE out?[/SIZE]

I do have a bit of info. I do know from Couty Officials here that a convoy of buses are on their way from KY to New Orleans area to pick up 175 victims and bring them to a safe ,clean shelter nearby. Another 1000 is to follow in the next few days. FEMA is overseeing this.Some are actually already here.

My heart is breaking for all the people and their beloved animals that have had to go through this.

I hope that all can be rescued and soon!

I think instead of debating the issue why don't we all put that energy into fixing "care packages" , donating our time and money to reputable organizations and just do the best WE as a group can for now. JMHO

This is a wonderful bunch, with kind hearts and I know we can make a difference.

 

[New_Image]

Marty I agree! WHY is it takeing so long? I just saw the camera men said the roads to get there are clean and clear and its not a problem getting to them, so why is it takeing so long to get the busses in? You cant tell me there arent school busses some what near by, anything, just get the poor people out of there! These guys cant seem to manage to resuce people let alone the poor horses

 

[whitney]

To insure that EVERYTHING is taken care of, GOD enlists each and every one of us in DIFFERENT ways.

Do what he has put in YOUR heart to do.

 

[Sonya]

Don't forget The Red Cross helps animals too. Of course their primary concern right now is to get people out and taken care of, but they help animals too when they can.

(Didn't know where to post this, but this thread seemed popular right now)

an email I got from ASPCA:

AUSTIN, TEXAS

A large number of people and animals have been evacuated to Austin, where the Red Cross has set up a shelter for people at the Toney Berger Center on Highway 290. ASPCA Shelter Outreach director Karen Medicus, a former shelter director in Austin, is helping local groups coordinate efforts. Many people are calling the Red Cross, asking about shelter for their pets. They have identified a staging area for animals who may be brought here. We'll be checking with Karen for updates and pictures.

 

[donnalee]

He had sat with his master for four days and shared hos hunger. He was abandoned by a man who I hope has troubled dreams for the rest of his life, to starve on that roof top, alone, in the dark, amid the storm. May that man ROT for what he did.

I agree this is very heartbreaking and so not fair, but it could of been the rescuers would not take the dog. There were families who had to choose who got to get rescued (people not animals) while others where left behind to die. You are right animals do not have a choice in this matter. I don't think saying they chose to stay is fair to those people either...no one knew the impact of what the whole thing was going to be and perhaps that man on the rooftop already lost some of his family, we just don't know.

I love all animals with all my heart, but in my book people come first. I made my largest donation to the red cross and smaller ones to 3 other animal rescues.

460065[/snapback]

​