If you are a "People Come First" Person...please...during this storm

[Thtwudbeme]

Stay off of the animal rescue threads, OK? You do no good "berating" animal lovers with your holier than thou crap...

Let the pet lovers have their say too....some of you were really horrible during Katrina with your "I love my pets, but..." crap. The people concerned with animal rescue are few and far between...let them do what they love to do, and just try to be glad as hell they are there.

Not everyone can be a paramedic, or firefighter....or an armchair EMS person in some cases.

Stephanie

[La Lioness Priyanka]

1. i agree

not everyone cares about everything equally...we should just learn to respect each others pet causes (no pun intended)

i think my cats are nicer than people....you may disagree...but will fighting about it really help?

[Thtwudbeme]

3. I am so glad for the animal rescue folks

Takes courage to do what they do---

Fighting about it won't help.

btw...I think my cat is a Republican. ;)

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thtwudbeme]

13. Wow...aren't you cute.

not a cat person, eh?

[blonndee]

34. Also not a people person, except for

"fellow Christians." :eyes:

[Thtwudbeme]

35. quit trying to hijack my thread. This is not going to turn into a

Christian bashing or not thread.

Steph



God, I hope you have a sense of humor.

[blonndee]

37. I'm not fking hijacking your thread...I'm telling you to expect the

worst from this person. Shit!

[Thtwudbeme]

41. Christ, I WAS hoping you had a sense of humor

Look, it's cocktail hour...just go get one, OK?

OK, on edit: Did you miss my comment? I was kidding! I don't care about some low post fruit loop that does a hit and run! Been here since Bush...those clowns don't bother me! ;)

[blonndee]

46. Know what?

Don't tell me WTF to do. Why aren't you pissed off about the person who wants to shoot cats, instead of pissing on me? If you'd been following other posts of that person you'd know what s/he is doing. I was TRYING to give you a heads-up but screw it. Just keep being nasty. That'll win you some converts. BTW I'm on the side of animal rescue, but I wouldn't join any cause you were in, the way you treat people.

YOU need a sense of humor and a drink.

[Thtwudbeme]

48. I HAVE a sense of humor and a drink

and not being on any cause I believe in would make you an animal hater, a child beater, a rapist, a bank robber, sexist, etc....

Good Lord, lighten up.

I always spoke highly of you.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thtwudbeme]

52. OK, Cool! btw, I have been told to piss off by many people in the

midwest...most notably Missouri!

Just thought you might want to know that I consider it an utmost compliment to be told to piss off from someone in Oklahoma. I am hoping someone from the Texas panhandle tells me to piss off tonight too, just so I can reach a broader audience.

Stephanie

Is the wind rushing down the plain tonight?

[REP]

85. Hey - *I'm* From Missouri ...

and I'm not going to tell you to piss off, so there!

If .sigs are showing, you may be able to guess how I feel (if not, it's a link to Alley Cat Allies).

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

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[Thtwudbeme]

65. Damn. I feel so uncool!

I thought you might be kidding, but then you didn't do the internet "body language" substitute of a smiley, or a comment about "kidding."

Just rats...

Sorry-

Stephanei

[onecent]

43. jerk

[Thtwudbeme]

45. aww...just ignore the jerk....opps did I write that?

Crap...time for some studying and a cocktail, I suppose

[SiouxJ]

47. And people wonder why we'd choose to save animals

over certain people.

[fleabert]

75. oops.

had no earthly idea that was supposed to be a joke.

you should consider enabling your profile...less suspicious these days. Even if it's all lies, enable is your friend.

[Stinky The Clown]

33. We **know** our cat's a Republican ... or at least she flipped .........

..... during the 04 cycle.



He sign says "Security Cats for Bush" ... and in the very fine print at the bottom of her sign ..... "because we're scared"

.... damned cat .....

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[andyhappy]

63. so odd...

I got the joke...in fact I always kid that one of my cats is a 'staunch republican'

people are insane sometimes! (cats can't vote ya know! wink wink!)

take a joke people!

and whats with people getting all bent out of shape about other people loving their pets?

oiy!

I am stunned at the posts on this link!!!

[txindy]

74. ROFL!

That is too cute! And the look on the cat's face is so fitting.

[damntexdem]

28. Not if I have to fight your cats.

Cats don't fight fair.

[Individualist]

53. Same here

Incidentally, you'd like my T-shirt that says "The more people I meet, the more I like my cat". :)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. Good advice

I usually don't read them, not because I don't like pets, but they just aren't one of my missions. I respect those who work with and worry about them.

[electropop]

4. Here here, Thtwudbeme

It's incredibly upsetting to see pets left behind to die because of authoritarian cruelty. Those who make light of it may be incapable of seeing through the eyes of a dog, watching its master lifted into a chopper, as it stands helplessly baking on a rooftop. I watched just such a scene live, and it made me sick. Have we sunk that low?

[Thtwudbeme]

5. Some of us apparently have. The ones that gall me are the ones

who talk about their pets...then make the comment about saving themselves, then devolving into jumping on the animal rescue folks.

That just tells me that they expect absolute, uncoditional love FROM the pet...but, it sure as hell isn't returned.

Stephanie

[electropop]

7. I would sooner stay and die with my dogs...

because I sure would never be able to live with myself after leaving them behind.

[SiouxJ]

18. ditto n/t

[CrispyQ]

30. Me too, electropop! Me too!

My furry & feathered friends are my closest friends! I spend more time with them than any other human except my husband. Walk away & leave them alone in a crisis? Never.

[faithnotgreed]

44. so very true electropop - i could never leave them either

and even if they werent mine i dont know what i would do

[Jamastiene]

6. Well said. n/t

[seabeyond]

8. i agree steph, i am a people come first, BUT i value the

gotta rescue the animal people so much. totally appreciate you. and yes, i stayed off the threads with katrina and will on this one to. i like that i heard immediately that pets will be taken out with the people. the worst, letting a person sit without rescue because they wouldn't leave their animal. i would never denigrate the love one has for their pet

[preciousdove]

9. This is a joke right? n/t

[Thtwudbeme]

10. no, it's not. alright?

nt

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thtwudbeme]

26. OK, sugarplum....let's just chitchat for a moment

I was a paramedic...now, that I am approaching middle age...really really fast...and dye my hair....I am in school to be a minister and work in the ER AGAIN.

I don't need to stand knee deep in the big muddy because...to put it bluntly, pumpkin, I have done my time, and am too freaking old.

Now, let's hear your side of the story. Maybe you will have the distinction of being just as dangerous as I am.

Stephanie

[CBGLuthier]

29. That's right buddy

Cause if it's one thing we americans treasure, it's our right to be assholes.

So you just go on, being a proud american.

Oh, and I am probably one of those people first types but I don't see any purpose in being cruel to those who care.

[political_invader]

95. Bravo!!! Need not say more

:bounce: :bounce: :yourock: :applause: :applause:

[PollyH]

12. Pets

Thanks. I agree completely. I get so tired of hearing the same old people chatter. People are aware of what is happening and, at the very least, can do some advance planning. Animals are not allowed that luxury. We are their caretakers and they are important to some of us and deserve our concern and help. Please remember that those of us who love animals love them as real members of our families. If I ever thought I had abandoned a helpless animal because I didn't want the responsibility or inconvenience of seeing them through a disaster --- well, it just would not happen. All of my Katrina donations went to the HSUS, AHA, the WSPA and the Louisiana SPCA.

[Beaverhausen]

14. Tomorrow is payday - I will donate to one of the animal groups

so far I have donated to Red Cross only. Glad I can give more.

I feel bad for all living things in the path of this storm!

[Silverhair]

15. At this point, there is plenty of time to take your pet with you.

And you should. That animal depends on you for it life, and you have taught it to love you. To abandon it when you can easily take it with you is a betrayal of trust. At this point, it is easy to rescue BOTH yourself and the animal.

It is only when there actually is a forced choice that I become a "people first" person.

[Thtwudbeme]

17. See, that's all good for the people putting the carriers into the Buick

Unfortunately though, in large cities...say like New Orleans.....people don't have their own transportation and rely on public transportation.

So what do you suggest those people do? Or do you think a dog or cat should now be a luxury item in the US?

[Carla in Ca]

84. I have the opposite problem

An earthquake has no warning. A lot of planning has to be done. My husband and I have a garden shed that was built as strong as could be and it has supplies. We have a plan where to meet if we are separated and we have 4 leashes in various places for the third member of our family. We go together. Period.

[SiouxJ]

16. They aren't going to change out minds anyway

that seems to be something they don't realize. There is no point getting on those threads, trying to convince us we are wrong to want to save the animals. Some of us would go to the ends of the earth for our 4 legged friends. It is up to me to decide where my financial support goes; not them. I have given to both human and animal causes during this hurricane season and nothing anybody said would change where those funds went.

Oh, and to those who would say to me, "I love my pets but . . " I would say, "I love my pets AND I would NEVER abandon them." They have always stood by me and I will always stand by them. To me it would be like leaving my children behind. If you can't understand that, tough. I really don't care.

[calico1]

36. I agree. I could not live with myself

if I left my babies behind. And I really don't care if some people think that isn't the right way to think.

[political_invader]

94. I agree,I couldn't live with my wife if we had to leave

these 2 behind







They always seem to brighten the gloomy days and make ya smile.

[newswolf56]

19. Absolutely...and well said. (Nominated. too.)

[Lorien]

20. I agree. Most of the animal haters here haven't done Jack for either

pets OR humans post Katrina; they simply enjoy feeling morally superior, and perhaps resent the care that pets have received when they themselves may not feel loved (because of their holier-than-thou nonsense and/or bitterness). I've spent over two weeks gathering supplies for a relief convoy to a new animal shelter being set up in Tylerville, Alabama. We're bringing supplies for humans too, but most of our cargo will be for the pets. We're a pet rescue group-so we're poorly suited for firefighting, EMS or police work. Besides; animals deserve our help, and those who have lost everything else DO NOT deserve to lose their pets as well!

[Sterling]

25. Thank you very much.

nt

[Bryn]

21. You Go, Girl!

Even Barbara Walters on The View this morning said she'd rather drown with her dog than leave her beloved dog behind.

I live in hurricane alley, the Gateway of the Upper Keys. Last year I had my 5 cats boarded with their Vet when we were under Hurricane Frances warning (Frances was huge and 150mph, category 4). When I came to pick them up (after Frances missed us), boy, cats were so stressed out and two of them were sick, but later recovered. So this year during under Hurricane Katrina warning, I decided not to board them since Katrina was coming as category one and again Hurricane Rita as category 1, I didn't board them, Rita missed us just barely so they all are doing well, but I was scared and worried since I was not there with them. I take my service dog with me to work for shelter/work. I live in evacuation zone (mobile home park) so I have to make a decision. It's never easy. Thankfully I will be moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas in January 2006. We still have two more hurricane season months to go. If there's a hurricane category 3 thru 5 coming then I board cats with their vet at his sturdy, old building that survived Hurricane Andrew, and then me and my dog evacuated to where I work (a very safe building, built to be hurricane proof).

[txindy]

22. Thank you. I couldn't agree more.

Nominated, too. :hi:

[Sterling]

23. Fuck those people.

Seriously fuck em. If they don't seem able to find compassion for animals as well as humans then they are not people I want anything to do with. Fuck em.

[damntexdem]

27. OK, OK, just don't beat a dead horse.

And I won't be a neigh sayer.

[Thtwudbeme]

32. How long have you been waiting to use that one?

;)

[xchrom]

31. another member of the choir here.

[roguevalley]

42. animals, like children and old people are innocents. they are

dependent on others for their safety and needs. I would die with my dogs. I was thrown out of a red cross shelter because of my dog during a poison cloud incident. (chlorine) I would have died in the cold with Gretchen because they told me to put my 20 year old dachsie girl with her bad heart out into the -20 weather. Fuck them. Fuck the Red Cross. They will never see a dime from me again and from what I'm hearing in the katrina area, they don't deserve it, the bureaucratic fucks.

[SiouxJ]

61. That's so sad

I would have done the same thing. After hearing that, I'm no longer donating to organizations that do not allow people to keep their pets in shelters with them. You know, I never really thought about it before - to ask that question before donating. It's cruel to both the animal and the person having to make that decision. Good for you for standing by your baby. :yourock:

[BamaBecky]

38. Thank You!..n/t

[WildEyedLiberal]

39. I used to be one of those people

Though I didn't post in any threads about animal rescue. Then I saw a CNN special about lost pets, however, and how the National Guard and FEMA weren't letting people take their pets with them at all! I thought that was senselessly cruel - they wouldn't make them leave Grandma behind, and for some people, pets are a vital family member. So I am glad that there are people trying to reunite lost pets with their families - after losing all you own, losing a beloved pet is an added psychological trauma that could so easily be prevented.

[spooky3]

50. it's not only that losing pets traumatizes the owners; it's also that it's

cruel to the pet. If you are a pet owner, you have a responsibility to keep your pet safe, fed, watered, etc. Being forced to abdicate that responsibility is cruel both to the owner and to the pet who has no more ability to fend for itself than an infant or elderly person.

[faithnotgreed]

40. thank you

i agree that those who love animals enough to work to rescue them are not as prevalent and need all the support they can get

[spooky3]

51. You're completely right; please ignore the attacks from these people.

[Rowdyboy]

54. Neither my partner nor I could consider leaving our springer spaniel

Now I might give up the dalmation mollies in the aquarium, but my baby, Champion, would have to go with me-regardless.

[andyhappy]

55. I dont think I could leave my pets

I have a 14 year old cat, an 11 year old cat and a 5 month old puppy and I do not think I could leave any of them behind no matter what!

[mopaul]

56. i promise, & apologize for not saving the pets first, instead of old folks

[smbolisnch]

62. What specifically have you done for old folks, Mopaul?

Hmmmm??????????????

[carolinayellowdog]

64. Don't ruin your rep here with a stupid comment like that

too late

[Thtwudbeme]

70. Heh...he just enhanced his "rep." Seriously....I love MoPaul...but, he

and I don't see eye to eye on this one...

It's OK-

Steph

[smbolisnch]

72. How would that enhance his 'rep'?

:shrug:

[Thtwudbeme]

78. For being a Curmodgeon! ;)

What else?

Stephanie

[Thtwudbeme]

67. Thanks, hon.

Just don't click on the threads, OK?

Stephanie

Or if you do, just be quiet. I can't say "STFU" tonight anymore...I think I made it to the mod forum... ;)

[Coventina]

87. Why does this issue make you so insecure?

You consistently disrupt the animal rescue threads.
Why?

:shrug:

[MisterP]

96. well, they're almost all dead by now

nearly 45,000 cats and dogs! ain't it fun?!

[K8-EEE]

66. I Love Anybody Who Ever Does Anything Good For Animals, But

I would never diss any animal rescuers no matter what! But I just am reminded how the missing ADULT HUMAN PEOPLE are so ignored after Katrina. My friend has never turned up, is not on any list anywhere, and this is something that is just not discussed on the news. Just like the body count and IDing process and all of it, the dead and missing from Katrina have been abandoned totally.

I was bummed to see the FEMA page all Cute Puppy With Lady Rescuer NOT because I begrudge the rescue, only because there was NO info anywhere on the goddmanmed page about what to do if your friends or family are still missing. Like, nothing! I had to find out about the DNA bank by googling for a newspaper article.

At any rate I'm in no way anti-animal rescue I hope nobody took an earlier post in that way -- I'm just for taking care of EVERYBODY humans and pets and kids and everybody.

[Taxloss]

68. Where's that bargepole? n/t

[Thtwudbeme]

71. What's a bargepole?

?

[Taxloss]

76. A bargepole is a very long pole used to propel barges along

certain stretches of canal in the UK where barges cannot be towed. (The word originated before steam.)

In the UK we have the expression "I'm not touching that with a bargepole", as in I am not even going close to this argument. (Or topic, or discussion, or question, or whatever.)

Consider it Brit vernacular for the "popcorn" smiley.

[Thtwudbeme]

77. Aha! OK, in the US we say, "I am not going to touch that with a 10' pole!

Gotcha!

Point taken!

[Taxloss]

80. So, not so different then!

Good.

[walldude]

69. ...

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
:popcorn:
:popcorn:
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[fleabert]

73. I love you!

needed to be said.

Personally, my Flea would have be pried from my cold dead arms before I left her behind. They'd have to shoot me.

[SiouxJ]

81. Lol! Me too!

I was saying that to a friend just yesterday. They'd have to shoot me to get me to let go of them.

Just couldn't leave these behind to suffer and die:

[fleabert]

83. what well dressed babies! here's mine, closer up...

[Dover]

"If you want people to leave, let them take their pets".

This was something that was apparently learned from Katrina and other disasters and was stated by, I think, the mayor of Galveston on the evening news. The local news showed buses full of people and their animals (in kennels) leaving the area. If this is how all the evacuations are being handled in preparation for Rita, that is a very good thing. Pets are family and some people who might ordinarily not evacuate, may be more inclined to do so in order to save their beloved pet.
I don't know how much of what I'm hearing on local Texas news is hype, but it does seem a very orderly and well planned evacuation with the added advantage of Katrina's wrath demonstrating the foolishness of riding it out in the hurricane's path. And the rescue centers are still up and stocked from taking in Katrina evacuees, so they are ready to go for the most part and volunteers have had some practice.

[Dover]

79. "

[nashville_brook]

82. right on -- and you make a great point about not everyone being EMS

animal resuce is something i can do and do well.

our dogs have made us better people.

i'd rather lose my house than my dogs.

[jasmeel]

86. Thank You Stephanie!!

[AbbessHeloise]

88. We donated to Pet Rescue

through PetSmart. We decided that all our charity dollars are going to animal causes this year. We are the caretakers of our pets and it would be immoral to leave them behind. Anyway, if I were forcibly pried away from my two cats I would have to kill myself later anyway, because I couldn't live with the guilt of abandoning them.
We all go or none of us go. Our cats are family and that's the end of it.

[Cats Against Frist]

89. I don't think that anyone denigrates the possibility of animal rescues

particularly if done by private donations, the Humane Society and other rescue organizations. That's what they're there for. However, if someone starts talking about how pets are equal to children, I don't care if it's a pet rescue thread or a thread about how to make carrot cake -- I'm going to chime in and let them know that they're a few bricks short the load, if you know what I'm sayin'.

And if people don't want responses to that, they shouldn't make such stupid, wiffy comments.

[Thtwudbeme]

90. and I will respond to you: for a childless person..either by chance or by

choice--sometimes all they have to transfer that human emotion on is their pet.

I understand that you don't feel that way; how dare you denigrate someone who does?

Other people's emotions are not held up or down to your standards of appropriate love.

Stephanie

[Cats Against Frist]

91. No -- I was referring to the people who claim pets and children

are "equals," when they're in the same household. I don't denigrate someone who loves their pet companion, like a child, though I do think that Dog birthday parties, where other neighborhood dogs come over and people bring presents are ridiculous.

[Thtwudbeme]

92. OK, but just because you think they are ridiculous doesn't lessen their

feelings.

See what I mean? We can become too egotistical on the internet...God knows I am the walking dictionary definition of that....however, I do recognize when my opinion is just that....and that sometimes it's better to contain those thoughts than to put someone else down.

So my main point of my post remains...if you don't agree with the pet lovers...stay off the threads completely. This stuff is emotionally damaging enough to people sitting there looking at pictures of doggies and kitties that cannot help themselves-

Adding to anguish by telling people they are stupid is horrible.

Stephanie

[AbbessHeloise]

93. I agree with Stephanie

Maybe some people think birthday parties for babies are ridiculous.
Some people prefer pets and some prefer children. Some people have no family and their pets are their family, or in my case, my pets are worth a hell of a lot more than most of the family.