Humane Society of the United States on the ground after Ike

[flvegan]

Before dawn this morning we loaded some 100 animals from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET) into our transport trailer. While the animals made their journey to the SPCA of Texas in Fort McKinney near Dallas, our teams set out once again into ravaged communities to rescue more in need.

Today our search teams are combing Beaumont and Orange City, and we've encountered animals ranging from dogs and cats to rabbits and horses, as well as alligators in the streets.

We are bringing animals who need veterinary care back to the HSSET shelter while providing food and water for healthy animals and planning to return to check on them.

Their gratitude is evident in the purrs, licks and wagging tails that greet us.

http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/disasters_press_room/fieldnotes.html

SLIDESHOW (nothing graphic or upsetting)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/humanesociety/sets/72157607302565726/show/

[FLyellowdog]

1. I wonder...

what Palin's solution to the problem of these poor abandoned animals would have been?

[misanthrope]

2. That raises a question I'm curious about...

...Do Palin and her family have pets? WIth a litter of kids, I'd be surprised if they didn't have any.

Come to think of it, do any of the candidates have pets?

[XemaSab]

5. Obama has promised the kids a dog when the election is over

Biden has a cat.

I dunno about Palin.

McCain has a personal zoo, with Sam the English springer spaniel, Coco the mutt, turtles Cuff and Link, Oreo the black and white cat, a ferret, three parakeets and 13 saltwater fish. :o

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272835,00.html

Dammit, another republican with a springer. :banghead:

[sweetroxie]

7. McCain has a shit load of pets

[lynettebro440]

9. Well, he does have 8 houses

I'm just sayin

[alsame]

6. The Obamas have promised to get a dog for the girls after the

campaign is over. I think I read somewhere that the McCains have pets, but I don't remember what kind or how many. Not sure about the Bidens. The Palins only have dead animals in their home, I believe.

[dgibby]

10. Don't know, but I saw an interview with her friends

and they said that she doesn't like cats. That alone would be enough to keep me from voting for her. Come to thing of it, if she does have pets, she probably uses them for target practice.

[XemaSab]

4. Barbecue!

:9

Not only do you get rid of the problem of homeless pets, but the burden is no longer on FEMA to feed all the human survivors! :bounce:

[alstephenson]

3. Thank you, Humane Society.

For all the good work you do. Donation on the way.

[intheflow]

8. My dog is a Katrina survivor.

He's the best dog I've ever had! I got him at the Humane Society of South Mississippi. Really good folks who care a lot about animals in crisis. Thanks for the post, flvegan.

[MadrasT]

11. There are some awesome pictures here

(at the Houston Chronicle's website) of people evacuating with their pets and of pets being rescued.

http://www.chron.com/channel/petshouston/photogallery/How_animals_are_weathering_Hurricane_Ike.html

[readmoreoften]

12. From what I understand from the forums at KHOU, people weren't allowed to take pets on evac buses.

I heard this was one of the factors that kept some staying behind.