A stupid question that needs answering

[figmo]

Ganked from kayshapero who ganked it from ataniell93, who ganked it from somewhere else....

FEMA is now taking a national petition to see how many Americans want to allow hurricane survivors to be allowed to take their pets with them as they evacuate or pet rescue agencies to be allowed to come into ravaged areas and rescue pets. The number is 1-202-646-2763. Everyone call this number and let them know that all life is valuable. When you have done calling, let everyone you know know about this number. Even as I type, the ASPCA is readying a truck convoy to head for New Orleans and the thousands of animals dying there. It's coming down as something of a paramilitary operation. Again, please call FEMA. 1-202-646-2763. Besides donating to any of the charitable organizations out there, this is one of the more important things we can do.

msminlr tried calling and didn't even get an answering machine and recommends waiting till business hours Monday to try.

To me this is a no-brainer. Who wouldn't want to allow folks to evacuate their non-human family members? If I had to evacuate, Lady would be the first "thing" to go into the car (her "doggie Dramamine" would be second, followed by supplies).

Comments

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

No sane person would advocate adding a thousand stressed out dogs to the mess we had in the Superdome last week. Of course, no sane person would have advocated stuffing that many people in it in the first place, with no security and no support, and leaving them to rot for 5 days. I think it would be a very good goal to make shelters decent enough places, with enough space, privacy, and resources, that it *wouldn't* be insane to allow people to bring their animals, for the benefit of the people.

The point isn't to give people the right to have their pets displace people in the rescue effort, it's just to give them the right to stay where they are if they can't bring their pets. There are non-animal people (a group that sadly includes quite a few pet owners) and there are animal people. To the non animal people, a pet is just another material possession, and it makes no more sense to be sentimental about a pet to them than a favorite shirt. To animal people, a pet is a family member. How would the non-animal people feel if they were told "Get on the bus *now* or we'll drag you in handcuss, and no, you can't bring your child?" That is what the animal people feel when they say "no, you can't bring your dog". Call us crazy if you want to, but *don't* say we don't actually feel that, because you obviously don't have a clue.

When I imagine myself stranded in a flood, my position is: I'm not leaving without my dogs. I'll wait here until you've gotten everyone else out without complaining, and I hope you'll come back for me then, but you'll have to shoot me to get me out without them.