by Cathy Scott
Sitting on the porch at the former Camp Tylertown so many months later, I thought about what a tremendous place the center had been. The day before, I had gone with volunteer Mary Lichtenberger when she drove Himie, the message-in-a-bottle dog (whose tale is told in chapter 6), home to the town of Violet in St. Bernard Parish. Seeing Himie, one of the early rescues, return home to Gary Karcher was a fitting ending. Just as they had for Himie, all the pieces fell into place for so many rescued dogs and cats—even parrots, lizards, ferrets, pigs, fish, spiders, and birds.
St. Francis, run by Pam and Heidi, is still an animal sanctuary, but now it is so much more. It stands as a symbol and a testament to the displaced pets of Katrina and Rita. Despite the odds, many animals survived and still more went home to their families. As good as Camp Tylertown was, along with a handful of other animal rescue shelters in the region, it can be even better next time because of the legislation now in place to help people’s pets and because of what we learned from Katrina.
Camp Tylertown was indeed about the animals. I, for one, along with like-minded volunteers who converged on the region, will never forget them: Jellybean the Pit Bull, who thought he was a Toy Poodle; Big Bird the emu, who stood bravely among dogs and cats on a three-hour ride back to base camp; and Itty Bitty, the two-and-a-half-pound Chihuahua who walked tall.
Today, when I think of New Orleans, I think of them.
Appendix
Pet Disaster Preparedness
• Evacuate early. If you wait until there’s a forced evacuation, transportation for your pets may not be available and you may have no choice but to leave them behind.
• If you have to leave or you are evacuated out, take your pets with you, even if you think you may be gone only a few hours. You may not be able to go back for them later.
• Keep leashes, collars, harnesses, carriers, and kennels on hand so you can easily and quickly transport your pets out of the danger area.
• Plan in advance where you will go. Make a list of pet-friendly hotels and boarding facilities with their addresses and phone numbers.
• Keep up-to-date identification tags on your pets’ collars, with current phone numbers and addresses. Without these tags, there is no way for rescuers to know where the pets belong. Additionally, you can get your pets microchipped, with implanted ID numbers, as another form of identification. Keep a copy of the ID numbers so that you can report your missing pets to the ID companies.
• Keep current photos and descriptions (for example, “white paws,” “one floppy ear,” “clear” or “dark toenails,” “white tip on tail,” or “dark muzzle”) of your pets with you, in case you’re separated from them. As mundane as these descriptions may seem, they can be used as identifiers to later claim your pet.
• If you do become separated from your pets, immediately post a lost-and-found notice on Internet sites, such as Petfinder (www.petfinder.org) and Craig’s List (www.craigslist.org).
• Have enough pet food and fresh water on hand to last at least five days. If you have to leave your pets, make sure they have access to the food. Leave the toilet lid open in case the bowl is their only source of water.
• Keep your pets’ medical records and medications on hand in a waterproof plastic envelope.
• Never tie up your pets or leave them in crates. During a flood, they may drown because you left them confined. During a fire, they won’t be able to escape. Even in the absence of these two catastrophes, they may injure themselves. Those who rescued pets on the Gulf Coast tell stories about animals who could have lived had they not been tied to a porch or a fence, because the water was higher than their leashes could reach.
• For horses, have a planned evacuation route for every stall in your barn. Keep a can of spray paint on hand. You can use it to paint your phone number, preferably including a working cell number, on the horses’ sides in case you have to let them loose in a field (safely out of the barn, so they’re not trapped inside) or even on a street.
Acknowledgments
It often takes a village, and, in the case of saving the pets stranded in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it took a selfless community of animal lovers from across the United States and Canada to pull off the largest animal rescue the world has ever seen.
I owe enormous gratitude to Pam Perez and Heidi Krupp, who opened not only their sanctuary gates but also their hearts to the pets of Katrina. Without them there never would have been a Camp Tylertown. Their property was a home away from home for hundreds of volunteers, including me, and for that I am grateful. To Kandra Mahé, also with St. Francis Animal Sanctuary, who made my day each morning when, no matter how tired she was, would say, “Good mornin’, Miss Cathy.” To this Californian, and I know to others, too, she was a daily reminder of the friendly Southern way.
I am indebted to Best Friends Animal Society, and Michael Mountain in particular, for agreeing to send me to the Gulf Coast in the first place; I am forever thankful for having had the opportunity to report from the front lines. And to Paul Berry, who got the first boat into the storm water in record time (and Ken Ray for driving home to retrieve it), for making Best Friends the first in the water to save stranded and drowning pets.
To my boss, Carla Davis, for her unwavering faith in my reporting abilities. To Anne and Cyrus Mejia for their good humor as they held things together from the command center. To Sherry Woodard, our in-house animal whisperer, who with her soft touch was—and still is—a stellar example for us all. To Clay Myers for capturing the heartfelt moments from behind his camera. To Sean Scherer for his calm, gentle demeanor on even the most harrowing of days at base camp. To Mary Lichtenberger, Beth Montes, and Katherine Glover—the four of us girls worked elbow to elbow for four weeks in that tiny makeshift office, sharing laughter and tears; they are days I will always cherish. To Francis and Silva Battista for shaping up base camp and making it a well-oiled machine. To Faith Maloney for her steadfast moral support. To Pat Donoho, Kirsten Muthreich, Heidi Zogg, and Dr. Roger Knighton for watching over my dogs in my absence.
A special nod to Leigh and Terry Breland and Joy and Billy Woods for their Southern hospitality and for making me feel a part of their Mississippi family.
To Ali MacGraw for her beautiful words in the foreword to this book and her love for all living beings.
I am grateful to Susan Lee Cohen, my agent, for believing in the project; fellow author Norine Dresser for referring me to Susan; Pam Mourouzis, acquisitions editor at Wiley Publishing, for taking the manuscript under her wing; Lesa Grant and Susie Dempsey with Howell Book House for their enthusiasm and expertise; freelance editor Tere Stouffer, who massaged the manuscript with skill and care; Vicki Kilmer-Rinker with Best Friends for her marketing strategy; and artist, fellow biographer, and friend Paulette Frankl for suggesting that the word pawprints be added to the title.
To my family and friends, who provided sage counsel and friendship, including my twin sister, Cordelia Mendoza; big brother, Dr. J. Michael Scott; son, Raymond Somers Jr.; daughter-in-law, Karen Somers; grandchildren, Claire and Jake; stepsister, Nancy Whitlock; stepmother, Helen Scott; and friends Andrea Dresser, Myram Borders, Vickie Pynchon, Carolyn Oberlander, Linda and Roger Ballantyne, Chip Mosher, Matt O’Brien, Lora Shaner, Barb Davis, Candy Greene, Kristi Littrell, Fran Farrell, Lynn Tharp, Amy Wagner, Elizabeth Doyle, Karen Finklestein, Helene Silverstein, Claire Davis, Nancy Paris, Steve Miller, Charlene “Charlie” Fern, Stacie Hummell, Jim and Kathleen Kelley-Markum, Sandy and Joe Smith, Betty and Tom Kuffel, Andy Rathbone, Laura Rethoret, Wendy Burgoyne, Gloria Hill, Ellen Gilmore, Sandy Miller, Amy Abern, Christine McKellar, Charlene Rogers, Susie Duttge, Lezlie Sage, Jana de Peyer, and Denise Jenkins, who, no matter how over the top I am as an animal lover, continue to back me.
To the many volunteers and Best Friends staffers too numerous to name whose paths I crossed along the journey, your dedication was awe-inspiring.
We have a bond, those of us who helped, whether it was behind
the scenes, at base camp, on the ground, or from the command center. It is a bond held together by our innate love of animals, no matter how big or small, no matter the breed or species. You are my heroes, one and all. May we never forget the pets of Katrina and strive to ensure that they’re never again left behind.
Index
Acosta, Christopher and Crystal
Alexander, Nydia
Alley Cat Allies
Althans, Jeanette and Emily
American Can Company
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Animal Ark
Animal Haven
Animal Hospital on Mount Lookout Square
Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO)
Archer, Fiona
Ark (artwork)
Arnold, Don
Ashtabula Animal Protective League
Bailey, Melanie
Bartholomew, Diane and Preston
Battista, Francis
Battista, Silva
Bauer, Kit
Bear Search and Rescue Foundation
Beauregard Middle School
Bell, Anne
Berry, Paul
Best Friends Animal Society
American Can Company rescues
Camp Tylertown, creation of
database
ground rescues
identification and tracking of animals
interactions with government and other rescue organizations
pet-guardian reunions
Utah headquarters
volunteers
water rescues
Web site
Best Friends magazine
Big Bird (emu)
Biggerstaff, Scott and Teresa
Blanco, Kathleen
Boggio, Kit
Booker, Sarah
Bordeaux, Connie
Bowmer, Rick
Bradley, Cheryl
Breland, Leigh and Terry
Burns-Carruthers, Karen
Bush, President George W.
Bzdewka, Mike
Cakir, Cem
Campbell, Laneka
Camp Tylertown
as base camp
creation of
layout of
volunteers
Carruthers, David
Carter, Robert
cats
Bubba and Bugsy
Cici and Fifi
Mr. Jezebel (Himalayan)
Nola Vie (kitten)
Petey (tabby)
William Tell
Celebration Station, setup of
Childers, Micci
Colorado Humane Society
Congressional Caucus for Animals
Cooper, Anderson
Corrigan, Tasha
Cosse, Karen and Walter
Cosse, Tommy
Cox, Tom
Craig’s List
Crook, Rich
Crowe, Peter
Dashfield, Karen
Daub, Mary Ellen
Daugaard, Bill
David, John
Davis, Barb
Davis, Jennifer
Davis, Kelle
Davis, Lyle
Dennis, Jill
Deutsch, Cliff
DeVito, Chuck
disaster preparedness
dogs
Angel (Pit Bull)
Benji
Bright Eyes (Pit Bull mix)
Bunker (American Staffordshire Terrier)
Buttons
Cheesecake (Pit Bull mix)
Chopper (Rottweiler)
Cobi and Bella
Covoo (Yorkshire Terrier)
Cujo (terrier/Poodle mix)
Diesel (Pit Bull)
Domino (Pit Bull mix)
Ebony (Chihuahua-Dachshund mix)
Ginger (Chihuahua)
Gracie (Great Dane)
Haley (German Shepherd mix)
Himie (Rottweiler)
Hobo Mississippi (Husky-mix)
Itty Bitty (Chihuahua)
Jellybean (Pit Bull)
Kanal Girl (Vizsla mix)
Ketel (Maltese)
Lois Lane (Chihuahua)
Marina (Poodle)
Mia (Chihuahua)
Morgan LeFay (Standard Poodle)
Munchie (Pomeranian)
Piglet (Pit Bull)
Precious and Pudgy (Dachshunds)
Red (Staffordshire Terrier)
Rex (Chihuahua)
Ripper (Pit Bull mix)
Sadie (Chow)
Sadie (Labrador Retriever)
Schmoo (Boxer/Pit Bull mix)
Scotty (terrier mix)
Tenderfoot (Labrador Retriever)
Tripod (Staffordshire Terrier)
Zoey (German Shepherd mix)
Domino, Sal and Joan
Donoho, Pat and Larry
door-to-door searches
Downs, Lisa
ducks, rescue of
Dunsmore, Barbara
Duttge, Susie
emu, rescue of
Englande, Clifford “Chip,”
Ezell, Jane
Farr, Alex
Fitch, Connie and Dwight
Fleeger, Corolla
Ford, Momi
Forte, Marcello
Fourcade, Jenny
Fox, Cherie
Fraser, Rochelle
Gabrel, Catherine “Cat,”
Gabrel, Gary
Gallagher, Maura
Garcia, Jill
Garcia, John
Garcia, Mckenzie
Garrison, Jane
Garvey, Kris
Gerson, Elana
Gillespie, Lucy
Gilligan, Annette
Glazier, Lee and Sheila
Glover, Jeremy
Glover, Katherine
Golston, Molly goose, rescue of
Graham, Angenette
Grimshaw, Gallee
Guldseth, Brandon
Gurney, Ethan
Guzy, Carol
Halperin, David
Hamm, Carol and family
Hartill, Ross
Herman, Dana
High, Tara
Hileman, Eric
Hill, Craig
Hoenemeier, John
Holmes, Samantha
HOPE Safehouse
Huffman, Joe
Humane Society of Louisiana
Humane Society of South Mississippi
Humane Society of the United States
Hunley, Mimi
Hurricane Rita
identification
importance of
microchip
iguana
Ikenberry, Sandy and Lane
In Defense of Animals Ireland, Andrew
Jefferson Parish Animal Control
Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter
Jenkins, Denise
Jennings, Carla
Jo Dawn Farms
Johnson, Annie
Johnson, Emma
Jones, Elissa
Jones, Jackie
Jones, Jodie and Clay June bugs
Karcher, Ethel
Karcher, Gary
Kilmer, Virginia
Kimball, Amy
Klein, Doug
Knierim, Christine
Knox, Dan
Krupp, Heidi
Lamar-Dixon shelter
Laskowski, Rachel
Lauer, Kimberlee
LeBlanc, Kelli
Leeson, David
Lemarie, Rose
Levitas, Paul
Ley, Laurel
Lichtenberger, Mary
Littrell, Kristi
Longwood Animal Hospital and Pet Resort
Louisiana Pet Evacuation Bill
Louisiana SPCA
Louviere, Alice
Magnum, Will
Magyar, Mike
Mallu, Pema
Maloney, Faith
Martin, Jan
Martin, Lisa
McCleese, Mike
McDermott, Diane
Mead, Russ
Mejia, Anne
Mejia, Cyrus
Michalsi, Karen
microchip
Mikelonis, Mark
Minton, Mike
Mintun, Jan
Montes, Beth
Moore, Kim
Morgan, William
Mountain, Michael
Murphy, Pat
Mutt Shack shelter
Myers, Clay
National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC)
Noah’s Wish
Norkus, Rose
Norton, Susan
Not Left Behind (Snow)
Nunez, Maxey
Odom, Daryl
Ohrtman, Kelli
O’Neill, Suzanne
Orleans Parish
Out of the Pitts (rescue group)
Park, Anne
Parker, Angel
Parker Coliseum, shelter at
Pasado Rescue
People Finder (search engine)
Pepine, Janine
Perez, Pam
Petfinder
Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act
photos, of lost pets
pig, rescue of
Plaquemines Parish
police wrongdoing
Popowich, Jeff
Purcell, Leah
Pyle, Mike
pythons, rescue of
Racine Zoo
Raisin (pig)
Ramsey, Cathy
Rankin, Virginia
Ratleff, Latasha (Tasha)
Ray, Ken
reunions. See also specific people and pets
Rice, Mark
Rizzuto, Dennis
Robinson, Rob
Rodriguez, Robert
Rude, Bob
Rykoff, Debbie
Salter, Mary
