In all, there were approximately 8,500 animals that entered the facility. As one would imagine, it was a daunting task just to feed and hydrate these rescued pets, let alone try to walk them all daily. Volunteers, exhausted and emotional, rushed around the barns, not knowing where to begin. I, too, felt overwhelmed, as there were clearly hundreds of animals in need of medical attention.

I worked side by side with army veterinarians, USDA veterinarians and Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMATs) deployed by FEMA, administering fluids and medication to the vast number of animals that urgently needed medical care. The majority of animals coming in were underweight, dehydrated and covered in dry sludge with a distinct odor. There were dogs with scabies, parvo, bite wounds, fungal infections and hyperthermia.

I began to feel like I was in a MASH unit, with animals instead of humans as patients. One black German shepherd had a temperature of 108 degrees F, and was quickly placed in an ice bath. One VMAT estimated that 60 to 80 percent of the rescued animals most likely had or would develop heartworm; unlike California, the Gulf Coast has a prevalence of heartworm and mosquitoes.

One afternoon, I stumbled upon three debilitated 8-week-old pit mix puppies in desperate need of food, water and medication. Their poor bellies were bloated from malnutrition and parasites, and their gums were white from shock and dehydration. After administering medicine for shock, diarrhea and parasites, I placed them in a freshly cleaned crate with a large bowl of puppy kibble and water. They quickly gobbled up the food and literally fell asleep face-first in kibble. I checked on them daily and was relieved to see them rapidly improve. At the end of my stay in Louisiana, I left knowing that, at the very least, I made a difference for three puppies whose faces I will never forget.

Down in the streets of New Orleans I assisted the spcaLA humane officers as we went from neighborhood to neighborhood, combing the area for animals. We also entered many houses more than 7,000 addresses had been sent where animals had been left behind. At one house after another we found frightened, confused, hungry and thirsty pets that quickly gobbled up the food and gulped down the water we gave them.
It was difficult to leave the city not knowing the fate of so many animals.

An update: 15 months later

It's estimated that more than 15,000 animals in the area were ultimately rescued by humane organizations. Of those that were rescued, only 15 to 20 percent were ever reunited with their owners. The number of animals that died during Hurricane Katrina due to drowning, starvation, disease and misfortune is unknown, but is thought to be in the tens of thousands. Experts predict that it will take years to restore a complete sense of normalcy to the areas hit hardest in August 2005.

The companion animals that perished in New Orleans due to disaster policies that didn't take pets into account did not die in vain. On October 6, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Act, which requires local and state emergency preparedness authorities to include in their evacuation plans how they will accommodate household pets and service animals in case of a disaster. In addition, nearly a dozen states have enacted legislation aimed at protecting people and pets during disasters.

Having witnessed the largest animal disaster in U.S. history, I came away more determined than ever to be the voice for all of the cats and dogs in America who desperately need to be included in all disaster plans their lives are depending on it. Leaving pets behind is no longer an option!

Lessons to be learned