CROSSPOST: How to help rescuers respond to Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans and surrounding areas

[Guest guest]

**PLEASE CROSSPOST WIDELY**

 

Emails have been pouring in from people outside New Orleans, all asking what they can do to help rescuers responding to Hurricane Gustav. Of course there are a million things that are needed but, until Gustav has left the coast, everyone in the area will be too busy evacuating, working, & staying safe to answer emails or let us all know what their most pressing needs are. The most practical & beneficial suggestion for anyone who wants to help at this time is to donate money. No one will truly know what is needed until after the storm has passed, depending on where landfall is, and so forth.

 

Lots of preparations have been made, everyone is taking this very seriously, and most of the people have evacuated the city.... with their pets. That's the good news. Of course there will be those who don't or can't evacuate... but we won't know about those until afterwards.

 

Only credentialed animal rescuers, authorized under LSART, working with an official group (ARNO, Muttshack, SPCA, HSLA, etc.) will be allowed in immediately after the storm if animal rescue is needed. So if you intend to mobilize, please have your certifications and credentials -- get them now. And if you think it's too late for Gustav, there are other storms in the pipeline (Hannah, etc.), and we are in the peak of hurricane season now... So get your credentials.

 

For now, if you want/need to " do something " in advance of the storm: donate money so it can be used where it will do the most good when it is needed. There are many worthy 501©3 groups to donate to. Pick one that you believe will spend your money well. It is up to you who you choose to donate to -- every group does good work. In addition to donating to the well-known national animal organizations (HSUS <http://hsus.org/> , Best Friends <http://bestfriends.org/> , ASPCA <http://www.aspca.org/> , Alley Cat Allies <http://www.alleycat.org/> , Muttshack <http://muttshack.org/> , Pasados <http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/> , etc.), there are plenty of great local groups who could use your help too (ARNO <http://www.animalrescueneworleans.org/> , Feral Cat Consortium <http://www.geocities.com/fccsttam/> , Humane Society of Louisiana <http://www.humanela.org/> , SpayMart <http://spaymart.org/> , Southern Animal Foundation <http://southernanimalfoundation.org/> , etc.).

 

One last word: Every " disaster " or emergency is different. This hurricane will not be exactly like Katrina, so the response will not be like Katrina either. We need to wait it out and see what the needs are after the storm. It may be that the West Bank gets hit hardest this time (that's the part of New Orleans located to the south & west of the Mississippi). Or it may be that the storm veers east or west in the next 24hrs... We'll have to assess needs after the storm has passed. But money is always needed, and that allows groups on the ground to be able to get exactly what they need, when they need it.

 

Thanks to everyone for their concern and eagerness to help!

 

**PLEASE CROSSPOST WIDELY**