Sorry for posting the link instead of the actual image; they’ve changed the way they post up pictures on the Trib website, so the properties have changed from an image file to some sort of off-site image site archive…this link’ll get you to it though.
It’s just so terrible. And the long term consequences - I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around. I’ve lived through the total destruction of a neighborhood by a tornado, and the aftermath and rebuilding. That was just 20 houses. Something this BIG???
Fox (yeah, sorry) had a clip last night talking with a man who had lost his wife. So, so sad.
That is touching. They said on the news last night that some people didn’t evacuate when the hurricane came because they couldn’t leave their pets behind. I had been feeling a little critical toward the people that had a way to get out but decided to ride out the storm, but I must say that it would be the hardest thing I ever had to do to leave my pets behind if I had to go to a shelter that couldn’t accomodate animals. I’m not sure I could really do that.
I’m quite sure I could not do that. Our pets are members of our family; when we adopted them, we became 100% responsible for their well-being. My biggest fear is a house fire or some other disaster occurring while we’re at work (and the animals are stuck in the house). My priorities are the safety of my wife and our pets. Everything else is gravy.
for me leaving my pet is not even an option. she(a she cat named Tansy) and i have ridden out six hurricnes tied up in the back bays and creeks along the gulf in our sailboat.
when you go to a shelter you must stay there until the authorties say you can leave, no pets, no alcohol, no exceptions. i bet they woudn’t take to pipes or whistles either. i couldn’t imagine going through a storm without at least maintenance doses of strong drink.
it does take a lot of planning, thought and experience to make it through a big one, and some luck and providance.
i raise my glass and a tune to all of the people and pets, caught in Katrina.
My daughter said she wouldn’t leave if she couldn’t take her cat.
It reminds me when a house I lived in caught fire. Twas the middle of the night and somebody was outside screaming “Fire!”
I leapt out of bed and determined it was safe to make a beeline for the exit. Out I ran. Then, seeing the fire was still in the back of the house I ran back in through thick black smoke to save my precious flute.
So it wasn’t a pet but who wouldn’t rescue their instruments?
Oh, my girlfriend was in there somewhere too. She got out eventually… I think.
I think probably I wouldn’t ever have to make that choice, thank goodness, because I would be able to evacuate myself to some other city by car and take my kitties along since I have the money to stay in a motel and for gas and the like. I was just outside thinking about how I would go about leaving them behind, like keeping a door open upstairs so they could get on the garage roof in case of flooding and really, I just had to stop thinking about it.
I couldn’t leave my little chihuahua…no way in the world…he’s another one of my kids.
I’d scoop up the little blighter and plop him in my wife’s purse and be outta there with 'im.
I saw a guy briefly on the news in Biloxi, MS standing amid the mud and debris of what had been his home. He opened a guitar case he found in the mess and pulled out his intact guitar. He smiled at the camera and said, “I ain’t worried about my house,” and picked out a nice blues rift. It made me want to cheer. Best attitude he could have.
Tony
I saw that! I was amazed that his guitar seemed to be perfectly dry and undamaged, since the case didn’t look particularly tough or waterproof. I loved his comment. After he played the blues riff, he added, “…as long as I got my guitar.”
I am worried about my friends who had horses… talk about difficult to relocate in a hurry! Our mutual friends and I are still not sure where or how they are… worrisome indeed. I am sure they would not leave them.
We got out of our house for the storm. When I didn’t know what we’d come home to find, I packed the necessities: a couple of changes of clothes, a bookbag full of my music, plus my whistles, as well as my computer tower. My husband shook his head at first as I made sure all my whistles were there…but I saw he went back inside for his seldom-played clarinet, HIS computer tower, plus the granola bars & other snack stuff.
Shelters not taking pets is a HUGE issue for us in emergency preparedness, because we know, just like many of you have said, that people won’t leave their pets behind. But I think we can all see the problems with having pets in shelters, too. One of the challenges we have is having a plan for people’s pets, and at least around here, we’re trying to develop one.
If you ever have to evacuate in a hurry, remember the 3 P’s: Purses, Pills, and Pets. Those are the things that are important.
It’s definitely not hard to see why shelters can’t have pets—especially ones housing large numbers of people. It would interesting to know what a plan for pets would be like—I mean I know what my plan would be, but a planning agency’s plan. I can’t really imagine. That 3 P’s thing is good.
