Heavy Losses
I’ve been very purposeful about avoiding current events on this site. If I made it a habit to write about such things, I’d become overwhelmed in no time at all. However, the events and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are heavy on my mind … on all our minds. The devastation of the environment, the communities, and most of all, LIFE, is dumbfounding. Recently, I’ve been especially grieved by the tragic stories of the animals effected by this horrific disaster.
When I look at my own companions, particularly my boy, Starbuck, I can’t imagine having to leave him behind to fend for himself. He’s always trusted me to take care of him in every way. I’ve done that for all the ten years that he’s been with me. I feed him good healthy food, take him out to get fresh air and exercise, and laugh at all his jokes. At least once a day I remind him that he’s the president of the belly-boy club while I rub his tummy until he gets a big doggy grin. And, even though he hates it, I take him to the vet, give him his medicine, clip his nails and give him his baths. I was the one who taught him a lot of the cool things that make him special, like how to sing like a big hound dog. Since then, he recognizes the sound of my car and welcomes me home with his funny hound-dog song. That’s just one of the many ways he shows me how much he loves me.
My sweet boy is my heart. I can empathize with those who found it impossible to leave their pets behind. That’s a horrible choice to be faced with during a time of dozens of difficult choices.
There are still many animals suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Learn more here
posted by Theresa @ 9/13/2005 01:51:00 AM
10 Comments:
Theresa,
I couldn't do it. It may just be that my dogs are my children. If they couldn't go, I don't think I could leave them.
I could never leave an animal behind to die. If I was forced to a gunpoint, I'd surely die anyway. I've already expereinced the heartbreak of having to find a new home for a very very loved animal. I still get teary over it, and he's living with my parents. He's happier than he's ever been, but there's a hole in my heart that will never be fixed because I can't hug him every night, or play fetch with him (he's a cat).
People say there's no reason to ever give up an animal, but I do believe I have an unusual circumstance.
My husband to be, the greatest human being I've ever met, the most caring and compassionate person in the world, is literally deathly allergic to cats and dogs. We tried EVERYTHING. He ended up in the emergency room over it. It brought back an asthma that had been dormant for 15 years. One day he even asked me how old kitty was. I told him he was 4. He said "how long do cats usually live?" I told him probably 15 years or so.
He was going to wait to start our lives together until I didn't have a cat "naturally". It may not seem like much to someone else, but for the first time I had someone in my life that was willing to do extraordinary things to make sure I was happy.
The finding of a new home for my Slausen nearly killed both of us. And for once in my life I'm not being descriptively dramatic.
Yeah the pets in New Orleans bothers me a lot. I know a family that had to abandon their animals. I couldn't leave my cat, I don't know what I would do.
Here's a link to a story about animals and Katrina that might lighten your heart, T.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050909/od_afp/usweatheroffbeat_050909005548
Theresa,
You are the best! Thank you for posting this. I do hope people write to their local papers discussing the 'rescue' effort for the pets, no cat food, etc., calmly but informatively. Who else will speak out for these animals if not us?
Thank you, again! You are a lot more than a "hot chick"!!!!
While I wholeheartedly agree about the animals, I was very dismayed to see a news story this morning about 34 Elderly folk who are now dead due to the Nursing Facility they were held prisoner in, I mean, living in.
So much suffering ....
... and so many.
Well put as always..."he is my heart"...I know exactly how you feel.
yeeeeah.. what a great tragedy.. it makes me forget the genocide that is going on over there
I recently had to give up our dog, it ripped my heart out, I hate people that do not allow dogs. They suck. But I had to put my children 1st. It was tough and i miss Dex everyday and I hope and pray he found a good home.
My pets would go with me or I wouldn't go. Pretty simple. I am pleased that hge mainstream emdia has caught on to this story. Today Show this past Sunday did a peice on the Humane Society work there; truly impressive. Same with the Texas Veterinary Medicine Association.
Was wonderful to read about humane organizations as far away as Detroit sending supplies, people, money to the gulf coast and also accepting pets to keep until their owners are located.
Humane Society has huge push under way asking FEMA (argh!!) and others to allow their teams to rescue pets (whcih they do not allow now) as well as people. I urge you to contact FEMA and your Congressperson.
We must speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
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