Water, water everywhere

"Stranded cat on top of a fence awaits rescue" from What About Cats.

We've found the focus of our hurricane relief efforts -- one of our longtime "pet" causes -- the Animal Rescue League of Boston. As part of a national network in collaboration with the American Humane Association, ARL Boston dispatched a team of four specialists in two vehicles from their Dedham facility this morning and headed for Nashville, where they will set up a base of operations and then move out from there to wherever they can do the most good in the coming days to deliver disaster relief to displaced animals. They will be joined tomorrow by Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Gilman, who reports:

The team is equipped to handle large and small animal rescue, floodwater and  swiftwater rescue and to assist in transportation of large animals.

We've spoken with ARL Boston's Director of Communications, Tom Adams, who sent along some background material and has promised to keep us posted on the team's progress. They're taking along a digital camera loaned by local WHDH-TV, Channel 7 so we're hoping to get some images to post here in the coming days. Meantime, Tom invites our support:

We welcome donations to help with rescue efforts like our work aiding the animals affected by Hurricane Katrina.  Donations may be made through our web site at www.arlboston.org; by phone to (617) 426-9170, Ext. 138 or by mail to

The Animal Rescue League
P.O. Box 265
Boston, MA  02117

"You realize you've just gone to a new level," notes Tuck. What do you mean?  "You're doing telephone research for your blog." Whatever it takes. Hugh Hewitt, Glenn Reynolds and the immediate blogosphere will be blog begging en masse this Thursday. Be sure to check out their blogs for other causes worthy of our support.

Update:  The Ecosystem's N.Z. Bear has created a page to track bloggers who are participating in the blogosphere's "Hurricane Katrina: Blog for Relief Day" Thursday, 9/1:

A day of blogging focused on raising awareness of and funds for relief efforts to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina. See here for more information, and here for the TTLB Katrina topic page.

Participating blogs are invited to enter your blog and your recommended charity into the TTLB database.

Comments

[goomp]

In a country with the land mass of the USA does it make sense to maintain a city below sea level? The Dutch have no alternative, and they are shielded from the ravages of the worst storms by their location. Maybe it is time for New Orleans to move on; i.e., father up the river on higher ground.

[Teresa]

I agree with you goomp... unfortunately you and I both know it will never happen.

BTW - if you didn't see it, over at Blackfive, Matt had a post about Keesler AFB which was hit hard. About the first thing they put up on their web site to reassure people is that their pets are doing well in the shelter! I was surprised they were that thoughtful with everything else going on.

[Jennie Taliaferro]

Excellent news, Sissy. Thank you!
I already gave some $ to the PetCo Katrina animal relief fund, but I may give some more to your Boston charity, too.
Our 4-legged companions must be saved along with the people!

[Janette]

Oof, sorry for the double ping. My internet connection is acting wiggy and it's not a good day for it.

[Sissy Willis]

I'll delete the extra. Thanks so much for your plug, Janette. :)

[elle]

I'm a newbie to this site... I accidentally just stumbled across it really, but then I saw that you were posting on Katrina and I had to read. Mainly because I'm from New Orleans so this is highly pertainable to me.

I just read the comment by goomp and I have to say: I'm slightly offended. We're not talking a little town, we're talking a major American city that's been around for more than a couple of hundred years. Not only is it a wildly historic city, but it's also a port. Obviously, you can't take a port city away from the water. Besides there are a good million + citizens living there and many live below the poverty line. Coming from the city (literally as I just evacuated to Texas a week ago), I know that most of those people would not respond well to a lovely "Hey you- move!"

It's nice in theory, but you can't really pick up a major port city and move it away from the river.

Another thing I noticed about your site is the fundraising for animal rescue operations. I think that's amazing, and they need all of the support they can get. We had to leave all of our 7 cats behind in my house and I can't be more worried about them than I already am. I just hope my house doesn't have the 20 ft of water plaguing the other parts of the city.

[Renate]

http://s163780665.onlinehome.us/animal-rescue.htm

It's been almost a year after katrina, but still we need volunteers urgently to feed and water animals.
Residents and out-of-towners desperately needed. Warehouse animal care needed. Can you help us?