Katrina victims ~ Not for the fainthearted ~ABC News - Page 2

Jehannum I don't know if these people had any advanced warning they had to evacuate, do you? I am also not sure why you would say "can't afford to evacuate then they can't afford a dog either " ? Do you know this is why ,for certain, they did not evacuate? Maybe I need to go to some newspaper archives and read up on Katrina. I honestly do not remember anywhere that said people were not leaving because they couldn't afford to...

They had advance warning to evacuate, the problem was many did not heed the warning & many had no way to get out.  They didn't own cars or didn't have gas, there were lots of reasons.  Anyway, look what happened in Houston when a major hurricane made landfall in Galveston.  Many tried to get out only to find the freeways hopelessly jammed up.  A lot of people on those roads ran out of gas waiting to get out.   Personally, I wouldn't abandon my dogs or expect others to take care of them for me. 

Hmmm! Well OK if they did have advanced warning, but chose to stay and tuff it out or to die trying, what gives "anyone" the right to force you at gun point to leave or be shot. It doesn't make sense, seems like a control issue. If you stay you might die.... so I will shoot you if you don't come with me.

sueincc so what would you have done? I don't read where it say's anyone expected someone to take care of their animals for them... and they seemed to not want to abandon their pets but were forced to leave them.

I wasn't there so guess I will just have to wait and see what the evidence turns up, but it looks to me the "people" have a darn good case with video footage as well as witnesses.

I meant that if I didn't take them with me,  someone else would have to care for them or they would die, and I have never thought it wise to rely on others to care for my animals.  For me, I would have evacuated rather than wait it out  ESPECIALLY since I have animals.  I live in earthquake country & consequently have a plan in place to take care of me & mine in the event of a disaster.   One thing I learned from Katrina was to prepare to be able to handle at least a week on my own.  Prior to Katrina, officials had said to be prepared to be without help for 3 days following a large enough quake.

We too live in earthquake country, and volcano country, above the lahar zone at least....  We not only have our dogs but cats, sheep, goats, mules, ponies, and various birds.  When you have animals you HAVE to have a disaster plan that includes dealing with them.

Just asking... how much warning do you get before a quake? I live not really that far from Yellowstone, last night I saw on the History channel this is one of the biggest chances of an explosion of magnitude size that will effect the whole world and life as we know it. Where would I go???  It sucked hearing that. When my kids were little we had a small quake here. I have a log house and the kids were playing upstairs, it was creepy... I was doing dishes and felt the tremor, I looked at the walls and the logs seemed to be rolling! I screamed for the kids to come down and we went outside, it was over already. But there was no warning for it. Also on the 18th of May 1980 Mount St. Helens blew in WA. Grant it was 27 years ago but I remember it because my son was exactly 2 weeks old. We were at some friends for dinner and I was changing a diaper... my friends, older son, and hubby ran in and said "go outside, its really weird, stuff like snow is falling!" So outside I went with a 2 week old baby! There was ash falling and quickly covering the hood of a car. Everyone in the house ran out and yelled at me " to get the heck back back in the house" they said the F word though!! LOL! They had turned on the news and they were reporting the volcano.

So I live in an area that "stuff" can happen too but it is not always reported. These were years ago, but I don't like listening to the news, its always bad, so maybe others are like me and don't know if something is coming! I got the link that started this thread from a person who bought a puppy from me 15 years ago and still keeps in touch.

No warning, so I do my best to have stuff on hand should we have another big quake.  Fresh batteries, water, canned goods, can opener, first aid kit, dog stuff,  things like that.  Boy I remember when Mt St Helens blew.  My brother lived up there too.  I remember seeing the pictures in the newspapers.  The ash covered EVERYTHING like a blanket of snow.  That was really incredible.

Before a quake?  no warning.  Before St. Helens?  a good couple weeks if I remember right, we could see the ash plumes from our house.  (Side note, my husband, who I didn't know at the time, wanted to go fish the river at St Helens one last time. they flipped a coin and he lost. They would have been right in the middle of the kill zone. Thank you coin flip going right) Volcanos you have a good chance at a warning, before a lahar? based on all the various drills they do around here not much warning at the time it happens.   Hurricanes you have a good chance at a warning.  Tornados, well..... don't know since I don't live in those areas.  We frequesntly visit tsunami areas and always know our evacuation route and most times we have at least our dogs and often the mules with us.  We also live very close to Mt. Rainier, considered one of the more likely volcanos to become active sooner then later. Mt. Rainier is where any close to us lahars would originate.

The main things are be prepared for getting you, your family, neighbors if possible, and animals that rely on you out.  if it's a false alarm, so what, better safe then get hit with disaster. You cannot count on the local law enforcement or government, they'll be busy dealing with the big picture.  And all of this should show what sueincc mentioned, be ready for much longer then 3 days on your own.  Which measn additional food and water for your animals too. 

Our plan for any of the disaters that would hit here is get our familey members to our house as the safest zone available, on bedrock, above flood and lahar zones.  We have the supplies and equipment to take care of them and many of our neighbors too.  We have friends that say they would show up since they trust us and know we are prepared.  We tell them come ahead, bring dog food for your dogs.

But know the final responsibilty to be prepared and have some sort of plan lies with you. For both your family and your animals. 

Animules:  I knew you were a kindrid spirit, we use to have mules too!  We just bought a little over 6 acres in Sequim, WA for our retirement.  ARe you familiar with Sequim (lavendar capitol!!)?

Sue, Love that area, and for some reason it has sun.   With rain forest all around it.  The lavendar fields are awesome. Now that was marketing genius with the timber and fishing industry crashing.  Wineries are going in now too.  Shoot me an email sometime.  I love talking GSD's and mules.  We have some great ones of both, not that I'm biased or anything.    Must be the long ears they both have.   And their intellegence.

Tina