Recently, the folks of Southern Louisiana endured some devastating floodwaters resulting in damage to their property, widespread evacuations, and some difficult situations in regards to farm animals and pets.
Many Louisiana residents underestimated the severity of the flood and ended up with farm animals entrenched in mud and tangled in rope and many pets went missing.
In the flurried chaos of it all, two animal rescue groups have been able to bring a semblance of order to the situation.
Louisiana State Animal Rescue Team (LSART) have been monitoring the waters and sending out rescue teams where there are animals in distress, and Denham Springs Animal Shelter have been taking in animals left in the wake of the destruction, as well as going above and beyond to make sure the dogs currently in their possession are safe and sound.
Note: There are many rescues and agencies (Army National Guardsmen and Coast Guardsmen plus the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement, whose agents - as of August 16th - rescued a total of 3,139 people and 603 animals) who are helping rescue and care for animals. Also, regular citizens are rescuing animals on their own. Not to take away from these two groups in the article, but I want to give thanks and recognition to everyone else too.
Hearing about these rescuers putting their lives on the line for animals is truly heartwarming. These animals are undoubtedly scared and without human intervention many of them would have no chance of surviving.
In addition to helping animals, LSART has been sharing tips with farm owners to help them prevent some of these situations from occurring. Without pre-emptive planning, animals quickly went from safe above ground to entrenched in mud.
Some horses were also found neck deep in water and tangled in ropes. Ideally, all farm animals should be relocated to farms on higher ground before the flooding.
No challenge seemed too big for LSART, though! Decked out in gear, volunteers waded through the water to bring horses to safety. That’s commitment!
Meanwhile, Denham Springs Animal Shelter took the dogs in their possession to higher ground where they received some much-needed food and finally got to relax a bit.
We truly applaud all of the rescuers and volunteers who put themselves at risk for the well-being of these animals. You know what they say, a person’s true character is seen not in the easy times, but the hard ones. And these folks definitely showed how compassionate and brave they are!
Efforts to save animals from floodwaters in Louisiana is still underway. You can help support LSART efforts by making a donation here.
You can also donate to "La. Animal Relief Fund 2016 Flood". This appears to be a legitimate GoFundMe account. Laura Pursnell Lindsay is the Public Information Director for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). Be cautious of donating to someone or a group without double-checking. There are, unfortunately, people who take advantage of people's kindness.
(OneGreenPlanet.org - Aug 17, 2016)
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