“The animals were acting normal and the weather was just like any other summer day.”
CEO of the LASPCA Anna Zorilla knew there was a hurricane headed their way and while other agencies struggled to implement evacuation plans, the LASPCA put their proven plans into motion.
Staff and volunteers worked together to evacuate over 260 animals three days before Katrina struck and brought them to safety in either Houston, Texas or Baton Rouge, Louisiana. But when the levies broke, everything changed.
“When the levies broke, we knew we needed help and called agencies from all over the country and told them we were not prepared for what was about to happen. No one was prepared. We thought it would just be a few days,” Zorilla recalls.
In late August of 2005, the Louisiana SPCA was faced with one of the biggest challenges of their over 120 year history. The complete evacuation of their shelter while preparing for the on slot of animals that would need rescue and shelter in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Here is their story in a special edition of pet pointers.
During the days and for weeks after Katrina, volunteers from every corner of the U.S. came pouring in to help rescue and care for the thousands of wet, hungry pets left behind by frightened pet parents. In all, the LASPCA and other independent groups saved over 15,000 pets from the murky water and summer heat that claimed the lives of countless others.
While the rescue continued, the LASPCA also came to realize their shelter was completely destroyed. The kennels the offices and most of their records were lost, but this was a chance for a new beginning.
“We realized we needed a new facility even before the hurricane hit, so this gave us the opportunity to get that,” Zorilla said.
The newly rebuilt Phase 1 of the LASPCA opened on May 1, 2007. It's bright and sleek, with classical music piped into the kennels to soothe residents while their state of the art air filtration system pumps out stale air to promote respiratory health.
The recovery efforts continue through the efforts of the staff and volunteers.