Doing it Right: Animal Rescue in Flooded North Dakota
I still have nightmares about Katrina — if I were told by rescuers that they wouldn’t take my cats, I would choose my cats over rescue.
Today, I was happy to see that the animal victims of the flooding in North Dakota are faring much better than Katrina pets did. Minnesota Catsters Winnie and Chester (pictured, right), sent me a link to a video of a rescue operation set up where families can drop off their beloved pets for safekeeping while they deal with the havoc wreaked by the floodwaters. (Even though it’s feel-good video, grab a hanky. I started blubbering like a baby when I saw the basset hound pair that was dropped off.) Click here to watch the video.
If you’re in area and are affected by the flood or would like to help, the Fargo-Moorhead Humane Society has set up an animal emergency shelter at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds. The phone number to the emergency animal shelter is 701-281-1574.
They ask that if your animal(s) will be in need of shelter at the emergency animal shelter, please prepare an emergency kit prior to bringing your animals to the shelter.
The kit should include:
- medications
- current vaccination/medical records
- food – at least three day supply, in an airtight container
- current photos and description of your pets
- pet carrier
- sturdy leashes
- familiar items, i.e., blankets, toys, pet beds
- Also, make sure your pet has identification tags.
If you would like to donate to help the animals that are being housed at the emergency shelter, the following items are needed:
- Cat and dog food; kitten and puppy food (any brand)
- Cat litter (non-scoopable)
- Litter scoops
- Bleach
- Toys
- Bedding (old towels/blankets)
- Newspapers
- Garbage bags/poop bags
- Treats
- Bottled water
- Food/treats for the volunteers
Volunteers are needed at the shelter, however, call before arriving to make sure help is still needed at that time. The number to the emergency animal shelter is 701-281-1574.
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Are you prepared in the event of an emergency? If you had to evacuate tomorrow, are your pets chipped and tagged? Do you have a sufficient number of carriers to accomodate all your pets? Click here to read our emergency preparedness tips.
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Yay for those great people! That is SO good of them when so many just forget the pets. Woo hoo! Now maybe more will learn.
Skee thanks for sharing this. We are purring so hard for our friends to the north. We have a bunch of friends who live in Fargo and Moorehead and worry sooooo much about them.
We lived through bad flooding in 2006 when we lived in NY still and know how scary it can be and the stuff in Fargo-Moorehead is going to be much worse and last much longer. F-M sits at the bottom of an old lake so it fills fast.
mommie say she wood not leave without me either
We are also purring for those who are in the areas of bad weather. I hope the owners marked the crates and have good ID on the animals. Even though they had ID on the dogs during Katrina, the first thing they did was remove collars! Hopefully, lots of lessons were learned during the Katrina tragedy.
I saw photos coming across yesterday from the emergency animal shelter. I had the same thoughts you did: Thank god a shelter was set up for animals, that this isn’t looking like Katrina, and that people don’t have to choose between their beloved pets or putting themselves in danger. I, too, wouldn’t leave my “kids.”
I have a list for a first aid kit for cats, but it’s 15-year outdated. Most of it would still be useful, like the gauze bandages they recommend. So thank you for this! I’m going to go out and get everything if I ever find a job. I have my parent’s cats, and the future in-law’s cats, to think about. Plus my fiance’s dog.