Disaster assistance

Animals are hard-hit by disasters just as people are. The utter devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina has animal-rescue teams scrambling to help. We'll post most more information as we get it; in the meantime, here's one group that's deserving of your support: Noah's Wish.

Noah's Wish founder Terri Crisp has made such a huge difference for animals, so much so that she has changed the culture. When I started writing about animals 20 years ago, disaster experts would be dismissive of my attempts to get information on helping animals in time of disaster. The prevailing attitude of the experts: "We're not here to help animals. Animals don't matter. Leave 'em a bag of food and get your family out."

Years ago, I pointed out to a disaster-response expert that in fact many people consider their animals to be part of their families. His response, as I recall, was something along the lines that if such people didn't understand that animals were just, well, animals, then they deserved what they got trying to save their pets.

I can't imagine anyone saying that now. Disaster planning and response now includes animals, in part because of the work of people like Terri Crisp, and in part because of the recognition that people do consider animals to be part of the family and will risk their lives to save their pets. Taking care of animals means taking care of people, bottom line.

My heart goes out to the people and animals who are suffering now, and if you're not one of them, give thanks and remember that this is a good time to review your plans for caring for your whole family -- animals included -- in case of a disaster (information to get you started can be found here, here and here). If you are lucky enough to have a little money to give, please consider helping Noah's Wish or another animal-rescue charity right now, in addition to those outstanding groups that focus on human needs alone. 

Incidentally, Terri Crisp's books are well worth seeking out. They're great reads! -- Gina Spadafori