THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE LOUISIANA VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IS
1-800-524-2996 OR 225-928-5862.
For Immediate Release: September 1, 2005
Animal Evacuation and Recovery Plan for New Orleans
PETS TRAVELING WITH OWNERS
The LVMA is currently accepting pets at the Blackham Coliseum in
Lafayette, LSU in Shreveport, the Monroe Civic Center for small animals and the Ike Hamilton Center for large animals in Monroe, the Farmer’s Market in Alexandria, and the LSU Agriculture Center/Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge. Owners must be housed in a Red Cross shelter; owners are responsible for caring for their animals, including feeding and cleaning. Animals will be accepted 24 hours a day.
Veterinarians will be on hand to handle any medical needs.
While owners are responsible for the feeding and cleaning of their pets
at the Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge, the SVM, along with volunteers from the Baton Rouge Veterinary Medical Association, will provide veterinary care. If for some reason, an owner is unable to care for a pet sheltered in the Parker Coliseum (e.g., the owner is housed in a special needs shelter), SVM student volunteers will provide primary care, such as feeding and cleaning. The East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center will be taking stray animals.
The Parker Coliseum will be staffed 24 hours a day by a supervising
veterinarian and student volunteers from the School of Veterinary Medicine. Pets in the Coliseum will be given physical exams and Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccinations. If a pet requires medical attention and veterinary monitoring, it will be sent to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
PEOPLE WITH PETS WHO ARE CURRENTLY EVACUATING NEW ORLEANS
The LA/SPCA will transport animals from pick-up points in New Orleans to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. The pick-up points have not yet been determined and are being coordinated with the agency charged with transporting people from New Orleans to other areas.
The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Rd., Gonzales, La., will serve as the primary staging area. Once the shelter is full, animals will be moved to temporary shelters in other areas of Louisiana and Texas.
The LA/SPCA Dorothy Dorsett Mobile Veterinary Center will be at the
Lamar-Dixon Center to treat incoming animals as needed.
CONFINED PETS STILL IN DISASTER AREA
Beginning on September 1, residents who left pets in their homes may
call a hot line to leave information about the number of animals, species, and their confined location. As soon as the hotline number is obtained, we will advise the media. WE CANNOT ENTER NEW ORLEANS UNTIL APPROVAL IS GRANTED BY STATE
OFFICIALS.
DONATIONS
Financial donations are being accepted to fund the animals’ care through the Dr. Walter J. Ernst, Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation at the LVMA at 1-800-524-2996.
A regional donation center is being established. Our needs include:
large air kennels and metal cages, leashes, disposable bowls, canned cat and dog food, disposable litter pans, spray bleach, paper towels, sheets, towels, locks, hoses, bottled water, trash cans, trash bags, pooper scoopers, cat litter, extension cords, fans. The most urgent needs are kennels and monetary donations. The media will be advised of the address once determined. At least 175 animals are currently en route to Baton Rouge.
For more information or to make donations of the materials listed
above, please call the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine at 225-578-9900 (www.vetmed.lsu.edu) or the LVMA at 1-800-524-2996 (www.lvma.org).
ANIMAL EVACUATION AND RECOVERY PLAN CONTACT INFORMATION
Louisiana SPCA contact Laura Maloney 225-413-8813
East Baton Rouge Animal Control Center Hilton Cole 225-774-7700
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Becky Adcock 225-578-9900
Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association 225-928-5862
