Helping rescue pets in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Many of the Katrina evacuees had pets and many of those pets had to be left behind when their owners left their homes. Some of those pets are in Tulsa now. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talks

Monday, September 19th 2005, 1:57 pm

By: News On 6

Many of the Katrina evacuees had pets and many of those pets had to be left behind when their owners left their homes. Some of those pets are in Tulsa now.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells talks to the volunteers who went to New Orleans to bring them out and tell us what will happen to them now.

Kathy Remmert and Laura LittleBear are among half dozen or so volunteers from the Humane Society who are just back from their second trip to New Orleans to rescue animals. Laura LittleBear: "This is Pudgy, he has actually been reunited." Lucky Pudgy, his owner is on the way to Tulsa to pick him up. They were on vacation when the storm hit, when the city was evacuated the dog was lost, until now. Laura LittleBear: "It's a needle in a haystack, needle in a haystack."

The dogs were a mess when they picked them up. All the dogs have been cleaned up and treated. Sammy they found in the first trip, but he got away and they found him again the second time. Laura LittleBear: "It was really amazing that we were able to find the same dog twice, we like OK you're going with us this time." Snoopy was hiding under a bed in an abandoned house.

The volunteers hooked up with the Texas National Guard in New Orleans and let the Guard members re-name the dogs. Laura LittleBear: "This is Charlie 6." Charlie 6 is just a puppy but swam through the flood waters to be rescued.

All these dogs could be easily adopted here but that's not the goal. Laura: "Our first and primary goal is to try to reunite these animals with their owners.â€ For now the dogs are being quarantined to make sure they are healthy.

The Humane Society will continue to look for their owners, but need foster homes in the meantime. If you'd like to help call them at 250-DOGS.