Safe and Warm

A homeowner's declaration during Hurricane Katrina. Image from here.

I live streamed Hurricane Harvey coverage nearly all day today. I couldn't help it - I'm a weather nerd anyway, but I also have some pretty distinct memories of Hurricane Katrina and I found myself instantly transported backwards about twelve years after tuning in. 

ABC 13 out of Houston is doing a fantastic job of getting information and resources out to their community and of showing those of us in other parts of the country exactly what is going on down there. As I watched interview upon interview with people just pulled out of their homes it became frighteningly clear that we were dealing with another Katrina. There was one shockingly clear difference in the interviews this time around, however.

Once in a while - and increasingly - a dog's bark would split the air or the camera would pan on people cradling their pets. Animals were part of the developing story. Many of those rescued have dogs: barking in crates, held in arms, swimming alongside their owners. "Did you bring anything with you?" asks the reporter. "Just me and my dogs," the rescued man says, looking down fondly at his safe family members in their familiar crate. The camera follows his gaze. Safe. During Hurricane Katrina he would've had to either leave them behind or refuse rescue. Pets weren't allowed in official rescue vehicles or at shelters, so many were abandoned on rooftops - and some people died rather than leave them behind. It's estimated that 44% of people that refused rescue during Katrina did so in order to remain with their pets. Laws were put in place following the staggering loss of human and animal life during Hurricane Katrina to protect pets - and it has clearly made a difference.

Much progress.

While recording what I was witnessing on Facebook earlier I was starting to write about how I hadn't seen any footage of pets at shelters - but, then, as if by command, the on-scene reporter made a point of showing one: a 50lb hound mix on his own leash. Safe and warm. The anchors then started discussing the fact that pets are welcomed at the majority of Houston's shelters.

I should probably mention at this point that Storm, my bearded collie, is a Katrina rescue. He was an eight month old shelter dog in Slidell, LA when the hurricane went through and somehow survived the starvation, disease, mass killings, and outright violence that befell so many dogs down there. I will most likely recount his story here on his upcoming homecoming anniversary, but for now it suffices to say that he is a very important part of my life.

...so I cried for probably a good hour because all of those laws to protect the hairiest members of a family were working and would start up again every time I heard dogs in the background on TV because that noise simply wasn't there during Katrina coverage. I was, in truth, a bit of a mess, but it was a good mess and the kind that only the sensation of Storm's foot on mine or running my hand through his shaggy coat would help. I offered cuddle time on the couch and he happily (albiet slowly, as he's nearly 13 now) obliged. 

It's OK, Little Man. You are safe and warm, and there are so many dogs in Texas that are the same tonight thanks to what people learned during your hurricane. There aren't many Katrina dogs left anymore, and I'm so happy that you are here with me watching dogs directly benefiting from what you somehow managed to survive.