Coast to Coast Email and Phone Campaign Initiated to Save Katrina's Stranded Pets

Rescue Organizations around the country have come together and initated one of the largest pet related email and phone campaigns in history after all animal rescue organizations are denied access into LA's hurricane struck areas.

(PRWEB) December 31, 2005 -- As human rescue efforts forge forward in Louisiana and surrounding states, pet owners are being forced by rescuers to leave pets behind.

The nation's large and small animal rescue and welfare organizations have activated what could be the largest phone and email campaign to government officials, in an effort to help stranded pets get help.

On Sept 4, 2005 more than 80 organizations in AZ were contacted with a single email. At the same time, 2500 miles away on the East Coast, tens of thousands of concernd citizens received a similar email alert.

Citizens, volunteers, foster parents, and pet lovers are being asked to contact their local congressmen and senators. Links are being provided to assist people in finding their state and federal representatives.

The campaign was initiated after animal rescue organizations were denied access to starving and stranded animals in the Louisiana area. People who have chosen to stay and not abandon their pets are being forced to leave animals behind in without food or care.

Animal rescue organizations across the country are receiving desperate email plea's from pet owners who are providing addresses and permission to break into homes in order to help pets. The following are examples of these plea's:

"If rescue teams go into New Orleans PLEASE get
Litle Kitty and Big Kitty at 3520 Vincennes Place New Orleans, 70125-4352 Please contact:
Lynne Adrian 205-246-3186"

" My phone number in Baton Rouge is 225-272-9139. My cell number is 504-717-0239. My fiance and I left New Orleans on friday for our routine weekend visit to Baton Rouge, not as an evacuation. We didn't realize how serious the storm was until Sunday, and by then, it was too late to get back to New Orleans to pick up our cats. I'm worried sick and I'm not sure what to do. The address my cats are at is 4820 Magazine Apt. 3. New Orleans, LA 70115. The apartment will be locked. If the door needs to be broken down, that is fine. Anything that has to be done to save them."

The public is being asked in the email to go to the following links in order to contact state and federal officials by phone or email:

Federal Officials-
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

State Officials- http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Initiators of this massive grass roots campaign include the organizations www.petsandanimals.org, www.peta.org and www.byvetsonly.com.

Sample Email Alerts Include:

"Pets and animals in distress -Sept 3, 2005 Urgent save the animals in New Orleans attention shelters, rescue groups and volunteers we need your help to contact the media to help save the animals that have been left behind in homes, apts condos in New Orleans that the city state officals will not allow any rescue groups to come in and rescue them.

We have a growing list of animals that were left inside homes, apts, and condos from evacuee's that left New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina hit that need to be rescued and saved now before it is too late. We are receiving e-mails and phone calls from distressed people that are frantic and need help to save there pets. The city/ state officals are not allowing any animal rescue groups to come in to save these animals, time is of the essence.

Please send out e-mails to all TV stations (CNN, FOX, CNBC, CBS NBC, ABC), all national newspapers and radio stations including satelite radio to get this 911 urgent plea out. Call and contact state representatives, city officals and the governor of Louisiana to demand to let animal rescue groups to come in and rescue and save the animals. It is imperitive not to let these animals die this way. Many animals still can be saved before it is too late if they will allow rescue groups to start coming in now. We do not have much time. There are many animals with no food or water dying a slow death that are inside in sweltering heat that is rising everyday that are now suffocating. Please crosspost and pass this urgent save the new orleans aniamsl on to the media and state officials. All organizations, shelters and rescue groups need to unite to be a voice for the animals who cannot speak. We need to help save the animals in new orleans before it is too late.

Please help to get this urgent message out now. Thank you pets & animals in distress."

**By Vets Only, Inc is an Arizona company dedicated to animal welfare. They provide free press release drafting and distribution to animal rescue organizations and animals in crisis. By Vets Only researches and confirms all facts and information in its release prior to sending. Contact Bobbi Jo Swartz at 1-800-805-1846 for details regarding this release.**

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