Work Continues 7 Weeks Later

The CAAT's final team deployed to New Orleans has been hard at work since Friday. They have been working mostly at the new LA SPCA shelter in Algiers, which is just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans proper. Donna reports that there are not a large number of animals housed there as yet, but they spent the day organizing and unpacking supplies at the newly opened facility. The LA SPCA's old shelter in New Orleans was severely flooded and rendered unusable.

The team has also spent time at the Noah's Wish shelter in Slidell, where their skills were put to excellent use with the many animals that continue to be housed there.

Another task the team has been given is examining the 'cadaver dogs'. A section of the Lower 9th Ward is only just being searched for human casualties, as the area has continued to be under water. The cadaver dogs and their handlers search homes for 3-4 hours in the morning. The dogs are then brought in for an exam: they are cleaned of the sludge in which they have been working, and checked over physically and for signs of stress. If they are cleared, they are fed and watered and then they go back to work. I don't imagine this is a pleasant task for the vets and techs involved, never mind the rescuers and dogs, but an important and necessary one.

The team has received word that they may have a hotel room donated for their last night, near the French Quarter. Hopefully they will get to spend their last night experiencing New Orleans as it should be.

Here at home, watch for an interview on Tuesday on Breakfast Television on City TV, and in the coming weeks, a spot on 'City Heroes', also on City TV.