Dozens of animals rescued from hopeless situation in Mississippi arrive
in Chicago with new hope for new homes
A year after Hurricane Katrina left the Gulf Coast in ruin, three-quarters of
the residents of Waveland, Mississippi, about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans
in the heart of severely hit Hancock County, are still living in FEMA trailers,
homeless cats and dogs are having litters on the streets, and people have become
so frustrated that they many are surrendering or abandoning their own pets.
 "The devastation in this part of the Gulf Coast is tragic," said PAWS Chicago
founder and chair Paula Fasseas, who took part in the rescue trip. "People in
this community lost everything -- their homes, their cars, and their lives as
they knew them. In these dire circumstances, pets are being surrendered to the
local shelter and abandoned on the streets. There are absolutely no adoption
possibilities for these helpless creatures in Hancock County, so we brought them
back to Chicago to save their lives."
Three van loads of homeless dogs and cats from Waveland -- 40 in total --
arrived at the Lurie Clinic at 3516 W. 26th Street a little after 10:00 p.m.
Sunday night, culminating a three-day rescue mission by volunteers and staff of
PAWS Chicago.
 Before bringing the animals to Chicago, the PAWS team had conducted a free
three-day spay/neuter clinic on Friday, September 15, Saturday, September 16,
and Sunday, September 17 for all residents of Hancock County, with the help of a
local veterinarian and volunteers from the veterinary school at the University
of Illinois.
More than 250 animals were spayed or neutered, and hundreds more are on a
waiting list for another PAWS Chicago expedition.
Click here to contribute to the Mississippi Fund to help save
more!
Or mail your contribution to:
PAWS Chicago
Mississippi Fund
1110 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60609
Click here to view pictures from the Waveland Mississippi Rescue
Mission.
|
