Dear PetsTV:

  Thank you for your letter regarding the animals that were left behind during the rescue effort following the Hurricane Katrina tragedy in New Orleans.

  Hurricane Katrina was an enormously powerful act of nature. It was certainly not caused by any government. But governmental failures in preparing for, and responding to, Hurricane Katrina allowed much more suffering and property destruction to occur than should have. I am saddened and horrified by the pain, suffering, and tragedy caused by what may turn out to be the worst natural disaster in American history. Millions of Americans are currently pulling together and reaching out to help the victims of Katrina. We here in Washington must now come together to help the victims by fixing our emergency response system and restoring the public`s confidence in our government.

  It is heartbreaking to hear of the stories where families were forced to leave their pets behind as they followed instructions to evacuate or as they were being rescued. During my time in public life, I have always felt an obligation to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. I believe that government has a responsibility to protect our non-human friends as well as our citizens and residents, and I am disheartened that animals are being left to starve and die in New Orleans and its surrounding areas. As the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, I have joined the Chairman, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), in calling for an investigation on the immense failure in the government`s response to the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. The committee will investigate all aspects of this disaster, including what the government could have done to ensure that adequate resources were available to protect, and meet the needs of, all who were in the storm`s path.

  Fortunately, commander of Task Force Katrina, Lieutenant General Russel Honore, has announced that soldiers will start to evacuate some of the pets left behind by their owners as well as those belonging to residents who have not left because they did not want to leave their pets. In addition, many animal protection organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are doing the work that needs to be done in order to rescue animals that were left behind. Volunteers are at work around the clock rescuing as many animals as possible and reuniting them with their owners. As an animal lover myself, please rest assured I will continue to do all I can in Congress to ensure that as many animals as possible are rescued. Meanwhile, I urge you to support the work that animal protection organizations are currently doing.

  My official Senate web site is designed to be an on-line office that provides access to constituent services, Connecticut-specific information, and an abundance of information about what I am working on in the Senate on behalf of Connecticut and the nation. I am also pleased to let you know that I have launched an email news update service through my web site. You can sign up for that service by visiting
http://lieberman.senate.gov and clicking on the ``Subscribe Email News Updates`` button at the bottom of the home page. Additionally, the web site for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is designed to provide visitors with information about the matters of the Committee, including news regarding our investigation into the preparation for, and response to Hurricane Katrina. You can access the schedule of upcoming hearings, view press releases, track legislation that has been sent to the Committee and view other Committee information by visiting http://hsgac.senate.gov. I hope these are informative and useful.

  Thank you again for letting me know your views and concerns. Please contact me if you have any additional questions or comments about our work in Congress.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman
UNITED STATES SENATOR

Subject: Save Our Pets

  Over two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, many unanswered questions remain about how the entire rescue effort has been handled. Even the President of the United States has seemed powerless to get the resources of the Federal Government to work together in an effective manner. The human suffering and loss is beyond the imagination of most Americans.

  While acknowledging that people come first, it still challenges the mind to see how callous the authorities and agencies involved in the aftermath of this tragedy have been toward the thousands of pets trapped as a result of this storm.

  News report after report has chronicled how people refused to evacuate because they were not allowed to take their pets with them. People felt this way because they consider their pets to be part of their family and could no more leave them than they could leave a human family member. There can be no doubt that many people and their pets died as a result of the cruel indifference of the authorities.

  This is not the first time that pets have been forgotten in natural disasters. However, due to the unprecedented suffering of the abandoned Katrina pets, the issue has received widespread media coverage. As result of the public outcry, the Coast Guard and the National Guard have begun letting people take their pets out with them and actually are now rescuing some of the thousands of pets that remain stranded.

  Many terrible things have occurred as a result of Hurricane Katrina, but hopefully there will be valuable lessons learned. One of the lessons must be a mandatory requirement that all disaster relief efforts include the rescue and care of pets. People should never again be forced to abandon their pets as a condition for being rescued themselves.

  What has the American Red Cross done to help care for abandoned pets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina? In past disasters, we do not know of anything they have done to provide for victims’ pets and our information is that they do not allow pets in their shelters. But regardless of what they have done, they can do better and could be a major force in helping to correct this problem.

  The good news is that this problem is solvable and it can be fixed at a very small cost. All it takes are cages, food, water, and more importantly new policies, regulations, and a caring attitude. There will be quite a psychological boost to the people and children in these shelters knowing they are helping these pets that depend totally on us to care for them.

  Of course, for the present we must continue to focus our energies on saving the Katrina Pets and to reunite as many as possible with their owners and, when that is not possible, to find them loving homes. So many people and groups are working tirelessly on this and thank God for their efforts. We should all donate what we can to help.

  But when this is over we must start a campaign to get the message out to our Local, State and Federal Government that we want this to be the last disaster where authorities turn their back on and force abandonment of our family pets.

  It is not unreasonable for us to expect the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to make provisions for the security of family pets that find themselves in the middle of any unforeseen disaster.

  Hopefully, the Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA will take the lead to come up with plans that require this. Only organizations such as these, with their millions of members, have the influence necessary to convince government leaders and the American Red Cross about the importance, the correctness and the necessity of saving our pets.

  We have the ability and collective influence to change the current policy of indifference and neglect. For the love and devotion that our pets give us --we must do it.


Sam Hunt, Chairman and CEO
Petstv Inc.
www.petstv.com

`Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the mills,
not a puppy was stirring, it was strangely quite still.

While back at the pole, Santa readied the sleigh
to pick up these mill dogs, it was such a long way!

The reindeer were dressing all quick in a hurry
They were headed for RESCUE, and straight for MISSOURI!

On Dasher on Dancer on Comet and Cupid.
Those pups go to Pet Shops! We know! We`re not stupid!

As his sleigh did approach, the mill gates opened wide,
Santa called to them all, and they all jumped inside!

On Poodles, on Bichons, on Golden Retrievers!
Grab up the babies, we save those for grievers!

On Westies, on Lhasas, on cute Weenie Boogers,
On Shih Tzus and Scotties, they`re all sweet as sugar!

On Schnauzers, and Maltese, on Wire Haired Fox Terriers!
We`ve got room for ALL, the more now, the merrier!

And the sleigh just grew bigger as they all made more room,
These pups lives were changing! No more gloom and doom!

While out on the lawns there arose such a clatter
The millers ran out to see what was the matter!

When they found their ``stock`` gone, how the millers did sob,
while a Voice from above boomed, ``GO GET A REAL JOB!``

As it seemed it could not get much better than this,
I started to wake, did I dream all of this???

There was no red sleigh, no reindeer with wings.
I guess it was sadly, just one of those things,

That you dream and you dream, till one day `twill be.
That glorious day, when the mills are history!

And I think as we tell them, and tell them again,
Soon it will be that we all know that when,

One buys from a pet shop, there are pups you don`t see.
The Mama and Daddy, who are longing to be,

loved by a family, and scratched on the heads.
Not sleeping on wire, that they now call their beds.

One day it will be, oh how that will feel!
We won`t mill our puppies like paper and steel!

And I heard it exclaimed as I woke up that night,
We won`t stand for this, we`ll stand up and fight!

With each breath we do have and each word we do say,
we`ll tell about the mills, till that glorious day,

when the mills are all outlawed, and all over Missouri,
The occupation of milling, will be but a memory.

Bill No. H.R. 2669/S. 1139

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