Not Left Behind
Early days of Hurricane Katrina pet rescue captured in photography book
July 27, 2006 1:21 PM
Kanab, UT (07/26/2006) - On the eve of the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Yorkville Press is offering a collection of images of hope and stories about happy endings for the pets stranded as the waters rose.
The photographs were taken as the first rescue team scoured the flooded streets of the city by boat seeking the pets that evacuees had been forced to leave behind.
Published in collaboration with Best Friends Animal Society, Not Left Behind: Rescuing the Pets of New Orleans (publication date: August 21, 2006; $19.95 hardcover) chronicles the heroic efforts of Best Friends, the organization that managed to rescue more than 4,000 pets from New Orleans and the surrounding area. The photographs document the challenges faced by the team - and the numerous rewards.
From the heart-wrenching sight of a pit bull valiantly swimming down a city street to meet his rescuers to the joyful reunion between a golden retriever and her owner, these pictures convey the emotions and remarkable accomplishments of the rescue team. They are also a testament to the power of the grassroots system. Helped locally by animal shelters and big-hearted citizens, and supported nationally by dedicated volunteers and donors, the Best Friends rescuers were able to save thousands of pets, reuniting many of them with their owners and finding new, loving homes for many others, thanks to a truly collaborative effort.
At a time when the country continues to analyze what went wrong during and after Hurricane Katrina, it's refreshing - and inspiring - to be reminded of what went right. Ethan Gurney and Jeff Popowich, who led the team effort to rescue the abandoned pets of New Orleans, are available for internviews in late August. They can share the insights they gained during what was for them a life-changing experience, as well as a wealth of gripping, poignant anecdotes, both about the animals and the people they met during their time in New Orleans.
The early days of Best Friends Hurricane Relief are documented in our Special Report. Click Here
Visit Best Friends on the Frontlines for our stories of the early days of our rescue efforts. Click Here
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Best Friends Animal Society operates the country's largest sanctuary for homeless animals, and works with its members, and with shelters and rescue groups nationwide, to provide adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs, and to bring about a time when there will be no more homeless pets.
Best Friends Animal Society: A better world through kindness to animals.
