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COMPASSION SAVES CANINES
New Iberia couple takes in dogs
October 4, 2005 - Forty-four St. Landry Parish dogs are on their way to safe, new homes today because of a nationwide outpouring of compassion in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The dogs, which were being housed in the St. Landry Parish Animal Control shelter near the airport in Opelousas, are being taken to a private facility run by Martha and Bernard Escoyne in New Iberia. From there, they hopefully soon will be adopted by people from throughout the nation looking for displaced pets.
Marie Bossard of Opelousas, one of the organizers of the animal relief effort, said she has received a wave of e-mails from people to adopt animals from the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
"They are making requests specifically for Hurricane Katrina pets. I'm discouraging that," she said. "Somebody may come forward to claim those animals. I tell them by adopting one of these, they are making way for Katrina pets in local shelters."
Bossard said some of the pets were displaced by one of the two hurricanes, but most were brought in by people who didn't want them.
The dogs, which ranged in size from the very big to the very small and in age from puppy to adult, were originally supposed to have been picked up as part of rescue and relocation effort organized by Texas billionaire Boone Pickens. Bossard said while that effort took place in Baton Rouge, it fell through locally.
"I made a promise to (the parish shelter) that we were going to take care of these animals, so we are coming up with our own solution," Bossard said.
Want to adopt?
The St. Landry Parish Animal Control office is located on Hanger Road in Opelousas, next to the airport. For information on pet adoption, call 948-6185.