http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26485726/
Quote:
"NEW ORLEANS - Authorities evacuating residents from New Orleans ahead of Hurricane Gustav are making amends with four-legged friends after thousands of pets perished in Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
Animal welfare groups tried to make sure that evacuees had their pets with them, while shelters away from the Gulf Coast accommodated animals this time around.
Many owners stayed in the city during the catastrophic 2005 hurricane because they could not take their pets to shelters and could not bear to leave without them.
This city has been hit so badly, they've lost so much, and the last thing they have to hold on to is their animal," said Laura Bergerol, a volunteer with Animal Rescue New Orleans.
The group stacked up boxes for residents who planned to carry their small pets with them as part of an evacuation on buses and trains through the Union Passenger terminal.
Pet owners stood in line to register their furry friends. Then they were given a machine readable band to tag on to their pet, in case they became separated."