129 Comments:

• Dave - I wish you could speak to the foster/adoptive home that took in one of the Katrina dogs our group rescued. Because... there's been a miracle in their house and they need to know! That "100% fatal 100% of the time" thing you mentioned? Well, they took in a dog that had a bad case of heartworm in November. They treated him over a 6-month period. They gave a traumatized animal a lot of love and care, and spent a lot of their own money on it, and he's doing just fine now, happy and secure in his new family. And heartworm free! It's a miracle! Call the Vatican or whoever you call for these things... But I'll tell you one thing, if anyone turns up nearly a year later trying to claim that dog, there'll be a big Stop sign here. There's a point where closure is needed. And what's in the animal's best interests also counts.
  My vote goes to Pam Bondi.

  By  Anonymous, at 9:14 PM, July 02, 2006  

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• It's obvious you know jack about heatworms or dogs for that matter. While I realize that all this babble is "your opinion" you should at least act like you know what you are talking about. Yes heartworms can be fatal but YES they can be cured!!!!!! What is up with you and the beef? Hello mister intelligent, dogs are carnivores. Do you think in the wild that they pick berries or harvest wheat? Here's a scoop for ya, the family admits the dog was diagnosed with heartworms at age 10 months and yet he went untreated. Pam Bondi got him treated. 7 months later they decide that they should find their 2 dogs? Oh yes I said 2, there is another one. What did they think the dogs were doing all this time for food and water? The real victims here are the animals of New Orleans. Thank God for people like Pam Bondi willing to help!

  By  Anonymous, at 10:04 PM, July 02, 2006  

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• Dave, Dave, Dave,
  
  I don't think you did your research on this one. There are a few points that you have missed or intentionally overlooked.
  
  First of all, Saint Bernard's typically weigh 165 - 200 lbs. When Master tank was picked up by Pam Bondi he weighed less than 100 lbs. No dog, would lose 65 - 80 lbs in a month, especially one that had been in the care of animal control for weeks. This dog was severely malnourished BEFORE, Katrina.
  
  Secondly, heartworms are VERY treatable and have been for about twenty years. The drug of choice today is Immiticide, at one time it was Carposolate, Ivermectin is also used in two week doses to clear heartworms. Heartworm is no longer fatal and has not been for a good while. It is also COMPLETELY preventable. Where have you been? Where has this "loving" family been? Heartguard costs about $130 a year for a dog of his size. If they couldn't afford that and they were not feeding him properly, why should he be returned? So they can once again neglect him and fail to give him medical care?
  
  Thirdly, meat of any kind, including "cow", has always been a staple in a carnivorous animal's diet. It is only with the invention of commercial dog food that we got lazy and stopped feeding our dogs real food. Dog food is, at a minimum, 65% grain. Have you ever seen a wolf in a corn field Dave? Grain is not an appropriate food for dogs. More and more people are turning to a method of feeding called "Raw Feeding" or "BARF" which stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods. None of my six dogs eat dog food and they are the picture of health and I have my Vet's blessing on my choice of diet. You see, he was uneducated in canine nutrition, just like you. I got him to do some reading and to think outside of the "Science Diet" box. What an eye opener that was for him!
  
  Hook worms, round worms, tape worms. All completely preventable with routine vet care. Which it is obvious that Master Tank got very little of in NOLA.
  
  You see, I went to Lamar Dixon and worked and pulled out 30 dogs. Most were bully breeds that had been either yard dogs or tied up all of their lives. All but two were heartworm positive and several had advanced cancer, and other serious medical conditions that were present way before Katrina visited NOLA. The majority of these animals were not beloved family pets. They were logging chain decorations and or status symbols. I personally hospiced a few of these dogs in my home. The last one died on January 11th, 2006. He never gave up and neither did I, but he broke my heart when he left me. Sadly, his cancer, had it been treated six months earlier, would have been completely curable. He was an awesome dog, with the heart of a lion and the temperament of a kitten. Are you recognizing a pattern yet?
  
  The people of NOLA want to cry poverty. Well, that is just tough. Owning an animal is a privilege, not a right. If you don't have the financial means to take care of one properly, then don't own one. It's just like kids, if you can't afford them, don't have 'em. Doesn't seem to stop folks though does it? One of these so called owners came to reclaim a dog from my group. Just on a lark we did a little "Research", this was a family who had been on public assistance for 12 generations yes, twelve! Are you seeing the picture yet? They got their dog back, and I am sure that his new logging chain is nice and shiny.
  
  I think that Hurricane Katrina is probably the best thing that ever happened to most of these animals. Hopefully most of them have made it into loving homes and are receiving a better standard of care. I know the dogs that I got out are. Out of 30 dogs only two were reclaimed by their owners.
  
  The Louisiana SPCA and HSUS made the rules. The rules were that the dogs could not be adopted or altered until after October 15th. On October 16th they could be released for adoption. Pam Bondi's adoption is legal. She did not break any rules. She and the Pinellas shelter went by the book. Pam spent the thousands of dollars to get Noah back to health and now you want her to return him to a family who obviously couldn't or wouldn't care for him in the past? What a waste that would be.
  
  Some of these animals were valued family pets. They absolutely should be returned. Dogs like Noah and others who were obviously neglected or abused, should stay where they are. Let this be a lesson to the people of NOLA. Ignorance and poverty are not an excuse for neglect and abuse. If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em.
  
  Pam, if you should ever run across my little vent. I think it is despicable that your telephone number and email address were posted on the internet for the crazies to find. I wish peace for you and Noah.
  
  Dave, I hope that maybe in the future you will be a little better informed before spewing venom and misinformation or setting someone up to be deluged with hate mail.
  
  I'm sure the weather is beautiful in New Jersey now. Unlike the living hell of a furnace we call New Orleans this time of year. Sadly, the majority of the dogs there are probably outside with little or not protection from the heat. Just like Master Tank used to be. Is this what you had in mind when demanding that he go back?
  
  If people want outside animals they should get a goat or other form of livestock. Dogs and cats are companion animals who should be sheltered and live indoors with us as companions. Thus the name "Companion Animals."

  By  Anonymous, at 10:15 PM, July 02, 2006  

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• Bully for you Pam. If not for you and other compassionate people many more dogs would have perished. I met one of the most compassionate, caring rescue workers that donated their time, money and many hard hours in the saving and evacuation of these animals. I also adopted one. He was underweight, HW positive and came with the prerequisite log chain collar. I have also spent a lot of money on this dog and I also say the archaic Napoleanic law that governs LA is outdated. Am I going to give up my dog in 3 years just because some owner's whim is he/she wants a perfectly healthy dog back that has become a part of my family? Would I subject my air conditioned pooch to a life chained outside with not a thought of his creature comfort. I say NO!

  By  Anonymous, at 8:34 AM, July 03, 2006  

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• Actually, the family said they were treating the dog for heartworms.
  Also, sounds like these kids are orphans-if I understood they lost their parents comment correctly.
  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sfl-fcanedogs29jun29,0,1183481.story?coll=sfla-news-hurricane

  By  Anonymous, at 12:25 AM, July 04, 2006  

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• This issue is not about Master Tank or Nila. It is about a group of middle-aged, unattractive, bitter, women of a certain sexual preference,called the Stealth Volunteers, who were looking for a high profile target. Have you noticed that the other dog, Nila, is not being pursued nearly as much? It's because her adopters are media nobodies.
  
  These women pursue, harass, threaten, and terrorize adoptive families and shelter/rescue workers. They publish these poor people's personal information, including names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses on public websites. These adoptive families are terrified. Some have had to ask local police departments for protection/surveillance of their homes and have received numerous threats via, email, mail, and telephone. They are fearful for their children and pet's safety.
  
  All these adopters wanted to do was give an animal a home. This goes to show you that "No good deed goes unpunished."
  
  The Stealth Volunteers have now resorted to going into websites featuring adopted animals and then trying to match them to owners, who have not even been looking for them for months.
  
  Guess they are searching for another high profile target like Pam Bondi.
  
  None of the lawsuits would have been pursued if not for the bolstering and pushing of the Stealth Volunteers. I think that their actions are much more damaging than helpful at this point. It is time for closure. Stealth Volunteers, go get a life.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:05 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• Stealth is making an attempt to keep their names out of this but I think credit should be given where credit is due. While we fondly refer to them as Big Mama and the Mafia here is a list of your players
  Marilyn Knapp Litt - San Antonio Texas
  Christiane Biag - New Rochelle New York
  Anita Wollison - Wilmington Delaware
  Janis Callahan - Birmingham Alabama and lead volunteer on this case.
  LeAnne Goudela - Sulphur Louisiana
  Laura Holochwost - Kenosha Wisconsin
  Keep up the "good" work ladies. How many dogs will die in shelters because people will be afraid to adopt because of you. Sleep well if your conscience will allow you.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:24 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• With sincere apologies to Ms Biagi for misspelling her name. Please note I left the "i" off in my previous post.

  By  Anonymous, at 2:27 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• Oh my! Both "7/4/06 2:05 pm anonymous" and "7/4/06 2:24 pm anonymous" have a very overactive imagination with a touch of paranoia. And our husbands will find your comments about our sexual preference quite funny. We are just people treating our fellow human beings and their companion animals the same way we would like to be treated if our roles were reversed.
  Laura Holochwost
  A proud Stealth Volunteer

  By  Laura Holochwost, at 8:22 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• Even though not one of us named by "anonymous" is of "a certain sexual preference" the very idea that you would even say such a narrow-minded and stupid thing - while hiding behind the cowardly protection of anonymity - has made all of your comments completely meaningless. Many of my closest friends are of "a certain sexual preference." Many of my close friends are women. Many are middle-aged. Some are even unattractive. All can be bitter at times. I was really bitter just last week when I spent over an hour on the phone with Verizon.

  By  Anita, at 9:02 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• Laura, quoting you "We are just people treating our fellow human beings and their companion animals the same way we would like to be treated if our roles were reversed."
  
  You must be a masochist. In order for that to happen you would need to be very ill with bone cancer, in and out of the hospital twice weekly for Chemo and transfusions and wish to receive two to three threatening telephone calls a day from Chris Biagi, to the point where you are forced to block her number, like Linda of Happy Tails. Or worse yet, the next time you legally adopt a pet, you would want someone to publish your personal address and telephone number on a public website stating that you had stolen the animal, so that your family and children could be terrorized with death threats, drive bys and hateful telephone calls, like Lynne. Or even better yet, because you legally adopted the animal, you could have a group of zealots come after you in the mainstream media relentlessly trying to destroy you, your career, and everything you have worked your entire life for, like Pam Bondi.
  
  That's a lot of pain to want to inflict upon oneself. Maybe you should just go to confession instead. Al Qaeda has made terrorism and martyrdom unfashionable this year.
  
  In regards to posting anonymously. Well, after reading the above, does anyone blame me? I have a family and pets to protect too. Who would be willing to be targeted by your group?

  By  Anonymous, at 10:10 PM, July 04, 2006  

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• I am a New Orleans native and am hurt and offended by your comments. How can people "claiming" to be here to rescue our animals, now turn around and pass judgment on people like this. What kind of evil is in your heart to want to kick a whole city when it is down, or does it just make you feel good. You know there were a lot of girls like you in High School, had to put others down to make themselves feel big, I guess some people just never grow out of it.
  Yes, some of the dogs rescued had heartworms, maybe you should blame the LASPCA who came into the poorer areas of the city year after year and gave "shots" to these peoples animals but failed to educate them on heartworms and how to treat it. These people were not neglectful, they loved their pets, they just weren't given the information by the people that should have been providing it. There were also dogs that had been on heartworm treatment before the storm, that were rescued and turned up HW+ because they missed a treatment or two.
  Why don't you come down here and start a heartworm education program or is that "somebody elses" job? And if it is "somebody elses" job, what is your job?
  So you went to Lamar and "took" dogs, guess I shouldn't ask if you posted them on petfinder, if not then I amend that to: you "stole" dogs. Did you ever go into the city? Did you ever spend a day talking to these owners who you have already played judge and jury with? Have you ever seen some of them break down in tears upon seeing that their animal is still alive?
  When someone comes into your home and takes your property it is called theft, especially without their permission. If I asked you to move my car out of the flood waters way, does that give you possession of my car, to give away to someone you feel is more "deserving"? If I am in an auto accident and cannot save my child and you pull him out of a burning car, does this now give you the right to adopt him out?
  You see, your error is in your thinking that people willingly left their animals. This is not true, in most cases either someone stayed at the house with the animals, and the animals were "rescued" while the owners were not there, the owners were forced to leave by the police, or the owners had to leave via transportation that forbid them to take their pets. Last time I looked, car ownership was not a requirement for pet ownership.
  As for the condition of the animals, did you ever see the condition of the people that were working in the city after the storm? I know that I looked like I had been run over by a truck. Most of us lost weight, were dirty, muddy and looked exactly like the dogs we were helping. I don't recall that I had been "abused" prior to the storm, although by my condition you would had said I was.
  Have you heard the hundreds of stories of "why" and "how" the animals came to be "abandonded" (your word not mine)? Did you talk to the 60 year old couple that walked twice through toxic flood waters for three miles each way to try to get their dog to leave, to finally have her brother agree to stay with the dog, only to have the National Guard force him to leave. Did you hear the stories of owners threatened at gunpoint to either leave their pet or the pet would be shot. Have you talked with the gentleman who's dog WAS shot right in front of him? Where were you and what exactly were you doing besides passing judgment?
  If you were at Lamar Dixon I suppose you heard the stories of pit bulls being stolen every night. How do you differentiate yourself from these people. In my eyes you are the same. You came into my city and stole dogs, with no intention of returning them, the same thing they did. I bet they think that they have "good homes" for the dogs that they stole too, all depends on your definition of a good home. The dog may think that a "good home" is to be with his family, the one that raised him. I think that some of these dogs think they are just on a trip somewhere and are waiting to go home.
  You say that you put these animals into "good" homes. How do you really know? A few visits here and there, and boy, I bet you just feel all good about yourself, patting yourself on the back on what a good job you did. Just remember, everyone that came into contact with Ted Bundy thought that he was charming and charismatic, right up until the time he killed them...don't think that all of your "perfect" homes are just that.
  You referred to the amount of weight lost by M. Tank and blamed it on his owners. You see, when I leave town, my dog doesn't eat. She misses me too much to eat, so if M.Tank was not eating and lost that much weight it was probably an indication of how much he LOVED and MISSED his family. The dog was not malnourished before Katrina, he was homesick. Ask any vet.
  No one in N.O. is "claiming" poverty, where did you get that one? If a family has been on public assistance, or not, should be of NO factor on if a dog should be returned to a family, and really is none of your business. I thought the issue here was "if the animal was a loved and cared for member of the family" not "if the animal was in a middle to upper class family". Do you not think that rich people are neglectful and abusive? Boy, that would make it a lot easier, we could just round up all the poor and throw them in jail. Although those Menendez kids and others sort of disprove that theory. Obviously, you have a problem with the financial status of people that wish to own pets. This is proof that you really don't have "the animals best interest at heart", what you have is some irrational need to play judge and jury with other people's lives.
  Oh, and by the way, the last dog that I had lived for 20 years, and I have another one that is in perfect health at 15 years old and both were fed Kibbles and Chunks all their lives with no medical problems. So your food theory is also wrong.
  I don't believe that anyone needs to intimidate or threaten the adopters, the record shows that every animal that owners have gone to court for have been returned to them. Time and the law are on the owners side, it only a matter of time until they come for you.
  Please if there is ever anything like hurricane Katrina here again, stay away. Our people have been hurt too much to have people like you coming in to just add to the pain.
  What have you done to help the animal that you claimed to have returned to the "public assistance" family? Have you come down here and helped them gut and rebuild their house? Taken their kids for a day so that they could work on the house? Offered to help with vet bills until they could get back on their feet? Or just sit online and say horrible things about a family that have no defense here?
  And yes, you can say that this post is borne of pain and anger. The pain of watching time and again, people like you, sitting in Ohio, or New York or California passing judgment on a city that you visited once just long enough to take what you wanted and leave...I believe there was a name for people like that in New Orleans after the storm "looters"... too bad that some of them came in "rescurers" clothing.
  The cruelty inflicted on animals is nothing compared to the cruelty you have inflicted upon the residents of the city that I grew up in and love.

  By  Anonymous, at 12:41 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• So, those of you who claim to be so concerned about the welfare of animals....do you think that the next time there is a disaster, anywhere in the country, they are going to allow groups from outside the state come in to help? Not now, after they have seen how thier beloved animals have been stolen by SOME animal groups with hearts of stone. And if you were so concerned about the animals of New Orleans, why did you wait so long to go save them? Heck, there are high-kill shelters all over the place!! Why don't you go storming in and save those dogs and cats? Or do you only go in under the cover of a hurricaine?
  
  And how did you know my husband and I have a preference for bondage?

  By  Donna Thomas, at 5:58 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• I am hurt to have been left off the list submitted anonymously by Mr. "2:24 PM, July 04, 2006." I have been an active SVer since October, and my name appears on dozens of blogs and news sites all over cyberspace. Maybe I'm not activist or inflammatory enough, as 99% of SVers are not, to have made your personal front page. That's because 99%+ of our work has been the tireless search to find and reunite owners displaced by the hurricane with their lost pets, rather than writing long and tiresome tirades about others in the rescue world. Not that it doesn't happen, but if you've been in humane work for as long as I have (nearly 35 years), you know that if you want to get anything done, you have to play nicely with those whose technique differs from yours. SVers don't always agree with each other either!In this particular case, however, we all agree: owners who were lied to and thwarted should not have to lose the pets they love. Simple.

  By  Robin Siegel, at 7:07 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• Hey people, maybe we can quit the personal attacks and sexual preference innuendo.   The fact is somebody fell victim to Hurricane Katrina.   Their home was destroyed.   Their pets "rescued."   And before they could get back on their feet, the pets were adopted.
  
  Dogs and other pets are not children but what if they were?   How would we feel if kids were irreversibly adopted one month after a natural disaster?   We wouldn't stand for it.
  
  As I say, dogs are not children.   But what are they?   Are they property?   How would we feel if "rescue workers" arrived on the scene of a natural disaster and found artwork belonging to a storm victim, took it in order to preserve it, and then gave it to someone who could care for it better than the "previous owner?"   That wouldn't fly either.
  
  And what has adherence to Florida law got to do with anything?   This "property" or these "children" were only in Florida as a result of someone's (not the owner's) actions.   This is an interstate issue not a state one.   If it could be made into a state law issue, then everyone would be well advised to enter disaster areas, loot as much as possible and then cross state lines back into their home state where the owner would have no claim against the property looted.
  
  Either these dogs should be returned to their rightful owners or the next time there is a disaster, you ought to go to the disaster area and take whatever you please.   Make sure you grab stuff that has not been well cared for so you can argue that you have a right to the property based on the previous owner's neglect.

  By  Dave, at 8:27 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• To Ms Anonymous of 10:10 PM, July 04, 2006:
  
  It is unfortunate that Linda of Happy Tails in Louisiana was contacted by reunion volunteers during her illness but she is the designated contact for the 100+ Rottweilers that she removed from Lamar-Dixon and immediately turned over to the American Rottweiler Club. Her contact info was available on the ASPCA Receiving Shelter list on the web and on Petfinder AERN. Rottie owners found the American Rottweiler Club difficult to work with. Desperate Rottie owners who knew their dogs were rescued and went through Lamar-Dixon had no other choice than to contact Linda since she had the paperwork. It's too bad the ARC didn't step up and relieve Linda of this burden. Perhaps this quote which expresses the personal opinion of one ARC member might explain why ARC wasn't more helpful.
  
  1/23/06 email from a Lamar-Dixon ARC volunteer:
  NO DOG SHOULD BE RE-UNITED WITH PAST FAMILY MEMEBERS!!!
  
  And I won't get into a pissing match about who has suffered more - the victims of Katrina or (to use your words) the "victims of Stealth". By the way, there are many more reunion volunteers that are not participating in the Stealth Volunteers Yahoo group.

  By  Laura Holochwost, at 9:18 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• Regarding Anonymous, at 10:15 PM, July 02, 2006
  
  Actually, while dogs are members of the order Carnivora, they are not obligate carnivores the way that cats are and, like bears, many can thrive quite well with a more omnivorous diet including grains and vegetables. That is an evolutionary trait and has nothing to do with cartons of kibble. It's a fallacy that a dog needs slabs of fresh meat at every meal.

  By  Sandra Bauer, at 11:00 AM, July 05, 2006  

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• Come for a little ride with me... c'mon... hop in and let me show you around. But before we go, give me your money, job, house, car, phone, wheelchair, all your memories and worldly possessions, access to medical care and medicines, food and water, clothing, computer, tv, radio, and any other means of communication with the outside world. Take my hand, friend... come with me, trust me to have your best interests at heart and I'll abandon you in Hell... I’ll depost you in the middle of a boiling soup of diseased water and add a delicious topping of petroleum products with wonderful surprises underneath the murky water – an insect-infested, toxic wasteland of martial law. C’mon, hand over your family and I’ll scatter them to the farthest corners of the earth, destitute, battered and hopeless. Give me the only thing you have left - your fur-children - whether by theft, force, gunpoint, demand for evacuation, looting, being shot off a roof or being handcuffed and taken to jail. You don’t mind, do you? Give it all to me, hand it over - and I’ll give you back empty promises and false hope that someday you might get it back.
  
  How’s that for a little time off? How’s that for a little physical, financial and emotional change of scenery?
  
  Anoymous said:“This issue is not about Master Tank or Nila. It is about a group of middle-aged, unattractive, bitter, women of a certain sexual preference, called the Stealth Volunteers...” How very brave, intelligent and enlightened you are, Anonymous! The attacks and judgements never cease to amaze me. Is there now room/rhyme/reason for discussion of anyone's sexual orientation, gender or perceived attractiveness? Yes, SV'ers are (in large part) of the female gender. For the record, my age is none of your business, I’m straight, my heart is good and my animals think I’m cute as a button. Bitter? Ummmm, ok, you can call me bitter. I have listened to the sobs of countless owners’ stories whose lives and hearts have been demolished by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. I have shared grief and nightmares, mourned death and suicides, had my trust in the LA and US officials be dashed by the reality of hard politics and lost more faith in our system than I could ever fathom. Many of us are also Christian as well... would you like more information on that part of my life in order that you can put my spirituality up for attack as well?
  
  Many times spay/neuter issues as well as awareness of heartworm and other diseases are matters of a sorrowful lack of education. That you would deny someone the joy, love, pleasure and completeness of a loyal, loving pet by virtue of their financial status (or lack thereof), quite simply floors and horrifies me. Do you know how many of those poor folks without cars or legs died with their animals because they could not/would not leave them?? Please don't vilify the people of New Orleans for something that much of the country suffers from. If those issues weren't prevalent in a good part of our country then the high kill 'shelters' would not even be in existence. I am so SICK of people putting down the good folks of N.O.! Greater than thou, better than thou, smarter than thou, know better than thou... your arrogant pontification amazes me. Allow me to quote from one of the greatest books of all times: "Judge not lest ye be judged." Ah yes, and while we’re at it, since economic means has been so harped on, let’s just remove all children from any financially-challenged families as well, shall we? And since so many of the disabled were unable to evacuate, at the least let’s make pet ownership for the disabled against the law - or better yet, let’s just line up all the disabled and shoot them just like Sgt. Mike Minton did as a ‘favor’ to the stray dogs. As a profoundly disabled person I’ll guess I’ll be facing that firing squad too.
  
  Finally, YES, PLEASE! – most importantly, go ahead and associate me with the courageous, kind, dedicated, good hearts of the Stealth Volunteers who are trying to right the LA SPCA and the HSUS’s wrongs. Those decisions were made (I can only assume) in desperation! Most unfortunately, those organizations were chosen to feel what is ‘best’ for the animal victims regardless of the law! And they have taken the only thing so many NOLA residents had left - they have taken their precious pets too.
  
  There is no law that says I must follow the governmental herd blindly and agree with the actions of a government overwhelmed by the largest U.S. disaster in history. I would face a firing squad of you any day as long as I had the comfort and strength of even one of those Stealth Volunteers' capable, compassionate, caring hands in mine. I could look up to my God and tell Him I'm coming home with a smile. “Mama and her Mafia” (LOL... thank you SO much for that – it gave me the BEST laugh!) are my heroes, my faith, my hope for a better response to natural disasters in the future. I will always live my life questioning authority and dedicating the best part of my life to animal rescue and advocacy. Doing the right thing is an important part of that and I will forever be in awe of most reunion volunteers’ tenacity and compassion, SV’ers included.
  
  I’d love to say more, but I need to run – going to go check into getting an AK-47 built into the arm of my wheelchair. ;)
  
  No need for anonymity. I am PROUD of my association with the Stealth Volunteers.
  Ms. Pal Lerma (aka ZooKeep)
  Colorado

  By  ZooKeepVelvet, at 12:02 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Please let me thank you, Anonymous, for your cowardly attack on a group of volunteers that have done nothing but attempt to right the terrible wrongs done to the people and animals of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
  
  First hit, Katrina, second hit, Wilma, then the last hit was the US government lacking the conviction to help when they were really needed.
  
  All Stealth Volunteers have done (and I am also darned proud to call myself a Stealth Volunteer) is to try to get the thousands of Katrina displaced animals home to their families that love them. I personally spent a month in New Orleans last year helping initially to rescue these animals, and then I returned two more times to reunite some of the animals with their owners. Most Stealth Volunteers have each spent hundreds of hours over the last ten months scouring the internet, finding dogs and cats, matching them to owners or addresses, and then posting flyers where they used to live; hoping to get them back to their owners.
  
  I am neither a rogue activist, nor a bitter woman, nor of a certain persuasion (and trust me my ex-husband and boyfriends would be most amused by that thought.) I have simply been in New Orleans numerous times since Katrina hit, seen the absolute destruction and devastation, and met owner after owner (who were also sent all over the US after Katrina.) Most of these owners had no resources available to them to help find their animals that were also sent all over the US. Our group was formed to bridge that gap. We have had many success stories, and the shelters and owners that we have worked with have appreciated our help and our dedication.
  
  Instead of attacking anonymously a group that was formed for benevolent reasons, why not take your time and volunteer at a local animal shelter (as many of us do, in addition, to our time spent volunteering with Stealth), or better yet, take a trip to New Orleans or anywhere on the Gulf Coast and volunteer to help at one of the devastated shelters that are dealing with the aftermath. Once you have walked in our shoes, please feel free to then talk to us about our lack of compassion and our bitterness.
  
  As to our tactics…we do not employ tactics that intimidate, threaten, or hurt others in any form; we simply ask for the right thing to happen; to return the animal to its legal owner who has generally lost everything. When that fails, we use legal means; including filing lawsuits and asking for help from local police departments. Looking for a “larger target” is not of interest to us; we simply care about the families that have lost everything and are often clinging onto hope that their beloved animal will come home. We do what we do out of love and respect for the people and animals of the Gulf Coast…plain and simple.

  By  Laura Bergerol, at 4:09 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Emotional stuff here, that is for sure. It is hard to remove the emotional content from any of these topics, as they all touch us deeply.
  
  But let me say this about the dogs rescued from New Orleans. It wasn't 100 dogs, or 1,000 dogs, but more like 8,000 dogs. There is a slight logistic problem in this number in just trying to keep them alive. At best the weather was mostly in the high 90's and at almost 100% humidity. There was no place for these dogs to go to in the beginning, other than Lamar Dixon or other outlaying shelters. There was no air conditioning available for all these dogs, or comfortable quarters,such as runs or exercise pens. These dogs lived stacked in crates in barns in this heat, and every morning dogs were removed that had died from the heat, illness, heartworm, whelping and other causes. The sheer volume of dogs lent itself to mistakes in labeling, tracking and more as the newer concern became about keeping these dogs alive. It wasn't one volunteer for five dogs, but more like one volunteer for 30 or more dogs, most of them sick, scared with other health problems, never been on a leash much less a crate. It meant changing food daily due to donations which also caused digestive upsets. It meant no time to properly groom or bath these dogs, but simply try to keep them fed, watered and walk them when possible because there were many other dogs needing immediate attention.
  
  When air conditioned vehicles came to take these dogs out of the deplorable weather, volunteers cheered and cried to know these dogs would be given another chance at life. Lamar Dixon became so full that the front gates were locked and guarded for three days and transports coming in with dogs had no place to go... and dogs started to die in their vehicles. So many dogs and just not enough places to take them.
  
  To see people here fighting on who to blame is senseless. A natural disaster occurred and people who came out and volunteered did the best they could under the worst of circumstances. Choices had to be made and not easy ones and the botton line at the end of the day was to try and save these dogs lives and keep them comfortable.
  
  Without these volunteers, rescues and shelters, frankly probably 3/4's of these dogs would not have survived. How many people have thanked these volunteers for donating their time, money and energy to work so hard to keep so many of these dogs alive? Would they have been better off dead, than sent around the country?
  
  Isn't part of being a responsible pet owner about knowing a few basic things about animal care? Can I easily forgive you if your dog dies or suffers due to neglect that would have been easily taken care of with proper maintanance? And then, does it really matter what I think, or what someone else does?
  
  If you let your car rust, or not change the oil, I don't care. But neglect your dog, cat, horse or cattle? That does bother me. Should I have the right to judge you? Yes, if I had to suffer the consequences of that neglect.
  
  I didn't see dogs in early stage heartworm, most had severe infestation. Early heartworm problems can be treated with monthly heartgard. But not full blown cases.
  I held many Hurricane Katrina dogs that blew blood out their nostrils and mouths from the heartworm onslought. Am I supposed to just forget about that? Who do I get mad at for that?
  I also held dying dogs, screamed to get IV's for dogs dehydrating, cried for dogs dying in my arms for weeks on end.. and now, these same volunteers deserve to be bullied and harrassed? Frankly, this reminds me more of custody fights between parents, and probably the first human response is the inclination to show who could give the best care. I am not saying this right or wrong, simply human nature.
  
  It has been 10 months now. A bigger question isn't what should have been done (either by the owners, shelters or volunteers) but more who will show up next time? Who will want to bother to help these dogs, knowing the harrasment and guilt heaped on by groups such as Stealth? Maybe the Stealth volunteers can go to the next disaster site and do the work. I hope so, because I am not sure who else would be willing to go again. It was more to be imagined or described than room allows here.
  
  Ask yourself.. what is more important, the needs of the owner or the needs of the dog? More important that the dogs lived, or returned home in the same shape they were found? Because those are hard questions and I hope none of you ever have to be in that position.

  By  Anonymous, at 5:03 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• WOW, where do I start? First off, I have seen the heartache caused for the animals of Katrina, and while I understand that there were a small "few" who honestly believed that they would be home soon, and left their animals inside with what they believed to be plenty of food and water, that was the majority. I thought that true animal advocacy was for animals. Not for people who look out the window and say "God I love that starving, tumor infested HW+ dog chained up in the backyard. OK kids pack up, Scruffy will be fine." If I ever seriously thought about associating with nuts like you I'm over it. I don't care what your persuasion or your looks your nuts! To pester deathly ill people over animals that no one cared about? Tell me did the tumor the size of a football growing on a toothless senior dog happen in the span of a month? She came from LA and was HW+? I'm sure they loved her. They probably thought it was kinder to let her drown. I'm disgusted, what a bunch of quacks. I hope no one ever calls me an animal advocate, they might confuse me with you Stealth whack jobs. I'll just sit back and wait for the next disaster and clean up the mess those loving owners create.

  By  Anonymous, at 5:43 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Oh, and one more thing, being poor is no excuse for being cruel, and never seeing a vet is cruel. Don't sit around waiting for free shots. If you can't afford a vet who can tell you how to take care of an animal at $50 a year don't own an animal.

  By  Anonymous, at 5:45 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• http://www.lostkatrinapets.com/
  
  Look at all the abused and negleted dogs...Bad pet owners don't spend 10 months trying to get their dogs back..and not all pet owners were bad...Judge will return the dogs...The neglet thing can hold water...they were treating the dog..that is what you do when the dog gets sick,...no abuse...too bad you all don't fight as hard to take away kids from parents that spoke 2 packs a day right in the house...

  By  Anonymous, at 6:50 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Nice article on Pam Bondi making her a hero in her own world.
  
  How about a DETAILED article on the Owners of the St. Bernard, how they left the dog at a shelter to be cared for and never abondoned it
  and how the shelter in Florida basically snatched dogs as quick as they could while they ran massive PR campaigns back home to raise money, then adopted the dogs without so much as an ounce of effort to find the owners. What if they was your dog and you had been treated this way. And all you snobs that think it can't be you wait till they "nuke" a city near you or don't allow you to leave New York city on the subway when a disaster hits their...I was their, I saw what good animal owners lived through..HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  Further, Heartworm is only deadly if not treated. The dogs both were being treated. Allowing Mrs. Bondi to spin this like these dogs were being abused is criminal. WE CAN'T EVEN GET JUDGES TO TAKE ANIMALS AWAY FROM REAL ANIMAL ABUSERS AND NOW YOU WANT TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM PEOPLE LIKE THIS...
  
  All pictures of the dogs BEFORE hurricane show them in good health, GOOD WEIGHT, GOOD COATS AND HAPPY.
  
  We can't even get judges to take the dogs of people who actually abuse them and Pam Bondi wants to take a dog from someone
  because it has heartworms and was being treated, they took it to a legitimate shelter under the control of the St. Benrard animal control.
  
  THE DOGS PAPERWORK SHOWED THE OWNER and it would have taken one phone call TO FIND THEM...
  
  They call this a legal adoption, except for the circumstance of the case. This was not a situation where a dog was wondering the streets of Florida and ended up in the shelter.
  
  This dog was actively taken from LA when the owners had simply left it at a shelter until they could PUT A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADs.
  
  iF YOU WANT TO PRINT THE TRUTH, START ASKING QUESTIONS.
  
  and hope to god these self centered shelters don't come to your towns rescue in your disaster...

  By  Anonymous, at 6:59 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• People...they didn't turn up a year later looking for the dog...they started this search soon after the storm and got lied to, treated like sh** by the shelter. They didn't wait a year to decide to get the dog back...
  
  Most of you are making up your own take on this entire situation...
  
  This is one of the worst cases of total disrespect for owners by a shelter the country has ever seen...wait till it all comes out...and it is starting to...lies, throwing away tags, lies, not scanning, adopting out to friends, dogs being promised to people while still in transport from LA to Florida, small dogs simlply being stolen, telling owners they didn't have to dogs when they did....
  
  How are they sleeping at night knowing someone is greiving on the other end of the phone and they lie right to their face...

  By  Anonymous, at 7:03 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Bondi looks stressed...she know she is going to lose...no legal leg to stand on....just lies about neglected dogs.... which don't matter...in case you have not noticed we can't even get judges to take away dogs from real abusers...

  By  Anonymous, at 7:07 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Well, Mr. and Ms. Anonymouses, I am only guessing here, but are you maybe political cronies or family members of Pam Bondi, friends of the shelter who gave away an owned pet, or just residents of the great state of Florida? Instead of telling "Dave" that he should check his facts, maybe you should check yours. Are you even aware that there is almost twice as much incidence of heartworm in your state as there is in LA. You come in second only to Texas, which is only five or more times larger than you. Next time I go out to rescue, I will make sure to take your Fla. dogs elsewhere, because you people sure don't provide any health care for your pets - they are obviously horribly abused/neglected and "YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE THEM". Now PLEASE don't take offense, we're just going to do what WE KNOW is best for the animals, and we know much better than you.
  
  These people gave their dog to a shelter, during a major disaster, to hold until they could get settled somewhere to take them. The shelter screwed up, not Pam Bondi, but she needs to give them their dog back and the other family needs to give his sister back. These two dogs belong to/with their family. In this case, Pam Bondi is wrong. There are hundreds of dogs in shelters that need homes. Pam Bondi should find another deserving dog that has no one and give him or her a good home. Master Tank has a home and a family. Don't you think these folks who (the newspaper says) are raising their orphaned grandchildren have lost enough?? And now people who got their pets through a series of mistakes (at least most of this mess might have been, or am I being too naive)do not want to return them. Sorry anonymouses, its just wrong. And in the end, after putting these poor folks through all this legal garbage, I feel pretty assured that they will get their dogs, as some other folks have already done. They belong to them, whether they are considered family or property. And besides that, it is just the morally, ethically DECENT thing to do.
  
  Now to be consistent, respectfully yours,

  By  Anonymous, at 8:26 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• Okay, I'm going to set the record straight here once and for all. First and foremost, there is absolutely nothing anonymous about me. I never have and never will post anything anonymously. That is because I have nothing to hide, I am not a coward, I am not a liar, and I don't say anything without first checking out and verifying my facts. While many of you are relying on biased media, speculations, assumptions and rumor mills, I get facts first and open my mouth later. So if you weren't so cowardly and so afraid of the truth, all you would have to do is ask me. You all know how to find me.
  
  AND FOR THE RECORD, I have refused to help owners who called me because, after questioning them, I did determine they were abusive or neglectful owners and I knew the pets were better off for having been rescued. I screen the owners I work with. I refused to help someone who admitted they chain their dog. I refused to help someone who had never taken their pet to a vet. I refused to help someone who was operating a puppymill. I refused to help someone who's dog was in the advanced stage of cancer. So get your facts straight. I know and verify the owners I work with do love their pets and give them the standard quality of medical care!
  
  And yet I have also verified a number of rescuers just flat out lying. They lied about the pet being dead or alive. They lied about vet records and the dog's health. They lied about the money they spent or didn't spend.
  
  I am not anywhere near the whacko mafia some of you think I am. I am an absolute devout animal rescuer and I ALWAYS put what is in the best interest of the pet FIRST. I would never facilitate in the return of ANY pet if I thought for one second it was being returned to an abusive or neglectful situation, and I have worked with owners I have been blunt enough to tell them to their face I would not help them because I would not jeopardize their pet's health, and there are shelters and rescue groups who can absolutely vouch that I am speaking the truth here.
  
  It's no secret that some pets are absolutely better off from Katrina. That's a no brainer. Do you think for one minute a neglectful and abusive owner would spend thousands of dollars and go through 10 months of hell, agony, heartbreak, and constant bashing and criticism if they didn't give a damn about their pet. Wake up people and smell the coffee.
  
  Get your facts straight before you pass judgment. I always do.
  
  I've talked with people who had guns put in their faces. I've talked to people who had pets ripped from their very arms. I've talked to people who stayed in the flood to die with their pets until rescuers came in and physically forced a separation. I've talked to emergency workers who were saving lives at the superdome and couldn't get home through the flooded waters to save their own family members.
  
  GRANTED, Yes, there are two sides to every story. The real difference between myself and you anonymous lunatics is that I am fair minded enough and non-judgmental enough to check out the facts of each and every single situation and make a determination on a case by case basis.
  
  Sadly, if you had any common sense and wanted to know the truth, you would also check out your facts and not believe everything you read.
  
  I am proud of my work. I am proud to be part of Stealth. I am damn proud of the happy reunions I have made to families whose pets are treated like their own children.
  
  So if you want to keep showing your ignorance, your bias opinions, and your hate in your own anonymous way, keep blogging. But if you want the truth COME FIND ME!
  
  Otherwise, quite frankly, I could care less about any media circulating on any of these stories. I am the last person on earth to be a press hound. What the press thinks doesn't matter. Who cares! And that is exactly why I keep a low profile. I have no interest in wasting time talking to bias reporters, who will ultimately write what they want to write anyway. As I have told every reporter who has contacted me, THESE ARE NOT MY STORIES, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM. If the victims want to be heard, that is their right and privilege.
  
  So next time you want to bash me, show some integrity and confront me with the truth. I've never been afraid of the truth, nor should any of you be. I don't write anything I'm not willing to sign my name to. I stand behind my integrity, and if more of you would do the same, you could do some really productive work like saving animals lives, one way or another, or raising money for animal welfare, instead of wasting your time on crap blogs that don't amount to a hill of beans and do absolutely nothing to help all the homeless, abused and neglected pets still sitting in kill shelters begging to be loved. So while you were wasting your time trashing me here, I've been busy at my computer trying to facilitate transport of animals out of kill shelters!
  
  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TODAY TO SAVE A PET FROM DEATH, STARVATION, CHAINS, ABUSE, BACKYARD BREEDING, FIGHTING and NEGLECT! Because I can say every single day of my life I'm doing something somewhere, somehow, some way to save one precious life!

  By  Janis Callahan, at 8:41 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• To: Anonymous, at 2:24 PM, July 04, 2006
  
  You said:
  
  "Keep up the "good" work ladies. How many dogs will die in shelters because people will be afraid to adopt because of you. Sleep well if your conscience will allow you."
  
  And how many dogs/cats do you think have ALREADY died because you type of folks took these Katrina animals to shelters all over the country, killing your own community's dogs to make room for them, because you figured the novelty of owning a Katrina dog would make you some money? Just another reason to give these dogs back to their rightful owners, so there is space for another dog in a shelter cage who might then live and find a home. My local shelter went to NOLA to rescue, spent a lot of time and money to do so and brought back NOT ONE animal BECAUSE it had too many animals in its own community to care for.
  
  And how many more animals will die in disasters because no state will want the debacle caused in the Gulf by SOME of the "rescuing" organizations that came to NOLA and stole animals. There were MANY wonderful rescuers in NOLA, and MANY shelters who did what they were supposed to and tried desperately to reunite pets with their families, but others ruined it for the good ones. In a disaster, there will be no time to sort out who did what they were supposed to from those that did not. Those folks followed no rules, not even those of basic decency. Your ranting and raving and attacks on dedicated, well-meaning volunteer people is just ludicrous and you are WRONG and it makes you look ridiculous and basically not worth listening to. AND, simply put, you are NOT a good person. You should think before you speak and at least TRY to hide your true nature - your holier than thou attitude and your basic stupidity and indecency. And don't flatter yourself, I will not be back to see your response.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:24 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• What have I done today? Uummm... Lets see.
  
  
  5 am, awoke with a start when a large set of paws belonging to a 100+lb dog land square in the middle of my abdomen. Dazed and gasping for breath, I roll over and scratch something furry, realizing that it is my husband's back and not the dog in question (eeww gotta wax him again) I begin fumbling on the nightstand feeling around for my glasses. As I open my eyes the world is clouded, realizing that I still have my glasses on and that they are coated with 'nose juice" from an investigatory midnight sniffer, I clean them on my t-shirt and try to swing my tired legs off the bed. Feeling beneath my feet gingerly, lest I step on a tail or paw I stand up and stumble towards the line of crates in my bedroom to let the dogs out. Once everyone is up I usher my three dogs along with five fosters out into the early morning air to enjoy a romp before the sun comes up and begins to boil the earth. Once they are out, I stagger to the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot and start breakfast for everyone. While the coffee is brewing, I check on foster number six, still in his crate and also a visitor I am keeping for a few days for a fellow rescuer while she retrieves her daughter from grandma's. He is a beautiful dog, but strong willed and an accomplished escape artist. I love him.
  
  At 5:15 am I slug back a full cup of coffee and let foster number six into a separate run outside. By this time I have thoroughly cleaned my glasses and been able to locate my shoes. Foster number six has some issues with foster number three. We are working them out, but not at 5 am. That will come later today.
  
  At 5:45 I let in the eight I let out earlier and feed them all breakfast. Then I go and let my visitor out for a quick romp and serve him breakfast on the deck. Meanwhile, foster number six gets breakfast in the run.
  
  At 6 am after slugging back two more cups of coffee I retrieve everyone's bowls and put them away. I bring in foster number six and stash him in my office with his bed and a few toys to entertain him. Then I let in Mr. Visitor and re-locate him to the formal living room which is gated. His mom is coming to get him today and I want to groom him up a bit for her. BTW, he's an adopted rescue!
  
  It's now 6:30 am and I sit down in my office to check email quickly, making sure there are no crisis I need to manage. All clear, so I answer a few short emails from people wanting to surrender dogs, explaining that we are out of room but will courtesy post them if they are sterilized and have had a HW test. I also answer one adoption inquiry and a few personal notes from friends and family.
  
  At 7am I go and wake my husband, take him a cup of coffee, think how lucky I am that this poor man puts up with all these beasts I bring home and remember to be thankful for other things as well. Then I am off to make the bed, straighten the kitchen and get out the shop vac to suck up the mountain of dog hair on my floors. This takes me until 7:30 am. At that time I sit down to have yet another cup of coffee with my husband and discuss our upcoming days.
  
  8am I receive a telephone call from a prospective adopter looking for a female puppy. I don't have one but send her a few referrals and also call the shelter director to see what came in over the holiday. I get into a lengthy discussion with her about how we are going to handle intaking over 600 animals into a shelter that only has a capacity for about 250. By the end of the conversation we are both nearly in tears.
  
  8:30 am, time to medicate foster number six with his last dose of oral meds for mange and apply topical solution to his skin to ease the dryness and itching. He adores all the attention and just rolls over for an extended belly rub. He is still a pup so he needs to go back out for a few minutes. We finally come back in at 9 am and I restash him in my office.
  
  9:15 am I get a call from our rescue vice president just sick over the decision we have made to euthanize one of our foster dogs. After having her evaluated with a trainer and a behaviorist, their recommendation is not good. Her mind is irretrievable broken and she will never be adoptable. We cry on the phone as we make arrangements to meet on Monday, to put this girl out of her pain.
  
  Is this enough? Do you want to know the rest of my day? Did I do enough for the animals to satisfy you?

  By  Anonymous, at 10:47 PM, July 05, 2006  

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• No, actually you didn't do enough to satisfy me, BECAUSE of what it appears you think your work has entitled you to ALSO do, that of being judge and jury. What you are doing is quite admirable, but it does not qualify or entitle you to pass judgement on other people and whether or not they have a legal/moral right to have their own pets returned to them. You have made a choice to help animals - but that really does not give you the right to have your judgement about others impact their lives. Many of these pets that were "mishandled" (being kind here) by some shelters and even stolen by some unscrupulous rescuers/shelters were well cared for and loved. (Are you aware that many of the small and/or purebreed dogs are the ones that have "disappeared"?) We have laws in this country, no matter how inadequate they are, and noone has the legal right to take and/or keep an animal, whether considered a family member or property, without due process. There are statutes of limitations in cases of theft and receiving stolen property that have certainly not passed. Every pet that was a victim of this disaster should/must be returned to its righful owner. If someone believes that the owner is abusive or neglectful (we have procedures, laws in place), they should report it to the proper authorites and follow through. I don't think Pam Bondi was initially the real problem here; it is the shelter that KNEW the identity of the owners of this dog who further victimized them AND victimized her by causing her to be in receipt of stolen "property". But Pam Bondi has the ability to do the right thing NOW and return this dog to its rightful owners, without all this publicity, and without incurring court costs and heartache to this poor family who has already lost so much.
  
  Someone could certainly take what you wrote here and judge you to be an inadequate pet owner/rescuer - dogs lined up in crates, too many dogs to be able to care for them properly, etc. I do not; I believe you are a lover of animals and are doing the best you can to help. I admire what you are doing, BUT it does not give you the right to pass judgement on others, not the owners and not other people with the same drive/love you have (and some maybe even more), who are trying to help animals and their people too.

  By  Anonymous, at 6:38 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• I am appalled. I didn't see a single dog (and I did see them with my own eyes) come in in great shape. Having said that it was obvious which animals were loved prior to the storm. They had no issues that were not easily treated with some washing and a few groceries. As all of you very smart people surely know heartworm comes goes in stages. If a dog came out of LA with a low positive I would be inclined to believe that just maybe it was because they contracted them in the aftermath. We're now talking that. Most of the dogs had terrible cases of heartworm, in it's advanced stages. And as far as coming to get my dogs, I don't have to worry about that because I treat them for heartworm since I live in the south. They have these cool commercials that tell you about the stuff that prevents it. So please spare me. No ones coming near my dogs without a serious conversation first, and if I have to evacuate for a serious event they're going with me.

  By  Anonymous, at 7:48 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• Stealth ladies: you are so lucky, those of you (all the ones I've had dealings with) who have so much time on your hands (hands up those of you who work behind a computer, librarians etc. and who use your paid work time to engage in your hobby, sorry reunfication efforts - you know who you are). Enough time to harass critically ill rescuers, enough time to call volunteers from rescue groups over and over, relentlessly, regardless of the day or time, to interfere with their family lives, distribute their personal phone numbers to your entire network (so all your "pet detective" Stealthie friends can call them with their little animal list), call their work numbers if you can get hold of them, call them without really carefully checking the ID of the animal you are calling about (because if you had you would have seen you had it wrong and were wasting someone's time, but that's OK because you're at work getting paid for your time), then get all nasty when they're cracking under the stress and can't handle the call volume any more. Multiply yourself by a lot of other people on a mission and you have an impossible situation driving good people out of their minds.
  
  Get real ladies, what other posters have said is true, without the rescue groups you hate so much most of the animals taken from this situation of absolute chaos would be dead. And I love the bit about groups making money out of this... What better way to prove that you were NOT involved in any rescues! The Katrina rescues almost ruined groups like ours financially, foster homes put enormous sums of their own money into treating these long-neglected animals. You are merely parasites with empty lives sucking the lifeblood out of the overrun organizations that did all the dirty work - intent on ruining them and any individuals involved if that's what it takes - and that's the bottom line.
  
  And yes we're posting anonymously. You're safe from us - you can rest in the knowledge we won't relish in calling you "dumbass" or "asshole" all over the internet. Shame we can't say the same for you, we have families and groups to protect so anonyous it is.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:12 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• Stealth ladies: you are so lucky, those of you (all the ones I've had dealings with) who have so much time on your hands (hands up those of you who work behind a computer, librarians etc. and who use your paid work time to engage in your hobby, sorry reunfication efforts - you know who you are). Enough time to harass critically ill rescuers, enough time to call volunteers from rescue groups over and over, relentlessly, regardless of the day or time, to interfere with their family lives, distribute their personal phone numbers to your entire network (so all your "pet detective" Stealthie friends can call them with their little animal list), call their work numbers if you can get hold of them, call them without really carefully checking the ID of the animal you are calling about (because if you had you would have seen you had it wrong and were wasting someone's time, but that's OK because you're at work getting paid for your time), then get all nasty when they're cracking under the stress and can't handle the call volume any more. Multiply yourself by a lot of other people on a mission and you have an impossible situation driving good people out of their minds.
  
  Get real ladies, what other posters have said is true, without the rescue groups you hate so much most of the animals taken from this situation of absolute chaos would be dead. And I love the bit about groups making money out of this... What better way to prove that you were NOT involved in any rescues! The Katrina rescues almost ruined groups like ours financially, foster homes put enormous sums of their own money into treating these long-neglected animals. You are merely parasites with empty lives sucking the lifeblood out of the overrun organizations that did all the dirty work - intent on ruining them and any individuals involved if that's what it takes - and that's the bottom line.
  
  And yes we're posting anonymously. You're safe from us - you can rest in the knowledge we won't relish in calling you "dumbass" or "asshole" all over the internet. Shame we can't say the same for you, we have families and groups to protect so anonyous it is.

  By  Anonymous, at 8:12 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• Let's deal with facts. Katrina was the worst natural disaster the US has ever experienced and New Orleans is still in ruins 10 months later. Most of the residents have not been able to return to NOLA and are still displaced and/or in limbo. They have been ruined financially and emotionally in many cases.
  
  The adoptive "parent" of the dog says the dog was neglected before Katrina therefore she will not return the dog. The dogs legal and original owners say this is not true. The adoptive parent may be a lawyer, but that does not give her the right to act as judge and jury. She can not simply claim the dog was neglected and she will keep him without giving the real owners a chance to legally defend themselves against these allegations. A lawyer should know that the owners of the dog are entitled to due process.
  
  Let a judge hear all the FACTS of this case, not gossip, biased statements from people who are emotionally invested in the case, innuendo and hearsay.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:21 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• I volunteered at Lamar-Dixon, too, and have since had the heartbreaking task of receiving emails from many, many owners missing their pets (all posted, as someone mentioned, at lostkatrinapets.com). I won't say that there weren't neglectful owners, because there were. But I do believe (firmly) that the neglectful owners are not the ones searching this diligently for their pets. I encourage you to go to lostkatrinapets.com and read some of the stories. It has been said time and time again: people were forced to leave their pets. Master Tank's owners LEFT HIM WITH A RESCUE ORGANIZATION. He was clearly identified as an OWNED pet, and any organization that chooses to adopt out a pet knowing that it is OWNED, when there are thousands of adoptable Katrina pets without owners that want/are able to care for them, is ridiculous.
  
  I saw abused dogs at Lamar-Dixon. They had scars all over their faces and bodies from being in dog fights. They did not come in with tags, owner names, or anything similar. We can argue ad infinitum about whether "allowing" a dog to get heartworms constitutes abuse and get nowhere. I want to contribute the following:
  
  I adopted a dog from Lamar-Dixon named Brill. A woman brought her in and said that she had been a stray in the neighborhood prior to Katrina. Lamar-Dixon was "full" at the time. The dog lives with me now, in Ohio. I love her dearly. She had heartworms which she may or may not have contracted in the floor waters. I posted her photo on petfinder.com and have made multiple attempts to find her owners, even calling people in the area where she was found and trying to confirm that she was indeed a stray. I have spent a lot of money treating her for heartworms, getting her spayed, house training her, and having her tested for parasites. And I can honestly say that if her owners had stepped up, I would have returned her to them, and probably driven her down to New Orleans myself.
  
  I won't say that that wouldn't have been hard for me, emotionally. But I also knew when I adopted her that she was not "mine." And if she had come to the shelter with tags and an intake form that stated she was OWNED, and stated the names of the owner? I don't think I would have gotten that attached. I might have still paid for the heartworm treatment, and to have her spayed, because I probably would have recognized that her owners had been through enough, financially and emotionally, and that if they had gone to the trouble to try to find her, they must love her as much as I do.
  
  These are tough decisions. But if a child is in a bad home, wilfully mistreated and abused, a well-meaning person, even if they are a wealthy attorney, cannot wait until the family is not watching the child and \ "adopt" him. I do not think that Master Tank's owners willfully mistreated him. And, most importantly, I do not think it is ethical for a dog that is clearly OWNED to be adopted out to a second party. Either the rescue organization misrepresented this dog's situation to Ms. Bondi, or she knew and chose to adopt him anyhow. In either case, I think that it is selfish for her to try to keep Master Tank. Yes, it would be very tough to return him, but it is the right thing to do.

  By  Emily M., at 10:25 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• Just to be really clear here, I posted about the money making schemes of SOME shelters, so for the other thieving shelters that did not do it for that reason, guess we have to assume it was for self-glorification or just theft of purebreed animals. I see you had nothing to say about some other very GOOD points made in these posts.
  
  Many, many shelters did the right thing all along. Those that did the right thing followed the rules set and cared for people's animals till they could reunite with them and care for them themselves. These shelters are true animal welfare folks, not nuts like you.
  
  And to be straight about something else, I am not a Stealth person; I am a local rescuer (local to the Gulf), rescued in both Mississippi and NOLA and had the great pleasure of working with several stealth on several cases of families who loved and cared for their pets, and had them returned to them by stealth and very grateful shelters. There are hundreds of stealth and because you had a run-in with a few of them, you attack the whole group? Proof positive - you are an idiot. BUT guess that just goes along with the rest of your pidgoen-holing folks into some neat little category you have created and made the object of your vicious uninformed hate. Well that is what prejudice is and you sure are full of it.

  By  Anonymous, at 10:27 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• "The Coutures lost their home in the August hurricane. They say the dogs lived outside but dispute that they were neglected. They say they were treating Master Tank for heartworms. Steven Couture said he took the dogs to a shelter before the family evacuated with the promise he could get them back."
  
  Do not ignore these facts.

  By  ruffruff, at 10:27 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• "self-glorification..."
  Yes, you're right, it was very glorifying dealing with those animals, and all the dirt and death and excrement. The people who came back from NOLA from our group looked like they felt very self-glorified all round. There must be a special halo waiting for us all in dog heaven. That's right, we did it for the glory, and if you keep saying it enough times then it will become true, and Tinkerbell will live...
  
  "or just theft of purebreed animals"
  We have a comedian in our midst! No purebreed dogs in the group we brought back, just scraggy pooches with heartworms, infections, tumors, abrasions, callouses from sleeping on concrete, and on and on. Yes, there were some animals in good overall shape aside from flood-induced ailments (yes we take that into account), and those that were reclaimed went home.
  
  An email from a Katrina adopter that I received recently:
  
  "As far as our XX goes, just so that you know---she is our baby, and our family would be devastated should anyone attempt to separate us. She is still REALLY not a dog to warm up to strangers, but we have done everything we can, and have just made allowances for it. She is my best buddy, we spend everyday together, and she sleeps right beside me at night. We just love her...and she clearly sees us as her security. She is the baby in our family, and even our old dog XX just adores her, she has helped him out so much because he doesnt have much sight or hearing left-so she is really his eyes and ears!"
  
  Is that dog ever going back if reclaimed now? No way, no how. She is home, she is happy, she is where she needs to be. And what would the SVs do if we refused to return her, they would post this wonderful family's name all over the net and label them dog thieves. Ugh. Get me out of here.

  By  Anonymous, at 11:39 AM, July 06, 2006  

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• To anonymous of 11:39 AM, July 06, 2006:
  
  If you didn't bring any purebreed animals back, then you didn't have the right contacts. It happened on a wide-scale basis at Lamar-Dixon and at the many independent rescue & triage locations along the Gulf Coast.
  
  
  To anonymous of 8:12 AM, July 06, 2006
  
  Once again, The StealthVolunteers Yahoo group DOES NOT INCLUDE all reunion volunteers. Some search for owners of known pets and some search for pets for known owners. Some volunteers may do both but StealthVolunteers only finds owners. Reunion volunteers post on many different forums on the web. They may have published private information inappropriately. StealthVolunteers does not condone publishing private information on our list nor do we condone character assassination of an individual, rescue or shelter. We have banned list members if they refuse to comply.
  
  StealthVolunteers are very good at finding people. That is our primary mission. If a StealthVolunteer called you while working on our cases, then we have information that indicates you received a specific animal. We deal in facts. We are persistent. If you are lying or hiding a fact, we will discover the truth.
  
  We speak for the pets and help them to find their family. We rejoice at a true voluntary owner surrender as much as we do for reunions. We may try to help the owner communicate with the receiving shelter or the current guardian but only because we may have better communication skills or easier access to a computer. We don't advocate for either reunion or surrender but we do believe that the choice is one to be made by the original family.
  
  
  To all of the paranoid anonymous posters:
  
  Why not use a pseudonym so we could address replies to an individual?

  By  Laura Holochwost, at 12:24 PM, July 06, 2006  

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• OK, Ok, maybe I should have left out "purebreed" in your case, but what a previous poster said is true then - You were "cheated", or you got there late, because SO MANY were stolen right out of "rescue" facilities, and many more out of receiving shelters - those animals that were most adoptable, hence my previous remark about money-making. And I stand by my "self-glorification" statement. You yourself have proven me right, look at how you brag about what you and your group have done, and look at the holier than thou attitude you have. It is that attitude that destroyed the reps of many previously lauded rescue/shelter groups, so thank you lady for that wonderful result - hurting us all. There were many rescuers and shelters that did MORE than you ever did and are not out here ranting and raving like a lunatic, attacking good people and praising/encouraging the theft of pets. They did the RIGHT thing -they rescued these poor victims of the storm, vetted them, cared for them, some at great expense, and tried to return them to their families. Oh and out of respect for the lady, Laura H., I dub myself: "A kind and caring person UNTIL dealing with a raging idiot." But I will not use any other identifying info because this lady scares the heck out of me.
  
  I was once asked, years ago, if someone who was mentally ill verbally attacked me, would I bother to respond. I said no, so I guess I lied, but I will try to restrain myself in the future. Lady, you are sooooo WRONG and you almost make me ashamed to say I am a volunteer animal rescuer. The only thing that saves me from shame is that most rescuers I know are good and decent, honest folks who try desperately to do the right thing for the animals they rescue AND work well with others to get it done, NOT LIKE YOU, in other words. Bye Bye - go spend some more time patting yourself on the back and leave us true animal loving folks alone.

  By  A Kind and Caring Person UNTIL ......, at 2:52 PM, July 06, 2006  

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• The more comments I read on this site....makes me wonder...are you all crazy? Picking each other apart with hateful words...its no wonder what happened after Katrina since people cannot work together. Everyone has lost the real meaning of this blog.
  Has anyone learned anything from this disaster besides to continue to hurt and flame each other? People, pets and children have died.
  who cares who stole what, what rescue groups did the most and best, which rescue groups suck. WE all know the truth, deal with it, suck it up. Read the blogs, newsreports and get the facts. There is proof most of the small cute purebred dogs were stolen, and yes the pitts were also stolen. someone is complaining about getting scruffy, mangy, hw+ dogs, well why did you take them if they were going to overrun your foster homes and small funds?
  All this energy would be better spent, helping the people of NO rebuild.
  Maybe your just mad that stealth did a better job of reunification than any other group? Or was it because they were able to provide wheelchairs for refugees that werent allowed to take them along? From what Ive read, stealth did more than just help find animals and people, they actually helped the people.
  you think its right to steal someones seeing eye dog? know how much one of those dogs costs?
  maybe if some of these posters did research, instead of just going to NO and taking animals to house, you would learn how this flood happened, the time frame. Imagine sitting on your porch saying "Ah I survived" and in less than 5mins your house is under water? who do you save first?
  and about this heartworm mess. everydog has heartworms. That is why we give them heartworm pills to kill off the baby worms so they cant develop into adults. your vet will say different.....do your research. Heartworm tests only test for the babies...that is why a dog on pills will always come up negative....but miss a pill...takes 3 mths for a baby worm to develop into teenage stage.
  So much ignorance.....its very sad.

  By  Anonymous, at 3:49 PM, July 06, 2006  

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• ROFLMAO Mz. Bondi would like everyone to believe that she is the purrfect pet owner, YET WHAT KIND OF RESPONSIBLE pet owner allows their dog/s to run around "pooping in the neighbors' yards"?! Even if we didn't have a leash law in our city, we sure as hell would never allow our dogs to run wild and do their business on everyone else's front lawns!! St. Bernard or otherwise, that takes a lot of gall by little miss Queen of Sheba to expect that all her neighbor's would somehow think it's cute and what a "neat lady she is"?! We can only pray that Mz. Bondi at least goes around picking up Noah's (Master Tanks) dog shit.
  
  And la de da... Her Royal Highness, Mz. Bondi can afford to feed her pets "fresh chicken and beef at every meal". Let us also pray that she has enough time to devote to faithfully brush their teeth after every meal as well or at least makes the commitment to take her pets to the vet to have the tartar buildup scaled off under general anesthesia every month. Might want to pray that she also suppliments her pets apparently unbalanced diet with a good vitamin regimen, too. With such a continuously lopsided high fat diet is it any wonder that her 1st St. Bernard died of cancer; probably obese and under exercised save for the daily poops & pees around the swanky neighborhood!
  
  Lastly Mz. Bondi claims to be the "innocent victim" when indeed it is the victims of Katrina who are the ones who are still grieving and suffering. In this case she needs to have her legal beagles do the investigative research for her (since she doesn't seem to have a clue herself). Steven Couture stayed with his dogs through the hurricance, and then took them to a shelter where they were photograhed & identified as being "OWNED", not "owner surrendered or owner relenquished"... OWNED and with a promise to keep them for his family until they could get their lives on track enough to come back for them. This shows that he was clearly thinking only of the welfare of Master Tank & Nila. In addition almost 90% of the pets which were rescued from New Orleans were HW+. OMG does this mean that only 10% of the original families deserved their pets back?! IF neglect & abuse PREVIOUS to Katrina are suspected, THEN it should be tried in the courts of LA, NOT by self-righteous, self-serving selfishly-motivated prosecuters in the state of FL! If Mz. Bondi wants to cast nasty allegations and hoity toity aspersions at anyone she should consider slinging them at the Humane Society of Pinellas. AND WHY does she want to keep someone elses beloved pet who HAS a loving home waiting for him to go back to when there are so MANY HUNDREDS of homeless unwanted unloved dogs, including St. Bernards being killed in shelters all across the country every day?? She definitely needs to get a change of attitude and maybe she can fight the tin man for his heart while she's at it!!
  
  I would also like to add that the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of rescuers and shelters & organizations who stepped up to help the Katrina pets, were/are honest, upstanding, caring and unselfish with the only intention of "doing the right thing". Unfortunately the small minority of rescuers and shelters who had ulterior motives or their own agenda are plainly giving all the rest a bad name; sadly a few rotten apples spoil the whole bunch! I think that if most responders here would only take a moment to step back and see that "the villian in this case" is the Humane Society of Pinellas; there is no need to continue th