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"There are animal rescue groups still working to set up feeding and watering stations, and to rescue those pets"

That is great news, saving our pets isn't our first priority, but we sure hate facing that reality when great tragedy's happen, and we are thankful to find out someone is at least giving them a fighting chance, and it is wonderful that 15% of owners are reconnected with with their pets, I hope that percentage climbs.

I probably shouldn't be posting so late, and I'll need to sign off pretty soon. Just wanted to add more info about the animal rescue groups--

They need help-- they need more volunteers, financial contributions, even aluminum lasanga pans for setting out food water.

And in some parishes they are being met with adversity.

The LA state vet's office has declared they have everything under control, there is no problem.

Another good website that is related to the ongoing animal rescue operation is here:

http://animalrescueneworleans.com/

P.S. About the 15% figure-- I hope it climbs too.

I think another of the frustrating situations faced by many owners missing their pets is they know their pet was rescued-- either due to notes left at their home, or finding their pets picture posted on the disaster section of Petfinder. But the trail dead-ends. Paperwork was lost, animals were shipped all over the country (and Canada), some animals were stolen from the emergency shelters. So many pets have been "lost in the system."

(I know in the case of the "lost in the sytem pets" that the owners are, on one level, glad to know their pet was rescued. But exceedingly frustrated that they are "so close and yet so far.")

And there have been many shelters receiving the pets who have been less than cooperative in providing information about those pets. A condition of taking the pets was that their info and picture be posted on Petfinder (the disaster section). But once these shelters had the pets in their possession, they haven't complied. Still other shelters have given misinformation in response owner inquiries, or volunteers' inquiries on behalf of the owner.

And for those shelters who have put pictures up-- well we're grateful to those who've put up halfway decent pictures. But after looking through thousands of pictures, you'd swear that a large percentage of the pet population rescued from the Gulf states following Katrina were also in the witness protection program!!!