by Michelle Rivera -
[email protected]
In the rush to assist those who may be buried underneath
the remains of the World Trade Center, rescuers have been unable to turn
their attentions to animals who had been left behind in evacuated areas.
Many of them were home alone when the attack took place, their families
all gone to work and school, so they were left in areas where their
families were not allowed to go for several days.
Animal rescue organizations in and around the New York
City area responded by mobilizing to the site so that they could be in
the area the very moment the police allowed guardians to run to their
homes for a few minutes to collect a few belongings, including companion
animals. PeTA sent three vehicles to assist in persuading Mayor Guiliani
and the police and fire officials not to add to the tragedy by allowing
animals to die when their deaths are preventable. Admittedly, the area
was not safe for people to get in, and the rescuers had their hands full
with helping victims who still could be saved. But Rue McLanahan, in a
passionate plea to the office of the Mayor of New York City, called on
building superintendents to help animals whose families may not be
coming home, not only at ground zero, but in any areas where folks may
commute to the city to work.
"Supers are the ones who know who comes and goes. If
someone hasn't been back to their apartment, or if dogs who normally
don't bark or whine start doing so, please go in and give water and food
and make a call on their behalf," Ms. McClanahan says. "PETA and other
groups have people standing by to provide foster homes, and the dearly
beloved animal members of those who died must not become another part of
the casualty toll. America is a nation of caring people, and our
compassion does not stop with our own species."
As we hear stories of unbelievable courage and bravery
coming from this horrific event, no doubt the stories will also include
stories of animals, both tragic and heroic, and we should not let these
stories go unnoticed. The day the New York Stock Exchange re-opened,
they allowed firefighters and police officers to "ring the bell." Among
these people was Officer Linn, a canine officer who was buried beneath
the rubble for five hours. He was found and rescued, but not a word was
mentioned about what had become of his partner, a German Shepherd Dog
who had been the resident bomb-sniffing dog at the World Trade Center
prior to the attack. Regrettably, the dog had perished in the rubble but
that his story was not told is affront to the hundreds of search and
rescue dogs who are risking their lives to help us find survivors,
remains and cadavers.
A guide dog led his blind guardian down 70 flights of
stairs, despite having been given a direct order to "go away." He and
his guardian were both saved because of this dog's bravery. A companion
dog died when he followed his guardian out a window five floors above
the rubble.
We have all opened our hearts and wallets to help the
victims of this unspeakable tragedy, and we should continue to do so.
However, the animal organizations on the front lines are too busy
rescuing dogs to be asking for money. They don't have the Red Cross or
the United Way to do it for them. So we at Animal Rights Online are
asking that animal rights activists and animal welfare advocates come
together united in a common cause, to remember the animal victims of
September 11, and that the organizations that are helping them are most
deserving of our support and our trust at this most critical time.
Following are some contacts through which you can give
or receive help with animals. (There may be problems reaching some of
them by phone.):
Manhattan Center for Animal Care and Control 24-hour
hotline
212-722-3620
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
www.peta.org
ASPCA
212-876-7700, ext. 4450
212-876-4120/4121 (animal placement)
In response to the World Trade Center disaster, the ASPCA has placed a
fully-equipped mobile veterinary unit on the corner of Houston St. and
West St. at the Hudson River in NYC. For more updated information, you
can call the ASPCA Disaster Relief Hotline at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4700.
Bide-a-Wee
410 E. 38th St.
New York, NY
212-532-4455
Hearts and Homes for Homeless Dogs
4810 Surf Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(Mel and Roseanne�rescue dogs available)
718-372-2794
[email protected]
The Fund For Animals
Have-a-Heart Clinic
355 W. 52nd St. (between Eighth and Ninth avenues)
New York, NY
212-977-6877
Brooklyn Center for Animal Care and Control
2336 Linden Blvd.
Brooklyn, NY
718-272-7200
www.nycacc.org
NYCACC - Dear Friends...
Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition
253 Wythe Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-486-7489
Suffolk County SPCA
Lois Gross: 631-382-7722
Web Site: www.suffolkspca.org
Go on to Church
Silence
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