Humane Society Transports Dogs From Gulf Region to DC Area

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Maybe you have been feeling helpless watching oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico for months now. There is a way you can help.

The animal shelters in the Gulf region are overflowing. If you have some room in your heart and home, you may be able to come to the rescue.

When you think of animals suffering because of the oil spill in the Gulf, you probably don't think of dogs. Three Shitzus were taken to a New Orleans animal shelter by a man who made his living on the water - a fisherman who could no longer afford to take care of the dogs.

"Some of the shelters are reporting that they're seeing up to a five-time increase in the number of cats and dogs than they're used to seeing,” said Betsy Mcfarland of the Humane Society of the United States. “So we're working with some of those shelters, particularly Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard's Parish, to move some of these animals up here to the Washington D.C. area where they can find a new home."

The Humane Society sent a van from its Gaithersburg headquarters to Louisiana to pick up dogs. Sarah Barnett made the trip back to Maryland along with 33 dogs.

"They were pretty quiet pretty much the whole way up. But then midway Tennessee, they got tired," laughed Barnett.

As the dogs were unloaded in Gaithersburg, a crowd of Humane Society employees gathered to watch. The playful puppies didn't mind the audience.

"They're going go like hotcakes at our shelter, I'm sure. They're cute. They've got great temperaments," said Laura Rizer of Loudoun County Animal Care and Control.

Lost Dog Rescue Foundation in Arlington and the SPCA of Anne Arundel County will also be adopting out some of the dogs.

LINKS:

www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx

www.lostdogandcatrescue.org/events.asp