Pets during flooding in ND

While my husband and I watched the news of the rising Red River and flooding, my thoughts turned to the pets; the beloved companions of people forced to leave their homes. Today, I see this AP article about provisions made for pets... What can we say to the people who gave their time, energy, money, supplies, and compassion to this effort? Thank you doesn't seem like enough, but it is all we know to say. "We see your work on behalf of pets and those who love them. Thank you."

The Humane Society, along with Adopt-A-Pet and emergency managers in Fargo and Moorhead, Minn., turned a pavilion normally used for horse and cattle shows into a flood shelter and started accepting pets late last week.

By Sunday, the shelter housed 71 dogs, 79 cats, 37 horses and a variety of other furry evacuees. Another 200 "pocket pets" such as guinea pigs, birds and rabbits were being housed at the Red River Zoo in Fargo. North Dakota State University's Horse Park had between 200 and 300 horses.

And a press release from United Animal Nations:

UAN 2009 Press Release
EARS Volunteers Helping Pets Displaced by Red River Flooding
UAN deploys volunteers trained in emergency animal sheltering to Fargo, North Dakota
FARGO, ND (March 27, 2009) – Today California-based United Animal Nations (UAN) began deploying trained emergency sheltering volunteers from across the Midwest to care for animals being displaced by the rising Red River in Fargo, North Dakota.
Volunteers with UAN’s Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) will care for animals as they are evacuated or rescued from flooding at a temporary emergency shelter located at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds. UAN will deploy 15 EARS volunteers per day to the emergency sheltering operation; so far, volunteers have traveled to Fargo from Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana to help the animals.
“Our EARS volunteers are trained in emergency sheltering, and they are ready, willing and able to come to Fargo at a moment’s notice to help the animals in harm’s way and to provide peace of mind to their families,” said Diann Wellman of Hartford City, Indiana, a volunteer Regional Director for the EARS program who is at the temporary shelter in Fargo.
With more than 4,000 trained volunteers, UAN can deploy its Emergency Animal Rescue Service when communities become overburdened by a crisis involving large numbers of animals. In its 21-year history, UAN has responded to more than 80 natural disasters and other crises, including Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005; the Greensburg, Kansas tornado in 2007; and the flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2008.
UAN is deploying EARS volunteers to Fargo at the request of the Fargo-Moorhead Humane Society and The Humane Society of the United States.
Visit our Emergency Response Blog for periodic updates and photos from the field.
For disaster preparedness tips for animals, visit our Web site at www.uan.org/disastertips.
To support our efforts, donate to our Disaster Relief Fund.
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations (UAN) focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and into care through a variety of programs, including emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services, financial assistance for urgent veterinary care and humane education. Learn more at www.uan.org