Ok, so heres the tough question

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I understand that the declaration has been made to force evacuate NO.

I was watching a couple of these evacuations this morning on tv while the baby was stomping on my kidneys.

You arent allowed to take your pets with you; dogs, cats, birds, whatever are to be left behind.

I would hazard a guess that its going to be a little longer than a week or two before people would be allowed to return to their property.

In the one case I watched, a couple of guys with plenty of canned food and bottled water, in a dry house, appearing to be perfectly a-ok, were taken out of the house by six army guys with batons, and told to leave the two dogs in the yard.

How would you deal with this?

In my case, it'd be "Sorry, but i'm not leaving my dogs to die in my yard. You might as well start beating me in the head with those sticks now. And I'll be heading back here the moment I regain consciousness.

 

[Nords]

How would you deal with this?

In my case, it'd be "Sorry, but i'm not leaving my dogs to die in my yard.  You might as well start beating me in the head with those sticks now.  And I'll be heading back here the moment I regain consciousness.

Give that man his ensign's bars! Don't confuse the issue with subtleties, just seek direct confrontation or death! And let someone else care for your dogs (or not) while you recover in a Texas full-care facility!!

I think I'd counter with "Sure, I'll put the dogs in the house with some water & food and then I'll be on my way. Sorry to bother you gentlemen!"

Then I'd sneak back later with leashes & transportation. They'll happily ignore you. After all they don't want to be on TV any more than you do, and they have other heads to threaten.

Maybe I'd give my name & address to Geraldo Rivera or Bill O'Reilly. But after seeing the way they treat their "customers", maybe not.

I'd find it hard to believe that the recalcitrant homeowner hasn't received a few other warnings about leaving the ol' homestead. It's also hard to believe that he has a working septic system (or some other sewage treatment facility), fresh water, sufficient food, and enough inoculations to avoid becoming even more of a burden on the local govt than he already is.

 

[Cut-Throat]

I would have been on my way with the pets about 2 days before the hurricane struck.

We had a saying in the corporate world. Those that go first, go best!

 

[retire@40]

I don't like the idea of the government deciding when I should leave my house. 

I would appreciate them coming to my house and asking if I wanted to leave, but if I were to decide not to leave, I would appreciate them leaving me alone to live or die on my own terms.

I would not expect them to come back a second time to save me after they had given me a chance to leave with them.

They should properly make a note of my refusal for their records and be on their way.  They would have done their job.

Of course, I would have left well before the storm hit (with my pets), especially when the President of the United States comes on the air a day or two before with a recommendation to leave the area.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

I'd tell them to go "f" themselves, there's no way I'd leave my two furry kids in the backyard to starve to death or die from dehydration.

If they want to manhandle me with their batons, I'm sure that would look great on the 6 o'clock news and they better be ready to pay up after I sue them and the government.

 

[brewer12345]

Chalk me up as another "I'm not leaving without the dogs" vote. Of course, if I hadn't had the brain cell required to get out in advance, I think I could have walked out by now.

 

[Martha]

OTOH, I have seen a number of evacuation pictures that included taking the pets, even up in helicopters.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to have rescuers make people leave pets behind. Animal control people are coming from around the country to go into New Oleans to rescue animals. If they aren't rescued, they will die and become another problem.

People are losing everything, there doesn't seem a good reason to make them lose their pets too.

 

[REWahoo]

I'd tell them to go "f" themselves, there's no way I'd leave my two furry kids in the backyard to starve to death or die from dehydration.

If they want to manhandle me with their batons, I'm sure that would look great on the 6 o'clock news and they better be ready to pay up after I sue them and the government.

Pretty tough talk from a Canadian... Your post got me curious about the legality of forcing NO residents to leave and I found this:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/08/martial.law.qanda/index.html

Seems forced removal is legal and you probably wouldn't have much luck in winning that lawsuit...

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I don't like the idea of the government deciding when I should leave my house. 

I would appreciate them coming to my house and asking if I wanted to leave, but if I were to decide not to leave, I would appreciate them leaving me alone to live or die on my own terms.

I would not expect them to come back a second time to save me after they had given me a chance to leave with them.

They should properly make a note of my refusal for their records and be on their way.  They would have done their job.

Of course, I would have left well before the storm hit (with my pets), especially when the President of the United States comes on the air a day or two before with a recommendation to leave the area.

Very sensible post. Today we live in a world where the government can not only tell you to leave your house, they can also tell you what you can take,
and if they want to, they can just take the house (The Supreme Court says
so).

JG

 

[Eagle43]

Big animal lovers live in the Eagle household. OTOH, these people are holding up progress, because the search is requiring manpower and materials that could be used usefully. There are times when idiots gotta be hit over the head. If they remain there, they can acquire disease, pass it on to others, and/or die, which will get the press to wonder "why something couldn't be done to move these people." It's hell if you do and hell if you don't. I fully agree with C-T's statement... I'd have been long gone, given the 48 hours notice, and my dogs would have been with me.

DW, otoh, believe the people should be stranded and the animals rescued. Put the animals on the boat and leave the people. Not a bad idea....

 

[Cut-Throat]

I'd tell them to go "f" themselves, there's no way I'd leave my two furry kids in the backyard to starve to death or die from dehydration. 

If they want to manhandle me with their batons, I'm sure that would look great on the 6 o'clock news and they better be ready to pay up after I sue them and the government.   

Actually somebody used those exact words yesterday to Dick Cheney.

Check out the video    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10196.htm

 

[Mr._johngalt]

DW, otoh, believe the people should be stranded and the animals rescued.  Put the animals on the boat and leave the people.  Not a bad idea....

Interesting. My DW said the same thing last night and I agreed.
Not a bad idea...............

JG

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Actually somebody used those exact words yesterday to Dick Cheney.

Check out the video    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10196.htm

That's about what Cheney said to Pat Leahy a while ago. Now there
would have been a candidate (Cheney) that might have gotten me off my ass and registered. I like his style and his wife's kind of cute too.

JG

 

[justin]

Actually somebody used those exact words yesterday to Dick Cheney.

Check out the video http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10196.htm

What Cheney said after the F U comment was hilarious!

CNN's reporter asks Cheney, "Are you getting a lot of that Mr. Vice President?"

Cheney replies, "First time I've heard it., Must be a friend of John..., er, ah - never mind."

 

[Cut-Throat]

What Cheney said after the F U comment was hilarious! 

CNN's reporter asks Cheney, "Are you getting a lot of that Mr. Vice President?"

Cheney replies, "First time I've heard it., Must be a friend of John..., er, ah - never mind."

Actually it was probably a friend of Pat Leahy after this June 2004 exchange:

A brief argument between Vice President Cheney and a senior Democratic senator led Cheney to utter a big-time obscenity on the Senate floor this week.   

On Tuesday, Cheney, serving in his role as president of the Senate, appeared in the chamber for a photo session. A chance meeting with Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, became an argument about Cheney's ties to Halliburton Co., an international energy services corporation, and President Bush's judicial nominees. The exchange ended when Cheney offered some crass advice.

"**** yourself," said the man who is a heartbeat from the presidency.


He is probably correct though. After what this pair of Oilmen have put us through for the last 5 1/2 years, they probably don't have many friends.

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Pretty tough talk from a Canadian...   Your post got me curious about the legality of forcing NO residents to leave and I found this:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/08/martial.law.qanda/index.html

Seems forced removal is legal and you probably wouldn't have much luck in winning that lawsuit...

I can be downright bitchy and very protective when it comes to animals Being a "polite" Canadian comes in a very distant second, believe me....

I may not win that lawsuit but they would have heck of a time taking me down....it probably wouldn't be worth it to them since I can fight pretty dirty if I had to

 

[REWahoo]

I can be downright bitchy and very protective when it comes to animals Being a "polite" Canadian comes in a very distant second, believe me....

I may not win that lawsuit but they would have heck of a time taking me down....it probably wouldn't be worth it to them since I can fight pretty dirty if I had to

Hey, I'm convinced! No way I'd want to take you on...

 

[Calgary_Girl]

Hey, I'm convinced!  No way I'd want to take you on...

"Hell hath no fury like a woman separated from her dogs..."

 

[Helen]

I agree with the other posters, I would have had my 2 Great Danes and border collie mix packed up and out of there before the storm hit. My animals are a part of my family.

OTOH, I'd like to see them come into my house and remove me. I don't even bother to lock my doors at night when I'm home alone.

Have you ever seen what a pissed off Great Dane looks like ?

-helen

 

[REWahoo]

Have you ever seen what a pissed off Great Dane looks like ?

-helen

Many years ago we lived next door to a family with a great dane. My wife and I and our three year old daughter were talking in the front yard with the neighbor, his wife and 4 year old son. Suddenly I heard my 3 year old scream and turned to see the top 3/4 of her head in the dog's mouth. Only her chin and mouth were still visible. The dog's owner and I screamed at the dog and he let her go, luckily with only a few scratches.

The dog never growled, barked or gave any sign of hostile behavior. Thought she might have done something to irritate the dog and didn't give it much thought other than to be sure we gave it a wide berth from that point on. A month later the dog bit a little girl down the street on the face and she requied over 100 stitches and plastic surgery for her wounds.

Helen, I'm sure your great dane is a wonderful dog, but you understand why I will never feel comfortable around one.

Now a sloppy old Lab, that's a much different story...

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Many years ago we lived next door to a family with a great dane.  My wife and I and our three year old daughter were talking in the front yard with the neighbor, his wife and 4 year old son.  Suddenly I heard my 3 year old scream and turned to see the top 3/4 of her head in the dog's mouth. Only her chin and mouth were still visible.  The dog's owner and I screamed at the dog and he let her go, luckily with only a few scratches. 

The dog never growled, barked or gave any sign of hostile behavior.  Thought she might have done something to irritate the dog and didn't give it much thought other than to be sure we gave it a wide berth from that point on.  A month later the dog bit a little girl down the street on the face and she requied over 100 stitches and plastic surgery for her wounds.

Helen, I'm sure your great dane is a wonderful dog, but you understand why I will never feel comfortable around one.

Now a sloppy old Lab, that's a much different story...

Yeah, a sloppy old lab. That's what I've got. Even when she
gives someone that big old "Woof!" you know she doesn't
mean it. No good for a watch dog. Hell, she would help
burglars break in if they had food

JG

 

[Helen]

Helen, I'm sure your great dane is a wonderful dog, but you understand why I will never feel comfortable around one.

I can totally understand. They are really big dogs. My little maltese bit a 5 year old girl one time. It left a welt on her arm. I felt terrible. If my Great Dane bit a five year old, it would at a minimum break her arm.

I had a six foot extra heavy chain link fence put in around my yard. My male Great Dane is somewhat fearful of people, so I don't allow people to pet him when we are out for walks. I also kennel him when I go away and have a pet sitter come in to take care of the other animals.

There is a lot of responsibility to dog ownership, especially with the larger breeds.

I'm glad your daughter is OK, that must have been a horrible experience.

-helen

 

[LovesLife]

There are some breeds of dogs that are marked as being mean and there are also some mean dogs within the known nice breeds. The key is to know your dog and train them well. Usually within the first year of the dog's life you should know if he/she is friendly.

We always trained our dogs do have their food taken away from them when they were young. In other words, she was at the dish eating when we would temporarily remove the dish. If there was any trouble she quickly learned who was boss. That way even if one of the kids tried to play with her when she was eating there was no problems.

I can understand people not wanting to leave their pets during the hurricane. I, like some of the others, would have left with my pets before it reached that situation.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

This is a very serious situation. However, I cannot picture myself in NO in today's circumstances. I would have made decisions much earlier and avoid the postulated situation.

Personally, my family--and anybody's family--comes first. We would have left early, with the pets (if we had any), but without them if necessary.

It appears that the country is more interested in saving pets than they were saving the poor blacks, elderly and infirm citizens of NO. I am outraged, but the whole situation outrages me. The poorest kid in NO means more to me than any four-legged critter.

For some reason, scenes from the recent movie, War of the Worlds, keep coming to mind. Bodies floating down the river and so forth. It is haunting.

As to forcing people to abandon NO, it is under martial law and it can be done and should be done. There was cholera in Louisiana when we lived there, which I considered to be a national shame. The way the removal is being done is another issue. What is the point of waving m-16's in people's faces? "We are doing this for your own safety. Leave, or we will shoot you?" More insanity from the people who put uniformed sodiers in airports after 9-11, but put criminals in the leaky security program. Has anyone bothered to train these bozos? What you should do if this or that happens? Are they really going to shoot people?

By the way, I saw a tag line today that seems to apply to the NO debacle:

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetance."

Ed the expat, seething in northern Alberta.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

By the way, I saw a tag line today that seems to apply to the NO debacle:

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetance."

Ed the expat, seething in northern Alberta.

Good quote. Never heard it.

JG