Our four-legged friends......

Jazz funeral this weekend for Katrina's animal victims

Mike Conti/WWL Anchor-Reporter

8-19-06

The Louisiana SPCA has organized a special memorial service to honor the pets that died in Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

The agency estimates that over five thousand animals may have died in the storm. Many of those animals were unacustomed to the stress that came with evacuating and being pulled away from their homes.

"We're coming up on the aniversay of Katrina, and we're certainly thinking a lot about the animals lost in the hurricane and how we can commemorate them," said Ana Zorilla of the Louisiana SPCA.

The Jazz Funeral starts Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock at the corner of Decatur and Esplanade. Following the march, an interfaith memorial service will be held at St. Anna's Episcopal Church at 1313 Esplanade.

Guests are asked to bring pictures or mementos of their animals for the Jazz Funeral, but pets will not be allowed inside the church.


SOME INTERESTING FACTS:


"Officials were surprised to learn that 6 out of 10 families own a beloved pet and 5 out of 10 own two or more. The Fritz Institute's poll hammered home the role pets play in our lives. Of the people who stayed for Katrina, 44 percent said they remained because of pets; 18 percent because of relatives."

"State lawmakers took note and passed model legislation ensuring that animal issues have a seat at the table in disaster planning. Pets undoubtedly matter."