On 5/14/2011 The Morganza Spillway was opened flooding thousands of acres of inhabited land. Many cats and dogs remain in the area and CAAWS Volunteers have been working day and night to trap and rescue the ferals.

If you find any displaced animal, contact the Louisiana Wildlife Rehabilitators Association at (888) 308-3922

Each of the cats and dogs rescued will be seen by veterinarians and the ferals will be spayed/neutered.
CAAWS is having to purchase additional kennels and pet carriers to transport all of the animals, as well as providing funds to pay veterinarians, medicine, surgery, etc.

Once the floodwaters recede, the animals will be returned to the area where they were found if possible.
You donation to help with these expenses will be appreciated.

Cupid: Beagle Rescued from Atchafalaya Swamp in Days Before Flooding

In advance of the opening of the Morganza Spillway and the flooding of the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana, a group of volunteers from CAAWS and other local animal rescue organizations got together to try to trap some semi-friendly cats that they had heard were living at a highway rest area. Much to their dismay, one night just a couple of days before the floodwaters arrived, they were checking their cat traps and spotted a skinny, limping beagle under the interstate. It turned out he had been there for over a month -- perhaps a dumped hunting dog -- and was frequently seen trying to grab scraps of garbage when the raccoons got into the bins. The dog ran from people who tried to approach him, but was so hungry that it was not too hard to trap him.

Michelle Ingram, the owner of Zeus' Place kennels in New Orleans, offered to take the beagle and start him on his new life. She also went all the way out to the rest area one afternoon to trap him but never found him, so she was much relieved when other trappers were successful and he was transferred safely to her. She named him Cupid, after the heart & arrow shaped spot on his left side, and took him straight to the vet.

Cupid is heartworm positive (to be treated once Cupid is well enough) and had intestinal worms (now treated). The vet removed the collar that he had on when found and said that it was only days away from embedding into the skin of his neck. From an old injury, Cupid's left front ankle is crushed, dislocated and the large bone above the elbow has grown at an angle as a result (not fixable). Cupid is a very sweet, non-aggressive dog who has had some tough experiences and is fearful as a result. Michelle is concentrating on his mental well being and getting him to trust humans again. Michelle thinks that, given time and attention, he will make a fantastic companion.