Here Are the Deets on Those Louisiana Flood Refugees

As PETA’s rescue team members went door to door in flood-ravaged Louisiana, finding home after home severely or irreparably damaged, they knew one thing for sure: Local shelters were going to be inundated with animals whose guardians could no longer care for them. And that meant already overburdened shelters would be pushed past the breaking point. So the team approached several Baton Rouge–area shelters and offered their assistance. They gratefully accepted, saying that their most urgent need was to free up cage space.

On Monday, we brought three vans loaded with 62 four-legged (or feathered) flood refugees—35 dogs, 20 cats, six rabbits, and one cockatiel—to PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters, the Sam Simon Center. Partnering with several other shelters in Virginia, we dispersed the animals across the region, leaving the following “magnificent seven” in PETA’s care:

Shahrzad and Travis (UPDATE: Adopted!)

These playful kittens were found several weeks ago as strays. Travis is suffering from an infected neck wound that was cleaned and treated with antibiotics by PETA’s mobile clinic staff. After having traveled halfway across the country together, they would love to be adopted as a package deal so they can continue their journey together.

Louis Armstrong (UPDATE: Adopted!)

When the storm hit, Louis had already been at the shelter for five months and had been constantly bullied by other cats the whole time without ever losing his cool. We think it’s high time this laidback jazz cat found a pad of his own, don’t you?

Cajun Craig (UPDATE: Adopted!)

He looks like a cross between a mop and a Muppet, but Cajun Craig is actually believed to be half Yorkshire terrier and half cocker spaniel. He’s 100 percent irresistible—a sweet, sociable boy whose tail rarely stops wagging.

Beignet (UPDATE: Adopted!)

Senior poodle mix Beignet’s dignity has been sorely tested. First, she was reduced to wandering the streets, where her beautiful white fur became terribly matted. Then she spent a month in a noisy shelter, surrounded by rowdy, barking dogs, when all she really wanted was some peace and quiet, a comfy lap to sit on, and some plush toys to snuggle with. If you can check all the boxes on that list, Beignet may be just the girl for you.

Hula (UPDATE: Adopted!)

This impossibly adorable Chihuahua became the undisputed star of the flood refugees after she was featured in the newspaper and on TV news broadcasts. If you want to adopt her, you’ll have to get in line behind several hundred other applicants.

Crash (UPDATE: Adopted!)

Crash’s owners evacuated without their 12-year-old cockatiel, and when they returned, he was trapped in his cage, up to his neck in floodwaters. With their home made uninhabitable by the flood, they surrendered him to PETA’s rescue team, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. He is being fostered by a PETA staffer and bird expert, and if you make a really good case, you just might be able to pry him away from her.

If you live on the East Coast and are interested in adopting any of these animals, e-mail [email protected]. If you’d like to support PETA’s Animal Emergency Fund, which makes rescue missions like this one possible, click here.