PLEASE!!!! Read this post

[floraneg]

Please forgive me if this type of post is not allowed here, but I felt I needed to share this with as many people as I could. Let me preface this by saying I am not a bleeding heart liberal. On the contrary, I am a conservative who believes that everyone should help themselves before looking for someone or the government to help them. With that said, we have to understand that there are some for what ever reason(s) can not survive without the help of other fellow human beings. As you can see from my detail, I am from Louisiana. That’s right the home of the famous hurricane Katrina and now the BP oil disaster.

Please bear with me as I give you some history to get to my point. I grew up one of four children. My father was a New Orleans Police Officer. My mother worked at a day care center 3 days a week. So, I did not come from money. My parents sacrificed everything so that all of the children could attend private schools all through high school. I graduated college and at thirty I had made my first $1M. Everyone says that I’m so lucky, but I do not agree with that statement. I have worked VERY hard for everything I have and I consider myself blessed NOT lucky. Anyway, I have gotten to a point in my life at the age of 41 where I am set for the rest of my life and I have set enough aside so that my daughter will never worry about an income. I am proud to say that I survived what Katrina threw at me. Soon after that event, my daughter became very ill and the doctors feared she had leukemia. I took a long hard look at my life and asked myself “How much is enough?” How many cars can you have, how big can your house be? Nothing matters more than your family and providing a good life for them. It really gut punched me when the word leukemia was thrown out there and all the money I have could not solve the potential problem. Luckily the test came back negative. I am not a very religious person, but I came to terms with myself and promised that if my daughter were to make it through this without being diagnosed, that I would look to help those who truly can not help themselves.

Since then, I have devoted my time and mostly my money to causes that I believe in. They range from Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, battered woman’s shelters and several homeless and non-profits in the New Orleans area. Again, this is not to brag, but to show I have skin in the game to build up to what I am about to ask of everyone. I currently hold a high position with a financial institution. My salary is in the six figures and I donate 80% of my net take home pay each month to charity. No, that is not a typo. Again, I am blessed and I feel that someone or something was looking out for my daughter in the time of my need and I am obligated to return that in any way I can for others. Finally, here is where I’m going with this rant.

About a month ago I saw a news feature on the local channel of a “no kill” animal shelter that was in dire need of funds. Being an animal lover……(Don’t let anyone know), I met with the people running the shelter investigated them and made sure they were on the up and up. After I was comfortable with the organization, I made a sizeable donation. (I’ve included the news link that got to me, please watch it.) I was asked to serve on their Board shortly after which I accepted. Then it happens; the BP oil spill. It is like a nuclear weapon has gone off and destroyed an entire Parish(County) where they operate. Now the fishing, shrimping and all other seafood livelihoods are shut down. The moratorium has put nearly 45,000 people out of work over night and things are getting out of hand for many people. I witnessed this first hand and want to share this with EVERYONE. The shelter is being inundated with people dropping off their pets because they can no longer afford to feed them. They are bringing them to the No kill shelter because they know the other shelters will only keep them 5 days then they are put to sleep. While at the shelter over the weekend, I witnessed the biggest and toughest of offshore workers crying and leaving their dogs and other animals because it’s a choice of feeding them or their family. I heard one individual break down and beg that they not kill his dog in hopes that he can get a job and come back to claim him. What really got to me was a 67 year old woman who worked at a seafood processing company that shut its doors over three weeks ago. Come to find out she had turned her dog in two weeks ago but had showed up at the shelter for free animal food that was donated by one of the big pet store chains. Someone recognized her and asked if she had gotten her dog back and she broke down and said no that she admitted coming to the shelter to get dog food for herself. What kind of country do we live in that we can allow this to happen? I want everyone out there tonight to stop what they are doing, look around and realize how BLESSED you and your family are. For everyone who rolls their eyes when Katrina is mentioned or BP and they say there go those stupid Louisiana people again looking for a handout. Remember that 67 year old woman who stood in line for over an hour to get dog food so she would not go hungry. We are proud people just like those in the mid west with tornados or in California with wild fires. There is no one down here who sits back and hopes that they loose EVERYTHING in hopes for a handout. Again, I apologize if this is not appropriate for this forum, but I ask that you evaluate you life and be grateful for what you have and don’t look down on those who can not help themselves.

If you have made it through to the end of my rant, I thank you for sticking with me. I’ve included the link for those animal lovers out there who may want to help out the shelter with a dollar or two. Remember if everyone would just help out one person a day the world would be a much better place.

http://www.wwltv.com/home/Struggling....html#comments

http://www.paws4life.org

[WadeWilson]

:( So sad. At a loss for words.

[AZCamaroFan]

What kind of country are we? Being in need is nothing new. Think of how people lived 100 years ago. I've seen lots of stories of people giving their pets to shelters because of the recession.
It's great that you give to charity. That's how it should be done. Not have our money stolen and wasted by the government, and then be handed 13 trillion in debt.

[guiLT]

:( wow..

[PQ]

First. Thank God your daughter is ok. That must have been hell.

Second, I have posted details here on how to get claims from BP. Admitedly, I don't know how quickly and effectively the claims process has been. But there has to be some other way for the lady to get assistance, without eating dog food.

Our business is down significantly. It's happening at a rapid pace. And we're not anywhere near dependent on the gulf directly as a business, but have a significant number of clients who are. They can no longer pay their bills with us.

It's a terrible decision to have to make, but I would send people assistance before an animal shelter. I hope you don't read this as being cold hearted. It does break my heart, but here's a lady eating dog food. I think she will be more important than the animals.