Disasters can strike anywhere, at any time, and without warning. They can result from natural causes (e.g., floods, earthquakes, flu pandemics, wildfires) or man-made causes (e.g., chemical explosions, bioterrorist incidents, hazardous material spills). When a disaster occurs, local, state, and federal resources can become overwhelmed. At no time in recent history has this been more apparent than during Hurricane Katrina. When Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, it became the costliest andmost destructive natural disaster in US history. The loss of life - both human and animal -reached massive proportions. Reports indicate that more than 1,500 people lost their lives. According to volunteer animal rescue groups, approximately 50,000 pets were abandoned during the hurricane and only about 15,000 of them were eventually rescued.
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