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Happy Reunions

Brenda and Lady

Brenda Singh, a pediatrician from Southern California, was visiting a friend in New Orleans when people began evacuating for Hurricane Katrina. Because the airline wouldn't let her bring Lady onboard, Singh had to leave her behind.

When called to work in a New Orleans emergency room, Brenda's friend left Lady in his apartment with food and water. When the levee broke and flooded New Orleans, Lady was trapped.

Back in Orange County, Brenda was frantically calling shelters looking for Lady. Then, she saw a story about pets being airlifted to the Bay Area as part of Operation Orphans of the Storm. She called the Marin Humane Society, and together they were able to confirm that Lady was there.

Brenda immediately flew to Oakland and headed to the Marin Humane Society, where she was greeted with a lobby filled with staff and TV cameras.

Tia and Bertha

Tia was ripped from the arms of her 80-year-old owner, Bertha Huff, by an official on a causeway in New Orleans because the shelter Huff was going to didn't accept pets. Without being given a receipt for her dog, Huff was terrified she'd never see Tia again.

Tia ended up at the already overcrowded Lamar-Dixon emergency shelter in Gonzales, Louisiana, and from there was evacuated to the Marin Humane Society as part of Operation Orphans of the Storm.

Huff and her daughter, Sharon, evacuated to Houston where they continued to search for Tia - and found her on PetFinder.org, which is maintaining an online database of pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Rita. On Wednesday, September 28, a Marin Humane Society volunteer flew to Houston with Tia to faciliate a very happy reunion.

Photos by Chelle Putzer

Angel & The Lugenboughs

Maryanne and Milton Lugenbough lived with their four pets in St. Bernard's Parish before Hurricane Katrina hit. Now, having lost their home, they are staying with their daughter in Belrose, Louisiana.

The Lugenbough's were heartbroken when they were forced to leave their three dogs behind. Though they were able to bring along their 14 year old cockateil, the situation became so severe that the bird died in Maryanne's arms from drowning.

Later, the Lugenbough's found out that two of their three dogs drowned in their attic.

But what happened to their third dog, Angel?

Imagine the Lugenbough's surprise when they received a call saying that Angel was in California! Somehow, Angel was able to escape and was brought to an emergency shelter, where she was then evacuated to the Marin Humane Society.

Arrangements are being made to reunite Angel with her family. In the meantime, Angel is enjoying round-the-clock attention at San Quentin as part of the Pen Pals program.