My sister has been sending me these updates and it's breaking my heart. If anyone in the NYC area can help, or knows anyone who can, please pass this along. Please post to post it to other boards also.

This is no hoax.

Thanks-

Gwen

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From: Cause4pawsny@aol.com [mailto:Cause4pawsny@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2001 9:43 AM

Hi everyone - I'm with a small NYC rescue
group. We get most of our rescues from the CACC (Center For Animal Care and Control, a New York City based shelter system) and they have informed us that they will be forced to euthanize all owner surrenders immediately after their 48 hour wait to make cage space for possible Army reserve and WTC orphans. Is anyone able to foster a dog or cat from the CACC right away so we can get them out instead of killing them?

Thank you! Lydia DesRoche

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Subj: Animal Fallout from WTC Disaster/9-18-01
From: mandy787@aol.com

I have been going to CACC (Center For Animal Care and Control, a New York City based shelter system) since they opened. In all my years of rescue from this shelter, I have NEVER seen what was witnessed yesterday.

Cars were double-parked up and down the block on 110th Street. Inside the shelter, the lobby was completely FULL with people dropping off animals. It seems many people for whatever reason (fear or possible damage to homes) are suddenly "moving" out of the city and cannot take their animals. An unusually high number of "strays" also suddenly coming in: Five Purebred Chow Chows, Pomeranians and many other breeds. Sharon at the CACC showed me a smallish pure Collie who looked just like a scruffed up version of Lassie. This very sweet, senior dog had just come in as "stray." (We put a memo on her.) Cats, moms and litters were also everywhere. Many of them suddenly abandoned after years in a home.

The computers are still down at CACC. There is pitifully scant information on the animals' cards. Though we can surmise many of these now-homeless pets are actual or indirect victims of the WTC tragedy, such is not indicated on their kennel cards. Many of the groups or individuals who have offered to "help WTC animals" will not help these as "WTC" is not noted on the cards.

I was also informed today that a number of the animals in evacuated buildings around the ground zero area have been abandoned by caregivers. Or, perhaps the guardians have perished. In any event, no one has stepped up to claim the animals.

We have tried to put memos on a number of animals, regardless of the noted "reason" they are there. But, we do NOT have sufficient offers or placement for them.

I am putting out this e-mail to bring light to the fact, that an incalculable number of animals ARE coming into CACC as a result of the WTC tragedy. However, since the info on them does not state this, I am concerned that the truth will not "get out" to all those who have offered to help these pets.

People who want to help these animals need to be CONTACTING ALL RESCUE GROUPS and SHELTERS in New York WHO TAKE CACC pets, including ours, NYCA. Most are listed on Petfinder.org. Or, if in New York, they can adopt directly from the shelter. Please forget about requirements that the animals "be victims of the WTC tragedy."

Trust me, they ARE.