Media contact:
Misti Preston
Phone: (573) 751-8596
Misti.Preston@mda.mo.gov

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2006

MDA Personnel Come to Aid of Storm-Stricken Pets; Governor’s Office Assists Citizens

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) - Spring tornadoes left many Missouri citizens seeking shelter and assistance as storm damage left homes and towns in ruin. Many Missouri animals have been displaced as well, with most relying on the kindness of strangers to survive. The Missouri Department of Agriculture - Division of Animal Health and its Animal Care Facilities Act Program took the plight of these animals to heart. As Governor Blunt stepped in to assist citizens, animal rescue personnel stepped in to the aid of disoriented animals.

ACFA Inspector Tommy Jacques was called to the site of the Caruthersville Animal Shelter following the April 2 tornados that damaged over 60 percent of the town. “It was as though a nuclear bomb went off in the heart of Caruthersville. I had never seen anything like it in my 28 years on this job,” said Jacques. “The animals were nervous and scared, and many were in shock. It was just a mess.”

According to Jacques, the crew had to do several sweeps of the area to locate and rescue animals which had gone into hiding. He said that while many dogs would roam around looking for their owners, many cats would simply burrow in and hide in the debris. The animal shelter was quickly filled beyond capacity. Shelter employees were forced to deal not only with a shortage of space, but soon a shortage of pet food. The Missouri Pet Breeder’s Association immediately answered that call.

“Within an hour of contacting MPBA, we had food donations pouring in,” said Jacques. From Mid-Missouri, the Jefferson City Animal Shelter and Columbia Second Chance each donated animal food. Freedom Pets from Neosho, supplied a van, van driver and fuel costs to haul food donated from ArKat in Springfield, Bass & Smith Feeds in Rogersville and Wells Pet Food in Norwood. The southeast chapter of MPBA secured additional food, and private individual donations were also received.

Once the basic needs of the animals had been met, shelter and rescue personnel started dealing with the process of finding pet owners. Phone service was out, but inquiries started coming in to the shelter almost immediately. People walked in with descriptions of lost family pets, and it was the group’s next course of action to reunite them. “We were fortunate that many animals had tags,” said Jacques. “If people weren’t able to come to the shelter, we were able to drive to them. One little girl in particular was so happy that we were able to bring her dog back to her. It brought tears to my eyes to know that we could give her just a little bit of comfort in the midst of such turmoil,” he added.

Erma Page, director of the Caruthersville Animal Shelter, expressed her gratitude to Jacques and the MDA ACFA Program. “Our shelter could not have handled such a disaster without the aid of Mr. Jacques and the others,” said Page. “We are so privileged to have someone like him working for the animals in our area.”

Page said the shelter is still in need of dog houses to distribute to pet owners in the area. Anyone wishing to make a donation should call the Caruthersville Animal Shelter at (573) 333-0100.

For more information on the MDA ACFA Program, please visit the Web site at www.mda.mo.gov.

**Editor’s note: In response to the April 2 tornados that struck Caruthersville and the surrounding area, Governor Matt Blunt immediately mobilized approximately 50 members of the Missouri National Guard and directed more than 100 law enforcement officials to the area to assist with recovery and security efforts. Blunt worked with Federal officials and secured a Presidential Disaster Declaration within 72 hours of the storm. The governor also signed a series of executive orders ensuring that Missouri communities had immediate access to the supplies they needed to expedite their recovery efforts.

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