As Hurricane Gustav roared toward the Gulf Coast Sunday, Best Friends Animal Society was already on the ground helping to make sure the animals of New Orleans get safely evacuated before the storm hits.

By Sunday, the Best Friends Rapid Response Team had helped get 200 animals at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter ready for transport to Georgia, far outside the hurricane’s expected path. When Best Friends heard about people not being allowed to board evacuation buses with pets who weren’t in crates, Best Friends made sure 3,000 carriers were available to anyone who needed them.

“We’re helping Jefferson Parish with everything they need,” says Best Friends Rapid Response Manager Rich Crook, a veteran of the Hurricane Katrina rescue who arrived in New Orleans Thursday.

Hurricane Gustav is expected to reach landfall as early as noon Monday, and it could be even more devastating than Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 storm that slammed into the Gulf Coast three years ago, leaving the Crescent City swimming in a deep pool of murky water. Best Friends was one of the first animal rescue organizations to arrive and the last to leave, rescuing more than 6,000 dogs, cats and other animals.

One major difference between the evacuation efforts for Katrina and Gustav is that, this time, people have not been forced to leave their pets behind. In August, 2006, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation (PETS) Act, which requires local and state governments to include pets in their evacuation plans.

Nevertheless, New Orleans officials have received reports of animals being left abandoned in backyards and tied to porches.

“It’s negligent and irresponsible,” Rich says. “They’re not luggage – they’re living beings and they count on people to take care of them.”

Best Friends Animal Care Director Patty Hegwood, who has also been in New Orleans since Thursday, agrees.

“No matter what, you must take your animals with you,” Patty says.

The team will try to get as many of those pets as possible to safety before the storm hits.

On Sunday afternoon, Patty was headed north on Highway 55, driving two dogs, five cats and a bird, all special needs animals from the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, to safety in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. A native of New Orleans, Patty is no stranger to hurricanes. She says there’s something in the air that’s stirring up memories of Hurricane Katrina.

“It’s like a total sensory recall – the smell, the heat,” Patty said as one of the cats meowed in the background. “There’s a dead quiet. There really is calm before the storm.”

Rich plans to ride the storm out at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, where he and Shelter Director Lee Ann Matherne are fine-tuning plans for the rescue after the storm hits. Other members of the Best Friends team are standing by in Texas, ready to head to New Orleans as soon as the call comes. Best Friends will remain on the front lines as long as there are animals to be saved.

Like Patty, Rich is also experiencing a little Déjà vu.

“I’ve been sick to my stomach since I’ve been here,” Rich says. “I don’t know if it’s reliving the horror of Katrina or if it’s in anticipation of the monumental task ahead of us. We’ve been here before.”

Written by Sandy Miller

Check out our Rapid Response web page for more info on Best Friends preparations for the hurricane season.

Donate to help the animals when disaster strikes.

September 8, 2008 : 10:57 AM ET
posted by: merriq1013

Crystal Springs, MS is not known for its animal control. Everyone in town calls me the dog lady. We have 3 rescue dogs and have fostered many others until we were able to find them good homes. When Rich called in response to my e-mail offering my home to volunteers, I was truly humbled. He kept thanking me for my kindness. What a privilege for me to be able to help this wonderful organization. Patty and the crew and all of the critters arrived safely. Unfortunately the power went out right after their arrival. The power came back on at about 1:00 a.m. and has run smoothly since. My husband and I and our three (kids) are staying at my sister’s house so that ours can be utilized by Best Friends. Knowing what these people do every day for the animals, we feel this is the least we can do. Best Friends is always welcome at our home. Now I just have to explain all the new smells to our dogs.

September 3, 2008 : 4:03 AM ET
posted by: SUNNEE

Sad as it is I'm glad so many people are getting upset over this irresponsible behavior. That is what it's going to take to bring changes about. Unless these people are being held accountable it's never going to change. I will also write a letter to the HSUS telling them to take up that cause since they are going after everything else and also mention why I'm not donating to the Gustav fund. I will instead use that money for a little older Dachshund female I just found abandoned at a Wa-Mart parking lot here in AZ. She has rotten teeth and mammory tumors. It also looks like she just had puppies. She is really cute and I feel better helping her instead of these loosers down south. I pitty their animals however for having to live there. I wonder what Anderson Cooper has to say this time!

September 2, 2008 : 9:56 AM ET
posted by: anna b.

i gotta agree with Joel. best friends and other groups are just becoming enablers for many of these people. they need a good swift kick in the pants and told to either take their pets with them or don't any period. it is the ultimate betrayal to drive away knowing a helpless animal is left to die on the end of a chain or drown in an attic.

best friends took in nearly a whopping 38 million dollars last year in donations. i can barely afford to pay my own bills so i'm going to sit this one out and let them pick up the tab for these people who don't deserve the priveledge of having a pet.

September 1, 2008 : 9:13 PM ET
posted by: zeuser89

I was a remote volunteer for Katrina helping a lady reunite with her two beloved dogs. I was only able to get one home to her and the other was just lost in the system even though they were rescued together. She lost 2 of her 3 homes and the third is barely livable, thanks to Katrina. Just the idea of deja vu also sickens my stomach. There is irresponsibility and than there is "cold blood" running through your veins. This time you had the right to take them with you and you still choose to leave them behind. There is no excuse for this. These people should be barred from ever having another pet ever!! My friend, Sophie, was so distraught at having to leave her boys behind in Katrina, she was very sad at not being able to find Zamo. I called her on Friday and she was scared to death of "not again"! This time she had her kids with her, yes, she adopted another one,still misses Zamo everyday, that when I called to make sure that she was getting out, I told her that no matter what happened this time, she has her kids and the love and caring of a very good friend, me, and she and her kids always had a home with us. As scared as she was, just having the comfort of the only loving family with her made me feel better. She is strong woman, but, another hurricane without her kids was a terrifying thought. You are blessed to be loved by a dog or cat, etc, to simply dismiss it makes a person highly suspect when it comes to knowing how to love. To Best Friends and all of us knowing how important our pets are in our lives..a great big "We are the luckiest people in the world to be loved by a dog/cat/etc"!!! God Bless all of our furries and their rescuers!!!

September 1, 2008 : 5:20 PM ET
posted by: SUNNEE

Well said Joel! I'm all for saving the animals left behind of course and it takes priority. However for these people to call Best Friends to check on their animals whom they left behind and tied up on a porch in the face of 'the mother of all storms' is beyond comprehension. I am at odds right now myself whether to donate or just apply that money to my own rescue fund. If there is nothing in place to hold these people accountable ... This has to change because that sentiment about not wanting to donate has a rippling effect and the animals are the ones that suffer in the end. There are great strides made in regards to Puppy millers and dog fighting in regards to accountability so why not tackle this subject once this is over with.

September 1, 2008 : 3:17 PM ET
posted by: joel

“No matter what, you must take your animals with you” Well Patti, that sentiment is going to fall on deaf ears again and many people no doubt have packed up their family photos and other belongings, and left their pets behind. I was also very angered at the picture that has since been taken down, of best friends volunteers coming with carriers to rescue other people's pets left to die. How many second chances are these people going to get? (like someone else asked) I saw start looking in backyards and inside homes and start giving out heavy fines for people who leave their animals for dead. These animals need a voice and I am not one to back away if someone accuses me of being judgemental. These animals cannot save themselves and this total lack of responsibility has got to stop! I am not going to donate one dime to this welfare state when its people cannot even take care of their own animals.

September 1, 2008 : 1:51 PM ET
posted by: jovaughn

I am leaving at 6am Tuesday (Sept 2) from Eufaula, Al. I will be in Folsom (north of N.O.) to help Psado Safe Haven with the animal rescue effort. Anyone wanting to go call me 3346878209 Jo Vaughn

September 1, 2008 : 12:36 PM ET
posted by: kittycooper

I guess the thing that we all need to accept is the only thing we can really change is what we do and hope that our actions set the the example for all of those who do not seem to get it. Thank God for those who set up to the plate and do this (BEST FRIENDS), It is not easy to look such negliect in the face nor deal with it. Thanks from all of us who can only support you and can not be on the ground with you. May St. Francis of the Animals protect and keep all of you.

September 1, 2008 : 11:33 AM ET
posted by: clablanc

Thank you Best Friends for being on location to help rescue pets left behind to fend for themselves during this storm. It's amazing that people would leave their pets behind while getting themselves out to safety.

I created a cause on Facebook and am asking everyone to join it, make a donation to the rescue fund and ASK FRIENDS to also join, donate and spread the word. Here is the link to the cause: http://apps.new.facebook.com/causes/114604

Everyone please HELP!