WALKER, LOUISIANA, April 11, 2017 — The August 2016 floods that swept through Louisiana caused massive devastation and affected thousands of residents—including four-legged locals. Two organizations, Dog People of Livingston and City of Walker Animal Control, jumped into action to help animals in need within mere hours of the heavy rainfall: The City of Walker Animal Control shelter began to flood, but with the help of Dog People of Livingston, they successfully evacuated the shelter and moved the animals under their care to safe ground. The two organizations, along with other local agencies, set up an emergency shelter for animals that had been stranded or left homeless in the flooding, and worked tirelessly during and after the floods to reconnect animals with their owners.

To help both organizations continue the lifesaving work they exhibited during the August floods, American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization, awarded Dog People of Livingston a $13,000 grant, and City of Walker Animal Control with a $16,000 grant at an event in Walker, Louisiana today.

The Louisiana flooding stretched the limited resources of Dog People of Livingston and City of Walker Animal Control, and as thousands of animals remain abandoned by owners who evacuated during the floods and have not returned, both organizations recently found themselves in a financial predicament. The two organizations plan to use the grant money from American Humane in different, yet equally critical ways.

Dog People of Livingston plans to host multiple free microchipping clinics, supply free collars and identification tags to pet owners, and lease digital billboard space on the highway to post pictures and information on pets lost in the parish.

City of Walker Animal Control shelter suffered water damage from the floods and other damages related to animal overcapacity. They plan to use the grant money from American Humane to repair water-damaged walls and treat for mold, replace damaged A/C units, and acquire additional caging to house more displaced and lost pets in the area.

“Our Parish has an enormous lost pet issue. With this grant we will launch the ‘Lost… Found… Home.’ Project,” Lynell Johnson, Founder of Dog People of Livingston, said. “Providing completely free collars, microchips and ID tags, as well as access to widespread lost pet alerts, will ensure lost pets get back where they belong: home.”

“Thank you to American Humane, for not only helping us immediately after the Flood of 2016 with volunteers and supplies, but also with grant monies to help repair our building and replace resources that were damaged in the tragic event,” Mary Gray, Director of City of Walker Animal Control, said. “With their help, we are able to continue our endeavor of finding each animal a loving home to call their own!”

“We are pleased that we can continue to aid the animals of Louisiana and help those who did so much to help thousands of dogs, cats, horses, and other vulnerable animals during the disastrous floods,” said American Humane President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert. “We have been first to serve animals in disasters for 100 years and hope that this grant will serve to help many more in the future.”

About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization, founded in 1877.

About the Dog People of Livingston
Dog People of Livingston is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit dog rescue organization determined to change the culture of their parish and bring in new ideas and programs to educate children and pet lovers and ultimately hoist the welfare of their area animals to places some may not think possible.

About the City of Walker Animal Control
City of Walker Animal Control’s mission is to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of people and pets in the Walker community, and reduce the dangers and nuisances caused by irresponsible pet ownership. They protect pets from abuse, neglect and homelessness, and provide the best care available for stray animals that enter their facility in hopes of finding loving, responsible homes for unwanted and abused pets.