NEWS From
STEALTH VOLUNTEERS – Reuniting Katrina Pets with Their Families
Contact: Donna Thomas donna at vermonters dot com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2006
“New Orleans Judge Orders Return Of Iraq Veteran’s Katrina Dog”
Judge In St. Bernard Parish Orders Return Of Another Dog In Similar Case
NATIONAL – Judges in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish today ordered the return by two Texas animal shelters of two dogs rescued in the wake of Katrina.
Army First Lieutenant Japheth (Jay) Johnson of New Orleans, veteran of the Iraq war, brought suit today against the SPCA of Texas. Stealth Volunteers, with Louisiana attorneys Sal Gutierrez and Mary Hand and Massachusetts attorney, Steven M. Wise, announced today at 11am at Chateau Sonesta Hotel on Iberville St., New Orleans, that Lt. Johnson had received an injunction the return of his dog, Missy. They also announced that Linda Charles, a New Orleans resident in similar circumstances, today received an injunction issued by a St. Bernard Parish judge ordering the Humane Society of North Texas to return her dog, Precious. City of New Orleans Councilmember Cynthia Willard-Lewis sent a representative in support of Johnson and Charles, her constituents.
Missy is one of many companion animals rescued in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that are now being withheld from their owners by shelters who took them in. Louisiana attorneys Sal Gutierrez and Mary Hand and nationally renowned animal rights attorney, Steven M. Wise (whose admission pro hac vice Attorneys Gutierrez and Hand will move) are filing suit on behalf of Lt. Johnson and Linda Charles.
When Hurricane Katrina hit, Lt. Johnson was serving his country in Iraq, having left Missy in the care of his mother at their Ninth Ward home. Ms. Johnson was forced to leave Missy behind when mandatory evacuation was ordered. Two weeks later, Missy was rescued near the Johnsons’ home and brought to the emergency animal shelter at the Lamar Dixon facility in Gonzales, LA. The next day, Missy, who had an embedded identification chip (AVID chip) that identified her owner’s name, address, and telephone number, was transported by truck to the in Texas animal shelter.
On September 15 th Lt. Johnson returned from Iraq and began to search for his dog, with no clear idea of where to begin amidst the chaos left by Katrina. Eventually HSUS helped him to place a “lost” report on Petfinder.com. Soon after, a Stealth Volunteer identified Missy from the “found” report. Another Stealth Volunteer confirmed from AVID registered phone number data that this was, indeed, Lt. Johnson’s dog, Missy.
The Texas shelter has been contacted several times by Lt. Johnson, his mother, and by Stealth Volunteers, but the shelter has refused to return Missy or give Lt. Johnson information that would bring his little dog back home.
“The plight of Lt. Johnson and Missy is emblematic of a number of cases where shelters throughout the country temporarily provided aid to rescued Katrina companion animals, then refused to return them to their original families, who remain stymied in their attempts to rebuild their lives,” stated Wise.
Sal Gutierrez and Mary Hand are respected New Orleans attorneys. They may be reached for comment at (985) 674-8455.
Steven Wise is the nationally known author of “Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals,” and past president of The Animal Legal Defense Fund. He has taught “Animal Rights Law” at the Harvard, Vermont, John Marshall, and St. Thomas Law Schools. Mr. Wise is currently the president of The Center for the Expansion of Fundamental Rights, and resides in Florida. He may be reached for comment at (934) 648-9864
Stealth Volunteers is a grassroots organization responsible for more than a thousand reunions of Katrina pets with their families.
Lt. Japheth (Jay) Johnson, Linda Charles, and Attorneys Wise, Gutierrez, and Hand are available for interviews.
Councilmember Cynthia Willard-Lewis may be reached at (504)658-1050.