US Military Orders Evacuees from Lebanon to Leave Dogs, Cats, Birds and Other Companion Animals Behind to Die

No surprise here. Remember Katrina?! As usual, the US doesn’t learn its lesson. Now, countless innocent will suffer. Interesting to note that France made arrangements for it’s people to take their companions.

Article:

Let pets out of Lebanon: rights group

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19850320-23109,00.html

From: Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Washington

July 20, 2006


THE US military ought to let those evacuating Lebanon bring their pets, an animal rights group said today.

Unlike the French, which made provisions for animal evacuations, US military commanders are ordering evacuees who brought their dogs, cats, birds and other pets to leave them behind, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said.

"Apparently French generals are able to deal with a child holding a five-pound rabbit and the US military is not," PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said.

In a letter to the evacuation operation's commander, PETA said its office had been flooded with calls on behalf of "desperate" Americans in Lebanon.

"Even elderly residents – who, in some cases, have suffered amid the rubble for days, just so that they could safeguard animals whom they consider to be members of their families – are being told that they must leave their animals behind to starve to death," the letter said.

"People are upset enough without this complication. And America can surely do better."


PETA said policy on animal evacuations was supposed to have changed after Hurricane Katrina, when scores of people refused to evacuate New Orleans without their pets and thousands of forcibly abandoned animals died.

The US government recently reversed its policy of charging evacuees for repatriation costs amid a public outcry.

The Government has come under criticism for the speed of its response, which has lagged behind that of European nations that evacuated their citizens without charge.