Ripple Effects Of The BP Oil Spill

Photo From Petfinder.com

One of the biggest stories in the news these days is the BP oil spill. Now that we are in hurricane season, the need to stop this spill is even more adamant than ever. Hurricane Alex is on its way and more hurricanes are certain to follow. Since April 20, there has been over 70 million gallons of oil spilled from this debacle. British Petroleum has spent at least 2.7 billion USD to resolve this problem.

The Effect On Dogs

The oil spill has hit home for many of the residents of Louisiana. Just recently recovering from the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina, this happens. Many have lost their jobs and can no longer keep their dogs. The local shelters have reached their capacity. Some dogs are being transferred to other animal shelters up north. There is even a special pet retention program that has been created where only $25 will fund the expenses to help families keep their pets.

How You Can Help

• Adopt A Displaced Dog!
There are many shelters in the southern Louisiana area that have wonderful dogs for adoption. These shelters have a surplus of animals: St Bernard Parish Animal Shelter Peggy Adams Animal Rescue\ Louisiana SPCA Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
• Donate
You can donate funds to the various humane shelters in the gulf. The Humane Society has already donated over 12.5 tons of pet food to shelters here.

This is a travesty that seems to be getting worse before it's going to get better. If you live in the area, there is always a need for volunteers. Petfinder has a great article in their blog where they show how to become a disaster relief volunteer.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on the BP Oil Spill? How has your area been affected by this?