Urgent need for housing info/resources!

That's exactly what I was thinking: Red Cross. They usually help folks displaced by home fires. She should call them if she hasn't already!

What about the social services?  Or salvation army? I think here, they set you up for a few nights in a hotel when you are homeless.  It's a start anyway, I would think.  What town is she in?  I saw you were NC, but you say philly?  PA?  I know nothing about pa

How about asking churches and extentions of that, private families will sometimes help out. That really sucks.

The United Way has a telephone service in many areas. By dialing 2-1-1, you can be put in touch with them and they can look through their database to see what assistance is available. This is a newer service, but they are trying to consolidate information to help connect people with services.

Diane 

Did Amy find someplace for her kitties, or can she keep them at the motel?  Some support groups like Red Cross have become more sensitive to the needs of pet owners since the catastrophe in New Orleans.

There were hundreds of people who refused to leave their flooded homes after Katrina, because the rescue agencies would not let the people take their pets with them.  People who did make it out of the flooded area with their pets arrived at shelters (including Red Cross and FEMA-sponsored shelters) and were forced to abandon their pets because pets weren't allowed in the shelters.

At the same time as that was going on, animal protection groups (Humane Society, SPCA, and others) and veterinary organizations had set up temporary shelters for pets, and had arranged for networks of people to foster pets...but FEMA refused to grant those groups and facilities "official" status.  Plus, the "official" policy was that pets were not allowed in the rescue vehicles, and were not permitted inside the federally sponsored shelters.

It's my understanding that some of those negative attitudes about pets have changed since then.  After a fantastic lobbying effort in Congress, some of the support agencies now realize how important it is for people to know that their pets are safe.

Perhaps Amy could contact a local Humane organization or animal shelter, or some local veterinary clinics, or even an animal boarding facility, to see if they can offer some free or reduced-cost assistance.

otter 

Thanks, Ann.  I saw her update after I posted my note.

otter