HOW SOON THEY FORGET

A look back in time here. As we all know, the Katrina disaster ended with a mandate to include pets in emergency planning. San Bernardino County Animal Control had an emergency plan for pets long before being told to have one and that plan was devised by the very people that are now being condemned.

During the fires of 2003, many people left home one morning not thinking the fire would affect their houses but it did, suddenly. Their pets were left and the owners weren't allowed in to get them. Who were the heroes that put themselves in danger to rescue these pets? The very people that are now being condemned as not caring about animals.

I remember that fire. I remember the organized effort of San Bernardino Animal Care and Control. I remember the adoption wagon, another story of how much Devore cares, was used to house evacuated pets on the north side of Fontana. The adoption wagon has been used many times since during fires and also is used in the 48 outside adoption events that Devore has during the year. The Cat Fanciers Association also recognized this great effort and awarded Animal Control with a check for $10,000. This was a major evacuation effort and it went according to plan, many lives were saved. This is the heart of San Bernardino Animal Control, not the one painted by the activists. San Bernardino cared enough to put in place a life saving program long before being told to do so and it is a result of the caring for the pets. The same people who have proven they care for the pets are the same people who are still around and I doubt seriously that they have changed their attitude from those days of the 2003 fires.