On Jan. 8, Brenda Shoss of Kinship Circle wrote the following about a cat New Orleans animal rescuers named Max – one of the many animal victims of Hurricane Katrina.It was a day like any other, except for the flash of hot, sharp pain. A rainbow-colored arrow ripped through the cat’s body, shredding his gallbladder, spleen, lung, intestines, and nearly every organ except his heart. Bewildered, the cat staggered to his feet with an arrow protruding from either side of his body.Since Hurricane Katrina stole his home, the black and white cat had burrowed invisibly under broken buildings near a St. Bernard Parish high school. He’d emerged at dusk, blending with the dark to scour for food. The cat was just another shadow among thousands of displaced pets and strays in the New Orleans area.No one knows who shot the arrow or how many days the cat survived with a hole through his body. But on Jan. 3, someone notified Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), a volunteer rescue operation.According to this article, acts of animal cruelty are on the rise in New Orleans. The organization that found Max also discovered 13 cats poisoned by antifreeze. Rescuers found a yellow Lab mix with 100 pellets in him. They observed as kids shot pellets at other dogs. The list goes on. Regardless of the hardships people faced, and still do, in New Orleans, animal cruelty remains an act that can – and often does – lead to human violence.Max had surgery to remove his gall bladder and resection his intestines. His “nurses” said he was an affectionate cat who loved to knead with this paws. Although Max fought hard to stay alive, he died Jan. 17 of complications caused by an infection.One of his human friends, Jane Garrison, set up a fund in honor of Max to help with veterinary care for abandoned animals in New Orleans. To donate to the Max Memorial Fund, send checks payable to Jane Garrison, 2294 Otranto Road, North Charleston, SC, 29406.And just as important, speak out against animal cruelty. Support laws that make crimes against the animals a felony. Report any act of animal cruelty that you witness to the authorities.
