As a disabled woman who is unable to work, has agoraphobia and a serious
social anxiety problem, and is unable to make any friends or have
children, my pets ARE my family.  I don't have two-legged children, but
I have a number of the four-legged sort, and I literally would not, and
could not, live without them.  Every day they help give me a reason for
living -- and my ferrets are the toddlers and youngsters I can never
have.
 
My husband works with a local hospital.  He already has been told that in
the event of a major storm, he will be on lockdown inside the hospital
for 24-72 hours (or "until further notice" -- even though he does not
have a "critical" job, per se).  This basically means that I am left by
myself in the event of a disaster.  I currently have nowhere to go, no
way to evacuate by myself, and I REFUSE to leave my kids behind, period.
We have no family anywhere nearby who could (or would) take me in (let
alone my pets!).  Because we currently don't have a working truck --
which would be our "evacutaiton vehicle" if we were able to leave
together -- I have no clue how I'd fit four cats and three ferrets in
our smallish car.  The stress alone would probably kill me.  I don't
have money for a motel, or the gas to travel all the way to a relative's
house three states away.
 
I've mulled this over for weeks -- long before Katrina struck NOLA -- and
I still have no answer.  My husband's supervisors refuse to let him stay
with me in the event of an emergency.  I "could" go to the hospital to
stay (impossible, with my social problems -- and, of course, I could not
take the pets).  The only relative nearby isn't really a relative...and
already has said that she'd rather we drown than stay with her (nice,
huh?) -- I won't mention what she said about the pets!
 
So...let me make this very clear: In the event of a disaster, I STAY WITH
MY PETS.  If anyone tried to separate me from them, I'm afraid that I'd
become violent.  Would you leave your toddler or baby alone in an
emergency?  Would you abandon your parents, or your younger siblings?  I
do not do well with people, and there is no way in HELL I could stay in
a shelter with hundreds or thousands of strangers -- and CERTAINLY not
without my babies.!  (Not to mention that they'd have to clear a large
space to store my numerous daily medicines, pet foods, ferret cages,
bedding, etc. *g*)
 
We are seriously working on options even as I write this, but unless and
until we can afford to get our larger vehicle repaired, or find somewhere
that would be willing to take us in, we're pretty much screwed.  So leave
me at home with my kids -- and worry about rescuing everyone else.  I'll
take care of my own.
 
Just my two cents.
 
[RG]
[Posted in FML issue 4995]