On Tuesday, 2/16/10, public television will be showing a documentary called "Mine." My sister, Vanessa, and I saw a free screening of this the other week and it was excellent. "Mine" concerns animals left in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and focuses on some of the adoption issues that arose due to this highly unusual disaster. Animals needed to be spread across the US quickly in order for more to be taken out of the Gulf area, however, due to the inability for many residents to return home and try to reclaim lost pets for weeks or even months, many animals already been adopted out to new families. It raises some issues of race & class and also points out that the welfare agencies who took in the animals did not always recognize that owners might step forward so long afterwards. It also raised some perplexing issues of "quality care standards." While pets weren't automatically spayed, or put on preventative meds, it did not mean these people didn't love their animals. Lack of education, finances, and in some cases cultural differences all contributed. What is shocking and so sad was the attitude of some of the receiving shelters. I know it made me rethink many of my "presumptions." Locally in CT, it will be shown on channel 24 at 11 pm (which has the unfortunate habit of putting any really valuable programming on at odd hours so they can air reruns). WGBY in Springfield, MA has it on at (I believe) 10 pm. Please check your local PBS station's schedule. Ann Gruden Ferret Association of Connecticut [Posted in FML 6609]