I remember it like it was yesterday….. I was bringing the mother-in-law to the airport when I got the call. “Tangi Humane is flooding! Can you help?” I said yes and the rest was history.
As the one year anniversary of the August flood approaches and we look back on those few weeks, there are a few things that really jumped out in my mind: I can still see the cars, one after another, pulling into our parking lot to drop off donations; I can still see the hundreds of people who would just stop by and ask what we needed; I can still see my staff pulling together and doing things none of us thought would ever be possible; and most of all, I see the dogs, the “Flood Dogs” we called them. I remember all 162 of them. They came in all shapes, sizes and colors; they came sick, injured and healthy; they came alone, abandoned, scared, and happy. There were a lot of variables to that week. Between the variety of rescues from all over our surrounding areas to the vast array of donations shipments, everything that laid in front of us was new and something we had never dealt with before. One thing was certain: the “Flood Dogs” were safe now. 
I cannot thank our community enough for their unprecedented amount of support. I cannot thank local businesses enough for their overwhelming generosity. I cannot thank the volunteers and fosters enough for their dedication and hard work each day. Lastly, I cannot thank my staff enough for their unwavering commitment to these animals. It was like they were born to do this. Every dog that was rescued by my team was given the best quality of care. That is not an overstatement. These dogs came in sick, injured, infested with fleas, suffering from heartworms, and so on. These dogs never felt neglected again. They never felt abandoned and they never felt alone. Each of the Flood Dogs received a fighting chance and a brand new life. For that, I thank everyone.
Where are they now?
All but three of the Flood Dogs have found their forever homes in the year that has since passed. Some live in Louisiana while others live in Wisconsin, Florida and even Chicago. Some have new names while others still have the Louisiana-themed names we gave them. Some were adopted by large families while others continue their lives with a single companion.
Please keep an eye on our Facebook page at noon everyday this week as we reflect on the immense impact the August flood had on our community and the people and animals within it. There will be success stories of particular dogs, stories of our community’s generosity and individual stories for each of the three remaining Flood Dogs.
I hope our recollection of the past brings back memories of friends, family, and most of all - resilience, because that’s what the state of Louisiana was built on.
Sincerely,
Scott Bernier
Chief Executive Officer
St. Tammany Humane Society