New Book for 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Orphans of Katrina: Inside the World’s Greatest Animal Rescue

Paradise Valley, AZ (PRWEB) August 6, 2010

Orphans of Katrina

The truth behind the pets left behind

A rescuer shares the greatest animal rescue in American history

Karen OToole had no formal training in animal rescue, yet that never crossed her mind when Katrina hit. She left her comfortable life in LA to spend four months living on the streets of New Orleans, rescuing as many animals as she could save, and living among the dead she could not save. She returned home a changed woman. Her book Orphans of Katrina is a vivid, heartfelt journey deep inside the greatest animal rescue in American history. She also helps blaze a path through our nations confusing animal shelter system, making it easy for everyone to be hands-on to help our nations pets. Books are available at http://www.amazon.com For more info: http://www.orphansofkatrina.com

OToole's acute eye is a sharp witness to the poignant, fragile land where man and animal band together in the ultimate race against time. She exposes this torrid, uncharted world with revealing photos, striking observations, and startling rescue tales. As she walks us through this unfathomed land, she makes a moving plea that we continue to help America's pets, the millions trapped in our nation's unforgiving, overcrowded shelter system.

Orphans of Katrina is a masters work describing and capturing the pathos and emotion of the animals displaced by Katrina. O'Toole's emotive writing brings us on a roller coaster from heartbreak to absolute joy. Her book communicates an important piece of history with eloquence and truthfulness. A must read for anyone who gives a damn about our furry friends.

Karen not only spent four months volunteering in New Orleans, but then months more working on the Internet helping evacuees track down pets. As the chaos died down, she felt she had done all she could for the people and animals of the Gulf, and was ready to get back to her own life. Books and articles written about Katrina animal rescue were glossing over too much of the truth, hiding the enormity of the tragedy and missing the all-important details that helped explain the largest animal rescue in history.

Despite some dramatic photo coverage and a handful of poignant articles, there were mostly stories about happy pet reunions and glossy photo journals showing animals swimming to safety. She realized the true story might never be toldthe true story of a human and animal disaster so far-reaching and heartbreaking that the very people who lived it were burying it.

She thought back to the thousands of animals she had encountered, to the enormity of the suffering theyd endured, and felt compelled, once again, to come to their aid. Even in their death, especially in their death, theirs was a story that needed to be told. A story of tragedy and triumph, of love and loyalty.

She couldnt desert these incredible animals that had no voice to speak for themselves; no way to tell their own story. Alone, they faced one of the greatest disasters to ever occur on American soil, and most paid with their lives. Who would tell their tale? And who would reveal the desperate plight of the hurricane survivors and the animal rescuers? The impossible challenges that were conquered, the grave mistakes they made, the valuable lessons learned. Orphans of Katrina is OTooles humble, heartfelt attempt to remember the people and pets of the Gulf: a scrapbook of stories, observations, and photos collected from deep within the world of Katrina.

It is her ode to the brave pets and rescuers of the Gulf. With their lives, and deaths, they brought needed focus to the desperate plight of the animals we share our world with. Animals all across the USA need you. Look at the hard numbers:

Nationwide: