Topic : 09/08 Hurricane Katrina

On each and every news session or media coverage, I see countless numbers of dogs that look very bad.  They look so lost, sad and sick.  Some rescuers say that someone will come back for the dogs, but they are not a priority.  My 3 dogs are like my children.  I can't imagine having to leave them behind.  I was so sad to learn that pets couldn't go with their owners on the buses.  Why couldn't they sit in their laps on the bus or something?  One guy refused to leave until the newsreporter agreed to bring his dog to him (thank you thank you). 

I was so sad to see those poor dogs on the segment today.  These people have lost everything and now, they don't even have their pets.  It would just be so wonderful if those pets could be reunited with their families.  Pets can provided such comfort.  I know that there has been great devastation and that the people must be the focus.  However, the animal rescuers should get some time to show what they are doing, and I wish they wouldn't leave us hanging like they did today with the dogs that looked so sick--leaving them there after seeing them wet and in need of attention.  I couldn't do it.  I cried for quite some time over it.  Believe me, I have cried for the people as well.  I pray for all of them that they find peace, happiness, and closure. 

There are many people who would be willing to be foster families for these animals.  I just don't want them to be ignored or forgotten.  I have given money to both efforts, but I would like to hear and see what is being done to help the animals, and I just don't think I can watch another segment showing pets being left in those conditions. 

I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone about this.  I am just one small voice for our little friends. 

I watched the program and felt that the most effective parts were when you addressed the stresses of the rescuers for their own sake.  I found the "rescue" situations and nighttime intervention to be somewhat exploitive of the situation - maybe good t.v. but not aligned with the values of the work I have seen you perform in the past.    

Stay with the purpose and let the police persons (?) and others do their job....  

Respectfully,  

Suzanne  

I'm fairly certain that a man of his common sense would be conscious of this.  And, if this happens, I don't think it is necessary for him to personally clean it when someone can be hired to do this.  Your post sounds a lot like  a "not in my neighborhood" rant.  Maybe you should get out there and help some people and really get the sense of what it feels like to lift someone up when they need it the most.  Will there be people who take advantage of this...of course.  However, if you help one person to help themselves - it totally makes it worth it.   

   Dr. Phil, I want to first say thank you for what you do on your show. Many lives have been touched and changed due to your efforts. I applaud you for your strength, wisdom, and uncanny knack for changing peoples lives. I have watched your show since you have come on TV. Thank you. 

   Now I need to ask for your help if you can. My name is Richard and I am from the fine State of Louisiana. As you are well aware of the devistation of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf coast, many people have lost all they have in life due to this killer storm. Many people have lost their lives due to the flooding and storm surges in many areas. I personally lost my father in Hurricane Katrina. 

  I had the gruesome task of going into an area called St. Bernard Parish after Katrina. I went in with the sole purpose of finding my father who stayed in his home for the storm. September 11th is not only a date that changed this nation but has changed my life as well. I found my fathers body in his home on this same date the anniversary of 9/11. I identified my fathers body along with my Fiance. It was a task that no one should have to under take. 

  On that day I was able to obtain the assistance of the Body Recovery Team to remove my father from the home. The team sent my fathers body to St. Gabriel, Louisiana for Autopsy. I gave the team all the information on my father on 9/11. Since 9/11 I have yet to see or remove my father for proper cremation. I have been through every step of the channels to get him back. To this day I have not gotten him out of there. I followed every protocal in the system to properly identify and gain his body. 

  I have contacted FEMA, the Red Cross, Family Assistance, Two State Legislators, a Letter to the Governor's Office, and personally gone to the site where the bodys are. I have been told by each level in each agency that they have no information on him. At each level I have repeatedly given all the nescessary information on my father. I have a Chaplin at St. Gabriel who is personally looking for his body for recovery. 

  I have tried in vain to not seek outside assistance and to make the system of Louisiana look inept. I am at my wits end with that system now. I was hoping to not have national media get involved. Now I must do this not only for my sake but, for the sake of 100's of other familys suffering the same fate. Maybe with some national help we all can rest our loved ones in peace. I am seeking your advice in this matter due to my great respect for you and your show.  

  I hope to hear from someone here soon. Respectfully, Richard Reysack III

Mr. Reysack,  

Please accept my deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers.  I am replying to your post to suggest that you send your message directly to the Dr. Phil staff.  There is an "Email the Show" link at the top right of the homepage (under Contact Dr. Phil.)  Perhaps you have already done this.  I sincerely hope that you get some assistance.  Please post a message here if there is anything WE can do to help you, such as phone calls, letters, emails, etc. to agencies involved.  God bless you and your family. 

I am from a small little town called Spurger, Texas, it is located on Hwy 92 about 40 minutes from Beaumont.  Our little town was hit horribly by Rita but people just don't seem to care about us.  There are trees and power lines everywhere.  My house and many around me were destroyed either by trees or wind from a tornado.  I am currently in San Marcos, Tx.  Trying to get help from Red Cross and FEMA is so hard.  Everywhere you go and everything you see on T.V. is still focused on Katrina.  What you do hear about Rita is about the big towns, because no one cares about small towns.  Everyone I know is  so upset because it's hard trying to get help because everyone is focused on Katrina.  people can't go to work because they can't buy gas.  Stores that have generators are charging more than $3 a gallon of gas, since they are having to run off generators.  One store in Spurger (we only have 2 and a caution light that's how small the town is) is charging $3 for a loaf of bread and $7 for a gallon of milk.  People aren't  able to go to work so how are they going to afford this stuff.  We need HELP. We are not some big town like New Orleans but HELLO we NEED help from people around here also.  

 Everyone is capable of helping. We took a group from a small town in Ga and went to a community in Mississippi. While there, we found another community in desperate need of help. The Red Cross, Salvation Army nor  Fema had managed to make it to either one of these places yet. This was three weeks after Katrina. The people of the first community knew we were coming and they were waiting for us, with tears in their eyes. They opened what was left of their homes to US!! After they had gathered the supplies they needed, most of which we had to force them to take, they directed us to the next community. The second community was in total disbelief  that someone had come to help them!  

It didn't take us long to gather the suplies and there were more than enough trucks, trailers and Blazers to make it. Bring your own community together and "adopt" a community to get them back on their feet. We were even able to bring the local schools together to "adopt" classrooms that were destroyed and help get the Mississippi kids back in their own schools. It really doesn't take much to help. Just open your heart and your dayplanner. Pick a date to go and get there. Our next trip is Oct 15th. Wonder if the Red Cross has made it yet. 

There are so many ways to help. You don't have to travel, be an organizer. Talk to your neighbors and find a community that needs help. Talk with the local schools, churchs and help other schools and churches get back on their feet. We found several small communities along the Mississippi coast that needed, and still needs help.  

 And whatever you do, send those toys. Make sure you give that boy a big hug, and tell him how proud you are of him.