“Honor every being,

For each is needed

To complete the tapestry

Of life on earth.”

Penelope Smith

As the one year anniversary

Of Katrina’s wrath draws near

I honor three of her survivors

Three friends I now hold dear

This black dog had just about given up

When he was found dying on the street

Starving dehydrated and without hope

Another victim this storm would defeat

But with compassionate medical care

His will to keep on living was renewed

And with a bit of encouragement and love

This Katrina victim was soon far less blue

He also seemed to be responding to my attention

So this healing canine was quickly named ‘Eddie’

But when I finally brought him home to live with us

For two ‘Eddies’ in the house my spouse wasn’t ready

So I reluctantly agreed to her name change of ‘Junior’

But these days I prefer calling this dog ‘Momma’s Boy’

My wife is now so very attached to this now playful pup

And they have both given each other tons of love and joy

Young Tater had been left behind at a devastated trailer park

Where I found him scavenging through a massive trash heap

He had been alone and on his own for such a very long time

He joyously responded to my voice and jumped into my jeep

In my cluttered old truck this so very lonely canine would remain

Refusing to leave its sanctuary and sleeping on my chest every night

He very quickly became my new rescue partner riding shotgun with me

And each additional abandoned pet we found brought both of us delight

These days my good friend Tater still diligently follows after me

And his greatest joy in life is splashing about in his tiny kiddy pool

He has also become extremely good friends with our other dog Turbo

And when either of us joins him for a swim Tater thinks that very cool

Flower was found lying very forlornly in a gutter in New Orleans

She was starving dehydrated and gobs of filthy oil covered her fur

She now seemed to have given up any hope of a normal feline life

Her eyes were dark and blank and she could never even muster a purr

So I brought her home hoping that my other felines could cheer her up

And before long at all her outlook on life began changing dramatically

These days she has blossomed into a glorious and joyous feline flower

As she purrs and plays and catnaps each new day away with utter glee

I will probably never really know

The sheer hell Katrina’s victims went through

But I now have three good friends in my backyard

Who without a doubt in my mind - most certainly do

These are just three of the thousands of Katrina’s pet victims

There are still hundreds more at shelters all across this nation

Perhaps you might find it in your heart to befriend one of them

We each have the ability to turn a neighbor’s tragedy into elation

©2006, Ed Kostro

All Pets Radio

Has Created a Katrina Pet Webpage

Featuring Pet Rescue Stories

Katrina Pet Memorials

My Poems about Tater and Flower

A Katrina Photo Gallery

Including Some of My Photos

And Some Very Touching Videos

Featuring Many of These ‘Left Behind’ Pets

“I Want To Live”

Really Hit Home For Me

Especially With the Three

Who Now Live In My Home

The website is linked below