The following update was written by Heidi Poor, a Project Starfish volunteer who recently returned from working with Animal Rescue New Orleans. This group was formed after the major animal rescue groups deemed the search and rescue over and left New Orleans in October. ARNO was founded by Jane Garrison, who managed the Lamar Dixon facility for the Humane Society of the United States before it closed. She was recently profiled on Nature's "Katrina's Animal Rescue." Jane and her group are dedicated to helping the thousands of pets still left wandering the streets in search of food and shelter. See www.animalrescueneworleans.com for more information. To see Heidi's photos of the ARNO facility, see our slide show section.

I just returned from working with Jane Garrison and Animal Rescue New Orleans. They have a makeshift facility staffed with a diverse group of volunteers united by their love of animals. The facility operates out of a small parking lot on the corner or Magazine and Felicity streets where the day starts early with a meeting to discuss the areas of the city that are in the most need.

Each morning, assignments for the estimated 2,000 food and water drops are dispersed. The day's trapping assignments are also made. The feeding and watering is crucial as it sustains the animals until we are able to trap them. Each volunteer team receives a map of the areas they are assigned, then load up their vehicles with food/water or traps and head out for a long day.

Because the animals have been left to fend for themselves since the hurricane, they now run in packs mostly prowling between dusk and dawn remaining very wary of humans. Even those with collars and tags are running scared. Therefore humane trapping has been the only recourse to reclaim these animals from the streets.

At the days end, animals brought in are evaluated. Those needing medical attention are immediately transported for care within New Orleans. Animals well enough for transport are prepared for travel. Because the ARNO facility cannot house animals here overnight, their stay here is short. Every evening a truck sent from www.bestfriends.org will transport these lucky few to their facility in Tylertown, Mississippi.

At Best Friends, the animals are vetted, micro-chipped, photographed and posted on-line in hopes of being reunited with their families. From there, Best Friends relies on other rescue organizations to provide transports to other facilities throughout the country where they can be placed in foster homes.

This is the crucial link in this whole process. If other rescue groups do not come forward to move these animals from Best Friends we do not have the ability to pull animals from the street as they have NO PLACE TO GO.

We had several days where we were unable to trap because the Best Friends facility was full. This is extremely discouraging especially on the day that I had an emaciated, scared dog approach me and eat out of my hand. I was certain I could have coerced him into my vehicle. He was clearly someone's pet and it broke my heart to leave him. I had continued to check this neighborhood and have not seen him since.

I still wonder about this dog's fate. The LASPCA is pulling as many animals off the street as we are however, they are only holding dogs for five days and then they are euthanized if not claimed.

With most of the city still uninhabited and a large percentage of its population relocated all over the country, how would it ever be possible for these pets to be claimed in only five days?

Keep in mind that the LASPCA has received $2.5 million from the HSUS and $1.5 million from the ASPCA along with approximately $9 million in private donations in response to the hurricane and their adoption center is still not open. These dogs don't even have a chance, how is this ethical?