A picture of suffering

The picture on the left, which I first saw in this post on City Rag, simply breaks my heart. I look at it and I get a heavy, urgent feeling deep in my chest that makes me want to get on a plane and go find that dog right now, even though logically I know whoever took the picture must have already helped him. In fact, this one image bothered me more than any of the other images that have been coming in from the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

I'm not sure why this is, except that maybe seeing so many images of the total and utter destruction of entire neighborhoods and towns and hordes of displaced people who can now fit everything they own in the world into a plastic grocery bag overwhelms me to the point that my brain just blocks it out, while this one small black and white picture of one creature in one pathetic situation is somehow easier to cope with.

I think it's just easier to feel the pain of one animal than is to feel sympathy for tens of thousands of people.

If you're moved to help rescue animals in the disaster area, you might start with a contribution to the disaster relief funds of the ASPCA and the U.S. Humane Society. Of course the American Red Cross, a fine, trustworthy organization that helps humans, can always use volunteers and donations, too.

UPDATE: I learned from reading this post on Marti's site that the picture is from Noah's Wish, an animal rescue organization that is in Slidell, Louisiana, right now working to rescue animals who had to be left behind by their owners. Please visit their web site and make sure to scroll down for updates about the work these wonderful people are doing. Terri Crisp, the organization's director, has been driving two hours from Slidell to Baton Rouge to get Internet access and to update her site. You can click here to make a direct PayPal donation to the organization.
.