In the days leading up the to the storm, animal shelters in New Orleans were urging evacuees to take their pets with them, said New Orleans' WDSU NewsChannel 6.

Shelters were also encouraging owners to carry photos of their pets and reminding them to make sure their animals were equipped with ID tags in case they got lost during the confusion, said the news station.

The Louisiana Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told WDSU NewsChannel 6 that anyone caught abandoning their pets "could be charged with cruelty to animals."

The Humane Society of the United States has been asking for donations to fund a "massive relief effort to rescue animals and assist their caregivers in the disaster areas," according to their Web site.

"Our highly trained Disaster Animal Response Teams are heading to Mississippi to begin a multi-state animal rescue and recovery effort," The Humane Society of the United States said on their Web site.

"Our 38-foot Disaster Response Unit and other rescue vehicles affiliated with our teams are fully stocked and on their way."

Several other organizations are also asking for donations to help the animals affected by Hurricane Katrina, including San Diego-based Petco and the American Humane Association.

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Help animals through the following organizations at the front and center of relief efforts:

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
American Humane Association (AHA)
American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF)
United Animal Nations (UAN)

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