Sioux City native rescues animals in New Orleans
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Springfield, Ill., veterinarian Richard Speck, a native of Sioux City, recently returned from New Orleans, where he lent a hand to some of Katrina's furry and feathered victims.
Responding to a call for veterinary help from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture, Speck traveled to New Orleans Sept. 20, representing the Springfield Animal Protective League. While in New Orleans, Speck filled food and water stations and conducted search and rescue operations in abandoned homes.
"When they needed me, I helped out," he said. "It was an unforgettable experience."
Having been locked in homes or wandering the streets for weeks without food and water, Speck said many animals perished. He said he saw dead dogs, cats, guinea pigs and parrots.
In St. Bernard Parish, one of the hardest hit areas, Speck said he saw signs of hope. He rescued a duck covered in oil and a tropical fish, which he found swimming in the murky waters of a fish tank. Upon entering a house filled with an overwhelming stench, Speck said he did not expect to find anything living. The sight of a beautiful cockatiel perched above the rotting carcass of a parrot was a surprising sight for Speck.
"It was still alive and it looked really good," he said. "I could not leave that bird in that environment."
However, Speck said he could not bring every animal he found to safety. The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, La., which served as a make-shift animal shelter, housed 1,700 abandoned animals. Filled to its capacity, the shelter could only take the critically injured or sick.
"They begged us not to bring any animals in good condition," he said. "It was kind of a logistical nightmare."
Leaving food and water for many animals in abandoned homes, Speck found two men who refused to leave without their pets. Speck said he met a 60-year-old man who did not want to leave his dog behind. Living in a house without doors or windows, Speck said the man had already begun the rebuilding process.
"He was just so positive," he said of the man. "He was going to rebuild."
Speck said another man refused to leave his home because he could not take his 10 animals along. After some coaxing, the man agreed to evacuate. Speck said the man found only two of his animals and is still trying to locate the others, which where scattered among several shelters.
If faced with a similar situation, Speck said he would not leave his dog behind.
"I would never leave my dog," he said. "I would stay or take him."
Although Speck said he would have liked to have helped out with the rescue efforts longer, he left New Orleans after three days of volunteering in anticipation of Hurricane Rita and returned to Springfield, where he owns Parkway Veterinary Clinic.
Speck, an East High School graduate, served in the Army before attending the University of Iowa. Speck went on to study at Iowa State University, where he received a degree in veterinary medicine.
Responding to a call for veterinary help from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture, Speck traveled to New Orleans Sept. 20, representing the Springfield Animal Protective League. While in New Orleans, Speck filled food and water stations and conducted search and rescue operations in abandoned homes.
"When they needed me, I helped out," he said. "It was an unforgettable experience."
Having been locked in homes or wandering the streets for weeks without food and water, Speck said many animals perished. He said he saw dead dogs, cats, guinea pigs and parrots.
In St. Bernard Parish, one of the hardest hit areas, Speck said he saw signs of hope. He rescued a duck covered in oil and a tropical fish, which he found swimming in the murky waters of a fish tank. Upon entering a house filled with an overwhelming stench, Speck said he did not expect to find anything living. The sight of a beautiful cockatiel perched above the rotting carcass of a parrot was a surprising sight for Speck.
"It was still alive and it looked really good," he said. "I could not leave that bird in that environment."
However, Speck said he could not bring every animal he found to safety. The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, La., which served as a make-shift animal shelter, housed 1,700 abandoned animals. Filled to its capacity, the shelter could only take the critically injured or sick.
"They begged us not to bring any animals in good condition," he said. "It was kind of a logistical nightmare."
Leaving food and water for many animals in abandoned homes, Speck found two men who refused to leave without their pets. Speck said he met a 60-year-old man who did not want to leave his dog behind. Living in a house without doors or windows, Speck said the man had already begun the rebuilding process.
"He was just so positive," he said of the man. "He was going to rebuild."
Speck said another man refused to leave his home because he could not take his 10 animals along. After some coaxing, the man agreed to evacuate. Speck said the man found only two of his animals and is still trying to locate the others, which where scattered among several shelters.
If faced with a similar situation, Speck said he would not leave his dog behind.
"I would never leave my dog," he said. "I would stay or take him."
Although Speck said he would have liked to have helped out with the rescue efforts longer, he left New Orleans after three days of volunteering in anticipation of Hurricane Rita and returned to Springfield, where he owns Parkway Veterinary Clinic.
Speck, an East High School graduate, served in the Army before attending the University of Iowa. Speck went on to study at Iowa State University, where he received a degree in veterinary medicine.
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