Max's Amazing Story!!!
Cross POSTED


As most of you know, when Louisiana citizens were bussed to Houston
during Hurricane Katrina some arrived at the human shelters with their
pets. Their pets were not allowed in so Harris County Animal Control
and the Houston SPCA took possession of them so that hopefully they
could eventually be reunited with their owners. Well, after the
hurricane it proved to be difficult to locate some of the owners. In
Max's case this was especially true. The harder we tried to figure out
who Max's owner was and where they ended up the more confusing the story
became. His story is truly amazing and it is not over yet!

Max stayed at the HSPCA from September 1-20 after which he was
transferred to us at Harris County Animal Control. Max's paperwork gave
only an owners name and Louisiana address, no phone number. With a
little internet searching the persons home number was found but
naturally was no longer a working line since that area of Louisiana is
destroyed. Our next lead was the two license tags from Kalamazoo County
Michigan for 2003 and 2004 that were on his collar. After speaking with
their county animal control their records indicated that the dog had
moved to Louisiana about a year ago. They gave us a name of the owner,
which was not the same name as the person who brought him to
Houston...another mystery. The Michigan phone number for this person
was not a working line either. Uggh...where do we go from here? Our
only hope was located the person who handed him over to us in Houston.
So the internet search continued.

Finally a promising discovery! A relative of this person had posted on
a Katrina evacuee search to find them after the storm, the website gave
the relatives contact information in Atoka, Oklahoma. We picked up the
phone again and this time there was actually an answer! Yes, they are
related to this person, yes they know where he is, and yes he does want
his dog. BUT...the dog is not actually his. Ok, now we're very
confused, how is this not his dog? He evacuated with it right? Well,
while waiting on a bridge in Louisiana a family of three and their pet
Poodle were waiting as well. The family attempted to get on a bus with
the dog and were turned away. Determined not to leave their beloved pet
they waited for another bus. This time the driver allowed them on the
bus with Max but before taking off a National Guardsman insisted that
the dog could not make the trip. The family was absolutely torn. The
young man also waiting to be evacuated said give me your dog, I will
take care of him and make sure he is alright. The family without any
other choice handed Max to the boy. Later, the boy was allowed to get
on a bus with Max and ended up at the George R. Brown Convention Center
with him and then is forced to turn him over. So does he know anything
about the family, any clue that would help us figure out who his owners
are? No, not a name, not the city they're from, nothing. Another dead
end!

Somewhere there was family missing their beloved pet and we had to find
them. In a last ditch effort we decided to check as many websites that
post lost pets as we can. There it was...Max, male/neutered Poodle, 10
yrs old, wearing two Michigan license tags, lost during hurricane
evacuation. Time to pick up the phone again, this time a woman in Ohio
picks up. Are you sure it's him she says? We're sure it's him, we have
his tags. How did he get to you she asks? So we go through the boys
story of the family of three being bussed out and forced to turn him
over. That's exactly what happened she says! Is the dog yours we ask?
No, but I know the owners and I will call them right away. A few
minutes later the phone rings, a woman sobbing with joy and barely able
to speak says...you have Max? YES!!! We have Max, he is healthy, happy
and ready to get home. So, where is home? Well, the family ended up
back in Michigan...but Max is in Texas! She says they have been in
contact with a rescue group based in California that had offered to fly
Max home if they were able to find him. So, we get a call from Bichons
and Buddies rescue group with whom we will arrange to get Max on a plane
to Michigan to be reunited with his family next week! This is one lucky
guy and one happy family!

YEA !!!!!!