Hurricane leaves poodle homeless at area shelter

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, a former New Orleans resident is looking for a permanent home in the Cape Girardeau area.

Boomer is an 8-year-old miniature poodle. His former owners brought him with them when they escaped from Hurricane Ivan to stay with relatives here. They left the dog with the relatives when they returned home, and found that things were so bad there that they couldn't come back for Boomer, said Chuck Stucker, director of the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

Boomer has been staying at the shelter at 2536 Boutin Drive.

"He's a nice little poodle," Stucker said. "We would like to find him a good lap to sit in for the rest of his life."

Stucker said Boomer likes to cuddle and is friendly and affectionate. He is up to date on all his shots, and his former owners have promised to send up his medical records.

The family Boomer's owners were staying with couldn't keep the dog, but the woman did visit him at the shelter.

"It was heart-breaking to see him happy to see her, and her leave again," Stucker said.

The Humane Society of the United States in New Orleans is working to keep hurricane victims together with their pets. Stucker said that Boomer's situation is an unfortunate one that couldn't be worked out.

To adopt Boomer, contact the Humane Society at 334-5837.