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After the many struggles encountered by the residents affected and the agencies that responded to Hurricane Katrina, I realized that I should spend more time becoming familiar with serious "first responder" techniques for animal rescue.  In the spring of 2006, Noah's Wish, who had established an excellent reputation based upon their track record of assisting as a first responder organization in many disasters, both natural and man made, staged a first responder animal rescue course in Denver.  I attended this course along with Barbe from Nova Scotia, who was a volunteer who had been in The Gulf at the same time I had.  We worked together at the Best Friends Animal Society's shelter facility in Tylertown, MS.