Animal Planet Celebrates the Emotional Animal Reunions From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Animal Planet Celebrates the Emotional Animal Reunions From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

-- ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS Premieres Saturday, November 26, at 8 PM (ET/PT) --

SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the lives of many people and their pets, leaving thousands of animals abandoned and alone, desperate to return to their owners. Animal Planet was on the ground when it started, capturing the harrowing rescue efforts. Thanks to those efforts, this new special focuses on heartwarming reunions of animals and their human friends, and the efforts of unknown volunteers helping to put their families back together. Premiering Saturday, November 26, at 8 PM (ET/PT), ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS is a follow-up to the ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE RESCUES special that aired in September.

Animal Planet shot original footage for ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS in the hurricane-struck states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, as well as in Florida, Arizona and Washington, D.C. With compelling video and captivating stories, the program reveals the journeys of people and their pets as they struggled to survive, suffered painful separations and were finally brought back together in emotional reunions. Featuring interviews with people who were reunited with their pets, firsthand accounts from rescuers and shelter workers, and dramatic news footage, the program brings the happy endings to light and highlights the determination and selfless efforts of the volunteers that came to their aid.

"This heartwarming program shares the tales of hope that emerged from the aftermath of the hurricanes," said Maureen Smith, executive vice president and general manager, Animal Planet. "Exploring these stories and focusing on the numerous reunions that occur at shelters every day, viewers get a feel for the widespread success the rescuers are achieving. It also illustrates the depth of love people have for their pets and the relief they feel once they have them back."

ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS features the Arizona Humane Society and the other agencies that have mobilized and made many of these reunions possible. The program takes a behind-the-scenes look at the airlift evacuation of roughly 160 animals from the Lamar-Dixon temporary shelter in Louisiana to facilities in Phoenix. It also follows the reunions of several owners with their pets, including William Morgan, a disabled veteran who was forced to leave his dog stranded on the roof of his flooded New Orleans home when rescuers in boats would take only human survivors, and Margie Wilmouth and Luana Rathman, who had to leave the largest of their pets behind when flooding and the threats of violent looters made staying impossible. Weeks later, they learned their dogs had been saved after seeing video of the rescue on Animal Planet's September special, ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE RESCUES.

ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS is produced by USA TODAY Live, a division of the nation's newspaper, USA TODAY, in conjunction with JADE Programming Group for Animal Planet. Lauren Ashburn is the executive producer for USA TODAY Live. Emil Gallina is the producer for USA TODAY Live. Jamie Roberts is the executive producer for Animal Planet U.S.

Animal Planet, available in 87 million homes nationwide, is the only television network dedicated to the emotional connection between humans and animals. The network brings people of all ages together by tapping into a fundamental fascination with animals through an array of fresh programming that includes humor, competition, drama and spectacle from the animal kingdom. Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery Communications, Inc., operates and manages Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery HD Theater, Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Times Channel, The Science Channel, Discovery Home Channel, Military Channel, Discovery en Espanol, FitTV, Discovery Kids en Espanol and Discovery Travel & Living (Viajar y Vivir). The unit also distributes BBC AMERICA.

Source: Animal Planet

CONTACT: Melissa Olear of Animal Planet, +1-240-662-2946, or
Melissa_Olear@discovery.com

Web site: http://www.discovery.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: To download photos from ANIMAL PLANET HEROES: HURRICANE REUNIONS, go to www.press.discovery.com, click US networks; Animal Planet; Photography and Artwork.

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