Portland documentary maker Mike Shiley hopes his new film about animal rescues in New Oreleans prompts people to think ahead.

“What I hope to do is bring exposure to the story of the pets left behind,” he said.

His film does that over 75 minutes.

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Pets were also victims of Katrina's wrath

Shiley spent six weeks in New Oreleans touring animal shelters and following crews as they rescued dogs and cats and fed others at abandoned homes after the shelters filled up.

The movie holds disturbing images of starving and dead dogs.

“I hope to encourage people to start asking questions of their local and state government. What are we going to do with our animals in an emergency situation?” said Shiley.

Randy Covey agrees---it’s a good question to ask.

Covey headed rescue operations for the Oregon Humane Society which sent two teams of volunteers to New Orleans after the hurricane hit. He was later hired as the National Director of Disaster Services for the U.S. Humane Society.

Covey struggles to put his experiences in New Orleans into words.

“That was certainly---I’m still speechless trying to describe it, “ he said from his home near Washington D.C.

“A mind boggling experience. A very large city deserted and destroyed and finding all these animals left behind---“ he said.

“It underscored for me the need to impress everybody the fact that they need to have plans in place. The trauma is huge, not just for the animals, but to the people---not knowing what happened to their animals”, he said. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”

Covey says pet owners should take three steps to make sure their animals are safe during and after a disaster.

First, if you are home when disaster hits, be sure to have a carrier and a plan to transport your pet and where you will go.

Second, if you are at work, have a plan of someone like a neighbor you can call to pick up your pet as they evacuate.

Third, create a plan of options where you can take your pet and do not count on local hotels or shelters, they may already be full.

The movie, Dark Water Rising premiers Thursday night, August 17th at Cinema 21.

The movie is sponsored by “In Defense of Animals” an organization promoting the idea that people with pets are “guardians” of them and not “owners”.