Hurricane Katrina animal rescue film opens in the Bay Area

August 9, 2006

Mike Shiley, Producer/Director
mike [at] shidogfilms.com
(503) 231-7658

One Year After Hurricane Katrina: Are Your Pets Safe?

San Rafael, CA (OPEN PRESS): As the one-year anniversary of Hurricane
Katrina approaches on August 29, the questions that many Americans ask are:
· What really happened to the pets that were left behind in New Orleans?
· Will my pet be torn from my hands in future emergency evacuations?
· What is the government doing to protect my pet in future emergencies?

Filmmaker and three-time best documentary award winner, Mike Shiley (Inside
Iraq: The Untold Stories) is announcing test screenings in 12 U.S. cities of
a newly released 75-minute (PG-13) documentary feature film about animal
rescues in New Orleans, Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina
Animal Rescues.

* Roxie Theater on August 28 at 6:30, 8, and 9:30pm. $8.50 admission
(sponsored by the San Francisco SPCA)
* San Rafael Film Center on September 6 at 6:30 and 8:45pm. $10 suggested
donation (sponsored by the Marin County Humane Society and In Defense of
Animals (IDA)

Film Director Mike Shiley will make a personal appearance to introduce the
film and answer questions after each screening.

Dark Water Rising is a gripping new documentary film showing the truth
behind Hurricane Katrina animal rescues. Over 50,000 dogs and cats were
left behind in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A small
group of brave rescuers from around the world risked their lives to
sledgehammer down doors, brave toxic floodwaters and dodge corrupt cops in a
race against time to rescue up to 10,000 trapped and starving animals.

Sponsored nationally by In Defense of Animals, Dark Water Rising will be
test screened in 12 US cities this fall (New York, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Nashville, Portland, Salt Lake City,
New Orleans, Madison Wis., Missoula, Mont., and Des Moines, Iowa).

³It¹s a powerful film of bravery and compassion that documents the courage
and dedication of caring people to right the wrongs of others. It will
touch your heart,² says Elliot M. Katz, DVM, Founder and President, In
Defense of Animals (IDA), a national animal welfare organization based in
San Rafael, CA.

³It¹s a powerful film of bravery and compassion that documents the courage
and dedication of caring people to right the wrongs of others. It will touch
your heart², says Elliot M. Katz, DVM, Founder and President of the In
Defense of Animals (IDA)

Wayne Pacelle, President of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS),
praised the film. ³I very much enjoyed your documentary, congratulations on
your fine work. It¹s an excellent portrayal of what went on in Louisiana.²

Ripley Forbes, head of the Washington office for the American Humane
Association is working to get the film shown to the U.S. Senate and to every
state-elected legislator at the upcoming National Conference of State
Legislatures (NCSL) in Nashville, Tenn. ³Dark Water Rising is fantastic and
we are working hard to get it shown to the US Senate as they consider the
national PETS bill,² states Mr. Forbes.

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER: http://darkwaterrising.com/trailer.html