AgilePooch Diaries

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #15: More Saves and Working to Reunite so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

10/6/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #16

Sorry I didn’t post a report last night, but I needed a break. And yesterday was a discouraging day for our rescuers, not because they found sad stories, but because they didn’t find any stories at all. The situation has changed dramatically since Sandy and Wendy were there – now that residents are being allowed back into the city (on a “look and leave” basis), many who reported their dogs locked in homes have since returned to rescue them themselves. Traffic in and out of the city is horrible all day. And more importantly, it’s starting to get more than a little dangerous to wander around with a sledgehammer breaking into homes – with more people are around, there’s a real risk of being mistaken for a looter. My hunch is that the home rescues are just about over, but we also have to face the reality that at this stage of the game, they may be approaching futility anyway.

Another distressing bit of news is that Jane Garrison, the volunteer and rescue coordinator who was clearly holding the Lamar-Dixon operation (and subsequent relocation) together, has landed in the hospital. She was bitten by a feral cat last week, and the assumption is that her exhaustion from the weeks of relentless work has led to decreased resistance and probably a nasty infection. As a result, the exodus from Lamar-Dixon isn’t quite as well-organized as we had hoped, and so we have been struggling to figure out the best place for Eric and Lorrayne (as well as Cara and her crew) to land.

We had originally concluded that the Pasado rescue site in Raceland was the best shot, because that is where many of the dogs from Lamar-Dixon (and Jane, until she fell ill) were being transferred. But Lorrayne reports that they have stopped accepting dogs and expect to wind down their operation by the 15th. Enter Wendy V., who started calling people, including some names that she and Sandy had gathered when they were there. From one of these contacts (Amanda), she learned of a kennel-turned-shelter in Mandeville, LA, with 150+ dogs or so, being run by one dedicated woman with just a couple of volunteers. Furthermore, Amanda lives within walking distance of the site and has offered us a place to park the RV on her 3-acres of land, with access to her toilet and shower and even an extra bed or two. Assuming all goes well and nothing has changed, Eric and Lorrayne will be moving there tonight or tomorrow morning and getting right to work.

When I gave Eric the details, he was thrilled, not only by the prospect of doing valuable work, but by the proximity to Slidell (about 25 miles). When they investigated Slidell, they found that not all services have been restored to the area and they were a little concerned about their personal well-being if they decided to relocate there. But as they drove west (toward Mandeville), things appeared a little more normal. So in his opinion this is the best of both worlds because they can easily decide where they are needed most. And when Cara and her team arrive, they may even be able to split their resources between Mandeville and Slidell, providing value to both.

Wendy V. continues to provide me much-needed assistance on the phones. She is still investigating other shelters so we have a fallback plan if the situation at either Mandeville or Slidell changes. Also, she is still working hard to track down owners for reuniting some of the dogs she encountered at Lamar-Dixon. One in particular is a German Shepherd named Baby Girl that she and Sandy took a particular interest in. When they returned to the shelter after their flight from Rita, the dog had been transferred away from the facility, but coincidentally she had been transferred to the San Diego. Yesterday, Wendy tracked down Baby Girl at the North San Diego County shelter (not far from where she lives in San Clemente). Now the red-tape of having her transported to TX (where her owner is staying) begins and it’s clear that it will not be easy.

Outbound volunteer update: Deborah Dulaney’s flight is confirmed on 10/16 thanks to a ticket and arrangements from Becky Hardenbergh. She will be joining Cara Callaway after her 3 friends leave on the 15th. If there is still a need after that, Ginger Cutter is poised to go from 10/23-10/29, and I’m hoping we can get a volunteer to be her travel-mate. But it’s still unclear if the local shelters will be needing support of this sort by then.

Don’t forget the gathering at the Haute-Dawgs trial in Dixon on Saturday night. My car is full of wine and plastic cups. BYOC & S & BOTW (chairs & snacks & beverages other than wine). We can still use contributions, so that will be another opportunity to participate. Hell, I even have a brand-new Quik-Shade canopy in my car that I might just raffle off to raise more funds.

10/7/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #17

Lorrayne called me at home before I left for work. They are in transit with both vehicles to Kendra’s, the kennel/shelter in Mandeville. They stopped by there yesterday to get the lay of the land and agree that it is a good place for them to put down roots. Kendra was thrilled. Their first mission today is to deliver dog food and supplies to a shelter a couple of hours away, in an area that was hard hit by Rita. That chore was at the very top of Kendra’s list because she is overrun with donated supplies and the storage is interfering with her operation. So Eric and Lorrayne will be taking two vans full of stuff somewhere else for redistribution.

Then I talked to Eric this afternoon and they have found an RV park very near Kendra’s place. Electric only for now, but they’re on the waiting list to move to a full-service spot. He called it a “resort”, with full amenities including swimming pool and wireless internet. He’s working on hooking up his laptop now, and if he can get his hands on a USB cable, he’ll even send us some pictures.

Kathleen (Sarah’s mother’s friend from Mesquite) is on the ground and on her way to the Pasado operation Raceland, which has plans to be operating until the 15th. Nicole (a friend of Kelly Gorman’s from Berkeley) will follow tomorrow. They will work there until they get different instructions from me, depending on the feedback I get from Eric/Lorrayne and Cara and her gang.

We are looking into a triage/transfer facility at the Wynn-Dixie in New Orleans – apparently, they are still accepting rescues from the city as well. Eric has seen the facility but doesn’t have any details on what they are doing or what their current needs are. Cara will probably investigate further when she gets there. The luxury of having 4 people and a rental car is that she can send delegates out on reconnaissance missions without taking too much away from their volunteer resources. Kendra is connected with a rescue operation in East NO, which is an area that our people haven’t been into at all, so it’s possible they’ll still be able to do that work. Lorrayne thinks they are just about the same distance from the city as they were at Lamar-Dixon. Eric also said that they haven’t felt threatened or endangered yet, and Kendra is discounting the risks in favor of the rescues. So they may try to go back in the field tomorrow, depending on the needs at Kendra’s place.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #18: Report from Lorrayne 

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #14: More Changes so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

10/4/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #15

Another big day in Louisiana. I just got off the phone with Lorrayne – she and Eric had a save today! They found a dog who was locked in a bathroom. It had clearly been there for several weeks, but was still healthy enough that they bypassed the triage station and took it directly to the new intake facility at Raceland. And yes, the decision has been made, they are moving to Raceland tomorrow. Lamar-Dixon is in the throes of shutting down, and we and they have been researching the best place for them to go. Raceland was already on the list on its own merits, but as it turns out, they are now the main facility accepting transfers from Lamar-Dixon. And they are still running rescue operations out of that facility – the national organizations have all pulled out and shut down. Lorrayne reports that she was very pleased with what she saw today – the facility is nice, and it appears to be quite well-organized.

So tomorrow morning, our intrepid travelers will go out on another rescue run from Lamar-Dixon, deposit their saves (hopefully) at triage stations or at Raceland, then drive back to Lamar-Dixon to pick up the RV and move everything down to Raceland. It is 72 miles from Lamar-Dixon to Raceland, so this is not a trivial bunch of driving. The only downside is that Raceland has no facilities for RVs or even tent camping, and the only nearby RV park is full to the gunnels. So they will be spending at least one night at the local Wal-Mart until we see if we can get them more suitable parking arrangements.

Raceland is being operated by Pasado’s Safe Haven, a sanctuary out of the state of Washington (I assume it’s similar to Best Friends in Utah). If Raceland doesn’t work out, there are two other shelters within range that they can transfer to – Slidell operated by Noah’s Wish, and Algiers, a new facility being operated by the Louisiana SPCA.

Wendy V.’s work continues, even with her arrival home. She is working out of her home and is now taking personal responsibility for trying to track down the owners of some of the animals she rescued and cared for. And she is helping our logistical efforts for the volunteers by researching the shelters and possible RV camping/parking facilities. Plus, she is fostering a very special dog that she brought home from Lamar-Dixon, one she has named Lefty (because it was left behind). Even though she and Sandy and Sarah had pledged not to bring any dogs home and spread them even farther from their owners, this one was special. They found it in a completely sealed up home. When they called the homeowner (from cell phone bills they found), they learned that when the owners had returned home to save their own two dogs, they found this dog inside as well but had no idea whose it was. They couldn’t take it with them, so they left it in the house with food and water and reported it to the SPCA so that it would be rescued. Along came Wendy and Sandy to do just that. I’ll post Wendy’s full story about Lefty on the blog site.  Wendy has made it her mission to find Lefty’s owner, and the homeowner where he was found is helping out by talking to his neighbors. In the meantime, Wendy is looking for a safe foster home for the dog.

Which leads me to my next topic. I was thrilled to find that the Marin Humane Society, which was a key player in taking in some of the dogs that got relocated to the Bay Area, is participating with several other area shelters in a program called “Operation Orphans of the Storm”. They are committed to the goal of reuniting the displaced animals with their owners, and have thus instituted a special policy for the dogs they are fostering out – NO adoptions of displaced animals will become final until December 31, 2005, after all attempts have been made to reunite animals with their owners.  I also found the same to be true for LSU and some of the national organizations. Hopefully, many other shelters are following suit. Wendy will be confirming this policy before she fosters out Lefty in SoCal. Don’t get me wrong, there will still be hundreds or even thousands of unhappy endings, with displaced animals being adopted out before their owners have a chance to find them. But this sort of extended fostering policy (instead of the 30 day policy we were originally hearing about) will certainly help.

Outbound volunteer update: Two people leaving from Mesquite at the end of the week. One from Berkeley. At least one, maybe two from Minnesota on the 19th (family and friends of Carolyn Allen’s). It just keeps going and going. Some are asking for assistance with travel expenses, and so far we have been able to give it. Others just want information, like where they are most needed. I think we’re giving that too.

Remember, if you’re going to be at the Haute-Dawgs trial in Dixon this weekend, I’m bringing a whole bunch of wine and some plastic cups for a cocktail party at Sarah’s motorhome on Saturday night. BYOC (chairs), BYOS (snacks) and BYOBOTW (beverage other than wine).  We will raise a glass to the volunteers (coming and going), praise the contributors who continue to make this all possible, and share some stories and tears with Sarah and Sandy. It’ll be easy to find – look for a Class A Allegro, license plate “FIT DOGS”, with all the people hanging around.  Perhaps Wendy Gurney will bring her contribution jug as well. Too bad we don’t have a Wi-Fi internet connection there, I’d bring one of my doggy-webcams so Wendy V. could participate down south – she’s envious.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #16, #17: Situation Continues to Change 

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #10, #11: Gearing Up for a Shift Change so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

10/1/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #12

Here is a forward from Sandy’s mother reporting on Sandy’s activities today. I think it says it all, and I don’t have anything to add.

Sandy and Jill went to house that someone told them they had heard a dog. All the doors and windows had bars on them. She tried to break thru the front door but she could not budge the deadbolts. They walked around the house and found a kind of storage unit attached to the house. She started breaking down the wall! She made a hole big enough for them to crawl thru and went thru the house. They found a lab in the laundry room. He growled at them at first then as they got nearer to him, he got very excited ( & pee’d)  She said he wasn’t too bad. They looked around and found a phone bill and started calling to find the owners. She got in touch with the owner and told him they had rescued his dog and he started to cry. He said he couldn’t believe he was still alive. Sandy said he must have been pretty portly and he said he had weighed 90 pounds. She said he broke down and cried several times during their conversation. He is coming to New Orleans tomorrow to get the dog. He said you and I are going to become best friends. You don’t know how happy you have made us. We have been crying about the dog for weeks. He asked her how the house was and she said not too bad but all the locks are smashed and he laughed and said that was okay with him.

Then they were driving down the street and saw a little Pomeranian with its face pressed up against the window. They broke in there and the dog was in pretty bad shape. Could hardly hold its head. They looked around again for someway to contact the owner and after a few phone calls they got in touch with the dog’s owner. She said other people had called her and told her they had found her dog (Snowball). Sandy told her the fish were still alive. She said they couldn’t find any fish food so they gave them some corn flakes. She said where did you find that. Sandy said on top of the refrigerator. She said you really are in my house and you really do have Snowball. They took Snowball to the triage and the gave her some IV’s and some nutracal and she started to perk up a little bit. Her owners are going to come tomorrow too.

So all in all a pretty happy day for the last day there. Sandy is so jazzed that she might really get to meet the owners. She will be home tomorrow for sure. Her kids sure do miss her as I am sure she misses them. Ty and Brink are no trouble….but that little girl is a handful and sure has a mind of her own. So this will close the Sandy rescue saga.

10/2/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #13

I talked to Sandy yesterday morning before she left to return home. She confirmed that she had gotten to meet the owners of two of HER actual rescues for their reunion with their dogs. She said that those two moments made EVERYTHING worth it.

Here is a forward from Judie Mancuso on the status at Lamar-Dixon: “Hi everyone! This is Mark writing to you from Jane’s email. I just spoke with her, and received an update on the activities in New Orleans. The state Vet has advised that they are no longer to accept anymore animals at the Lamar Dixon Expo center. To combat this recent decision, Jane has found another location. However, in the last hour, there is a problem with that center. Jane is desperate for a new location. A farm, barn, warehouse or other location that can be set up to house rescued animals. The rescue effort is not done! They are still rescuing about 100 animals from homes every day. The ones that they are finding dead, did not die from the hurricane, but are dead from starvation/dehydration. They’ve been found in carriers, and curled up on their people’s beds. The clock is still ticking! So please, if you have a source for a location, please respond ASAP.”

“As for help, they are still in need of people to come to New Orleans to perform various task. Yes they still need those who can rescue and feed, but they also need those who can do shelter work, administration work, check in animals, drive them to shelters, etc, etc. Lamar Dixon is still housing the volunteers, just not taking in any animals. Please go down ASAP. New volunteers are to meet at 9 pm between barns 1&2 for orientation/direction. They meet again at 5:30 am to get going and to be briefed on the days activities. The national groups have pulled out of New Orleans as per orders of the state vet, Jane is operating the rescue efforts on her own with the help of the volunteers. Please help!”

As you can see, the need for wiling volunteers continues as the situation becomes more and more dire for the dogs that have been left behind. We had been told that the rescues were stopping, but it turns out that it is only the HSUS-sanctioned rescues that have ceased. They simply changed the signs on the cars and are still going in daily.

I got an update from Art Bailey that Lorrayne has arrived safely and has connected with Jill and Eric and the RV. They were on their way to dinner when she called. Eric arrived this morning, so I’m assuming he has had a chance to get oriented.

Volunteer update: Thanks to several of our airline miles donors, Cara Callaway and her crew of three friends are confirmed on flights and ready to go next Sunday. The three friends are returning on the 15th, but it looks like Bay Teamer Deborah Dulaney will be flying out on the 10/16 to stay with Cara for another week. Bay Teamer Ginger Cutter has also expressed her desire to go later in October, and we’re working on that now. In addition, Sarah’s mother recruited two people in Mesquite, NV, on the basis of our reports – they’re leaving on Friday. And they’re doing it on their own – all they want from us is an update on the best place for them to go, based on the reports we get on the status of the shelters.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #14: More Changes 

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #8, #9: Our Volunteer Effort Expands so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

9/28/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #10

We’re gearing up for a shift change this weekend.  Sandy and Wendy are coming home on Friday, Jill is staying through the weekend, and Eric and Lorrayne are arriving Sunday. Here is an update on today’s activities from Wendy’s husband: “Wendy asked me to e-mail you about today’s adventure. They had a great day of rescues, Wendy and her partner broke into one house and found a Shepherd mix in a bathtub in very sad shape plus growling at them. So they called for back-up and once they got to dog out it turned out to be very loving and just happy to be with them. What a great story! She also  rescued a black lab that was belly up [editor’s note: in a good, submissive way] as soon as she got to him. Other than that just a dead alligator floating that was mistaken for a human being that’s a good thing. The other rescue crew found a couple of cats, so all in all a great day of saving 4-legged lives.”

More good news: after a conversation with Sarah following her return, Nancy Ross took the information and the plea back to work. As a result, one of her co-workers has volunteered to go, and her company has sponsored a fundraising effort to pay her(his?) expenses. That’s how it works folks – word of mouth and getting people involved.

The biggest challenge we’re facing at this point is making travel arrangements. Many of the flights into New Orleans are either sold out or cancelled. I don’t know if they are running limited service or what other factors are contributing, but I assume that evacuees are just trying to get home. Eric was packed, ready to go, and waiting for marching orders at the airport today, and we were unable to get him on a flight. We even had an itinerary that was affordable that we could have paid for, but it was unavailable because the final leg from Dallas to New Orleans had been cancelled.

By the way, when this is over, I will do my best to publicly acknowledge all of the people who have helped out. But right now, I need to thank Kathy Bennett (one of Sandy’s students, if I’m not mistaken) – not only did she donate enough miles to cover both Eric and Lorrayne’s flights, but she personally took on the responsibility for making all of their arrangements, fighting with the airline for seats, and paying the “short-notice” fee out of her own pocket. Again, that’s the kind of effort that is making this all work.

Financial update: We still need airline miles. I have a few more people who are ready to go on Oct 9th, and it would be great if we could help them out. American, Delta, Continental, and United (or other airlines that partner with them) are the most accessible. I’ve given up on the non-profit idea after being turned down by a couple of groups that I know pretty well. And I’ve concluded that those that are contributing don’t really care – they’re doing so from their hearts, not their tax returns. So if you’re still interested in contributing money, let me know – you can either send a check or use Paypal.

9/29/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #11

Well, today was a big day of success, changes and uncertainty.

The biggest news is that Sandy had two true saves today. There has been some confusion in the computer department and dispatch, so many of the houses on her list had already been checked. You can imagine how frustrating that was for her. But she and Jill took matters into their own hands and got creative. First, they started interpreting the codes that the National Guard had spray-painted on the houses during the human evacuations. It didn’t take long to figure out that “SPCA 1″ might mean 1 pet in the house. They broke into one house so marked, and sure enough, a live dog! The second one came when a worker (maybe a utility worker? don’t remember) reported having heard a dog in a house. Another break-in, and another save!  Wow! What an up note for the day.

From Wendy, I got the logistics update. There was some confusion with their return plans, so they’re actually coming home on Saturday. That’s a total of 12 days in the trenches for them. More importantly, she reported that Lamar-Dixon has announced that they will be moving all of their animals out and closing down the shelter at the Expo Center by Oct 15. Furthermore, they are suspending rescue missions and animal intake as of tomorrow, except for those in critical condition. But they will be continuing to distribute food and water to the neighborhood feeding stations for the animals that are still loose and surviving on the streets. And of course, the care of the animals on the site will continue until they have all been moved.

So Eric and Lorrayne are traveling into a very transitional environment on Sunday. It is very likely that they will be moving to a different shelter during their stay, perhaps Hattiesburg MS or Raceland LA. Or maybe somewhere else. I updated both of them with the new information to make sure it wasn’t getting too scary for them. Lorrayne’s response was great – “It’s just getting more interesting. I always wanted to see Louisiana, Mississippi, etc.”  Don’t worry, she’s not being flippant – she gave up her romanticized vision of the trip very early on and is going in with eyes wide open.

Volunteer update: Cara Calloway and 3 friends from SoCal are leaving on 10/9. Her friends have to return on 10/15, but she is planning to stay (somewhere) until 10/23. Bay Teamer Deborah Dulaney let me know that she negotiated some time off work and will be ready to leave on 10/16 for a week.

Financial update: We made HUGE progress on airline miles today – thanks to all of you who responded. We are now able to take care of transportation for all seven of the volunteers mentioned above, and even have some waiting in the wings in case other volunteers step up. Contributions are still rolling in as well to help with RV rental, car rental, camping fees, gas, etc. I can’t thank everyone enough, and as soon as we emerge from the other end of this thing, I’ll make a list.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #12, #13: Saves!

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #6, #7: Back to Business so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

9/26/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #8

Well, the first mission is winding down, but the second is already happening, and the third and fourth are well underway.  Sarah is arriving home tonight – she was hoping to stay another day, but there weren’t any flights available on Tuesday. Sandy and Wendy are planning to return on Wednesday. But Jill Moran, an Animal Control Officer out of San Clemente, is arriving tonight to take over the RV and continue the volunteer rescue efforts. Eric Bruce and Lorrayne Bailey are scheduled to leave on Sunday for a week, and then Cara Calloway (from SoCal) and two of her friends are leaving on October 9th. We expect to have the RV fully occupied with volunteers at least through October 15th.

Starting today, Sandy and Wendy shifted their efforts to rescue in the field. Lamar-Dixon is serving as the coordination and dispatch center (as well as receiving facility) for missions into the city. They meet at 6:00am, get their marching orders and lists, and take off in teams. Rescuers are given tools (crowbars) for gaining access, and they deposit animals at triage centers where they are evaluated and prepped for transport back to the facility. Apparently, there are thousands of outstanding rescue requests from evacuees who left their animals behind in their homes. At this point, weeks into the disaster, the outcomes of these searches are tending more toward non-productive or even grim, but there are still enough successes to make the effort essential and rewarding.

Financial update: Contributions continue to come in, and we have a couple of possibilities for a charitable non-profits to handle the intake and distribution of funds. If one of those comes through, I will update everybody on the options for re-submitting contributions so that they will be tax-deductible. Turns out that some of the pledges we were hoping for were routed to various SPCA and Humane Societies, which doesn’t help our expense defrayal at all. But we’re still OK, and able to provide much better conditions for our volunteers than others at the facility have. If you have airline miles to contribute, please let me know.

9/27/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #9

The Lamar-Dixon mission has taken on a more desperate tone. The call has gone out for anybody who is able to go out in the field and rescue dogs to do so. Following is a message straight from Lamar-Dixon (forwarded by Priscilla Gargalis):

“I just received a call from Jane (Garrison) who is still frantically trying to save as many animals as possible left when Katrina hit New Orleans. There are still 6,000 addresses where people reportedly left animals. Many are being found barely alive at this point. Many have starved to death! THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE…IF YOU, OR ANYONE YOU KNOW CAN GO TO GONAZALES, LOUISIANA TO HELP WITH THE RESCUE EFFORT…JUST GO. JANE AND HER CREW MEET AT 5:30 A.M. EVERY MORNING IN FRONT OF THE PROWLER TRAILER AT THE LAMAR DIXON EXPO CENTER. TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THESE ANIMALS AND THE FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE RESCUING, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM ALL OUT IN TIME! THEY ARE DYING OF STARVATION…NOT BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO WITH A GROUP OR ORGANIZATION, YOU DO NOT  NEED AN INVITATION OR APPROVED  APPLICATION. JUST GO FOR THE ANIMALS!”

Don’t bother checking this on Snopes, this is not an urban legend and it is not hyperbole. Sandy spent yesterday and today out in the field and reported back to me today. Yesterday, she and Wendy dropped food at designated neighborhood feeding stations that they are hoping will sustain the animals that are loose on the streets. Today, Sandy and Jill broke into 27 homes that were known to contain animals based on the requests from the owners, some of the reports as old as three weeks. From those 27 homes, they rescued 8 or 9 animals – I think she said 8 dogs and a duck. I’m not going to expand on the details of what she found in the rest of the homes, I’ll just say that this is hard work in every way and definitely not for everyone.

Based on what she saw today, Sandy has extended her stay for at least another day or two, and has called several of her contacts in the animal control world to personally appeal to them. At this point, we are trying to get two ACOs from San Francisco down there in the next day or two, and we’re also working on a couple of people from the Northwest. Time is of the essence – it’s been a month since the storm hit.

Financial update: At the moment, our biggest need is for airline miles. HSUS is paying for some volunteers to come down, but the process is cumbersome and not at all certain. Some of you have expressed an interest in contributing additional money, and I’m holding off until I get an answer from one of the charitable non-profits we’re hoping will handle the funds. If you don’t care whether or not your contribution is tax-deductible, let me know – you can either send a check or use Paypal.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #10, #11: Gearing Up for a Shift Change

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #2, #3: Getting Down to Business so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

9/23/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #4

Well, the subject of this message should really be Jacksonville Chronicles, because that is where they are now – safely ensconced at an RV Park south of Jacksonville, MS.  Thanks to the proprietor (I think), who not only let them stay after turning dozens of others away, but bought them a 50A-30A converter so they could plug in and loaned them a TV so they could catch up with what’s going on around them. Sarah was also able to repair the generator, with help on the phone by the guy that rented it to them (10 hours away), by finding a loose wire in the electrical system – sounds like the coil wire or a spark plug wire. So whenever they are able to go back, they will have electricity even if their plug-in spot is gone.

All this was gleaned from two very brief phone conversations with Sarah, so I still don’t have any more first-hand details about the Lamar-Dixon facility.  Here’s an update on the evacuation from one of Judie Mancuso’s contacts (Judie is the volunteer who returned just before our crew left):

“There are still a lot of volunteers who stayed behind and there are huge trucks on stand-by in case they need to get the animals out. They are taking down the FEMA tent and are expecting winds as high as 75 mph, as you said.  But they seem to think that unless it is upgraded, things will be OK.”

Second Shift update: I have one confirmed volunteer ready to go, but not until October 2. Another is considering it. I’m investigating what other housing arrangements are available, because the RV was the single biggest expense (and I gather somewhat marginal accommodations). If we can find other suitable places for the volunteers to sleep and clean, we can spend the money much more efficiently. The following just came from Judie:

“We slept in our car and in a tent. There are showers on the premises. FEMA had set up a tent with cots and air conditioning after we left. This would be used by the volunteers.”

I also heard that they are feeding the volunteers three square meals.  If I can verify that these reports are both true, is there anybody up for a vacation on the Gulf Coast?

Financial update: If we can ditch the RV, we definitely have the funds and air miles to send more crews. And more keeps coming in from both ends of the state. Hopefully TRACS this weekend will be productive – drop by the Everything 4 Paws booth to contribute if you’d like. Some people are using my Paypal account as well.

9/23/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #5

Now that our heroes are holed up in Jacksonville, they actually have good connections for both cell phone and e-mail. They are busy charging up their devices now – the cigarette lighter in the RV doesn’t work, so they had to take turns in the rental car.

From Sarah, I have this (I filled in some words to supplement the thumb-typing short-hand):  FEMA has supplied an air-conditioned tent for camping. They took it down for Rita, but we assume they will put it back up – will verify upon return. Showers are available. Food is fine – even had veggie hot pasta dinner. It was good. Breakfast bar and coffee, but you have to get there early for lunch. Lots of water, gatorade and sodas all day. [and this is a direct quote] “I only worked one day, it was the hardest work I have ever done.”

I have also learned the following from Sandy, compiled from a voicemail message: We can keep the RV indefinitely if we can keep occupying it (and of course, paying for it). The rate is somewhat lower than I thought because the initial rate included delivery from Arkansas. Even if somebody ends up going alone, there are volunteers who are sleeping in their cars who would love to have a real bed for a night or two. All three of our folks are planning to stay at least a couple of days longer than originally planned, partly because of a sense of moral obligation to make up for the days they got chased away by Rita, and partly because they expect their flight plans through Houston to be messed up by Rita.

So far, I have three tentative volunteers: one (male) who can probably leave anytime, another (female) who can leave October 2, and a third (female) who can leave October 10. If you can sign up to be part of one of these potential teams, please let me know. I’m going full-steam ahead with planning and I’m confident we can come up with the funds to pull it off for those who can’t cover the expenses on their own.

Last but not least, I am forwarding the following message from two other volunteers on the ground, not part of our crew but friends of Judie Mancuso’s. If we don’t come through with new crews of our own, we will consider supporting their desire to continue working. This story is about rescuing animals from the street, not working in the shelter as our folks are doing, but it gives a good first hand view of the enormity of the situation.

From Pia and Megan:

In re-reading the e-mail we wrote on 9/15, it seems like years ago-  Re: the dog we mentioned setting out to get that day, though the info relayed by 1800saveapet.com- we were able to get him!  His name was Peaty and he was loyally guarding his abandoned water-logged home – he was in the front yard when we arrived with the US Marshall assisting us as it was after dark and we were beyond the curfew – he immediately ran inside – we ultimately found him rested up against a set of drawers in the bedroom corner – we got a loop around his neck and eventually he came with us walking low to the ground and with tail between his legs – his eyes were really bugged out which a handler later described as a phenomena called ‘whale eye’ that happens under extreme stress and heightened awareness – we saw this in so many of the dogs – they share many of the signs of trauma seen in humans – exaggerated startle response, etc. Peatie has since been re-united with his mother – hooray!

Following Peatie’s rescue we got a call from Peatie’s neighbor who asked that we find his Jack Russell mix, Jack.  He recounted the heartbreaking tale of how he had been forced to leave Jack behind on a bridge. He had placed Jack in a bag and was about to be rescued off of a bridge where many people and their pets were awaiting rescue. Jack was quietly hidden in a bag and an officer forced him to open the bag and place Jack on the bridge if he wished to be rescued himself. Glenn, Jack’s dad pleaded but the officer wouldn’t hear it and Glenn relinquished Jack instructing him to go home and wait for him. Glenn recounted how so many people were forced to do the same with little animals that could easily have been carried to safety. He also told of the larger dogs who were behaving well and staying with owners or frantically trying to attach themselves to people to get saved but were not allowed to leave. Ironically Glenn was permitted to take the very same bag with him that Jack had been hidden in- so the issue of not having the room for these animals was ridiculous. Animals are considered property under the law, like a TV or chair- we could understand if you could not take you TV b/c it took up too much room- but in this case the authorities essentially determined which property one could take -and they permitted a bag that took the same space, over a dog who would have been rescued in that space- this should be criminal. The law must be changed regarding this status!!!!! Glenn explained that a female trooper was near him and pleaded with the authorities, explaining that this made no sense and asking why- but she too was shut down. So animals frantically ran up and down that bridge watching as their “owners” were forced to leave them- many making promises to return for them. Jack heeded his dad’s instruction a returned to his house blocks away and waited. We found him under the car- right where Glenn said he would be- he quietly ran behind the house but we were able to lure him out with potato chips as He has since been reunited with is dad who drove in from Texas to retrieve him- hooray!!! Ironically, Jack had been adopted by Glenn following another flood that he was rescued from!

Among the other rescues were sickly or injured kittens and countless dogs with chemical burns from the water- David Meyer rescued some skinny caged birds earlier today-Unfortunately our days were also punctuated with sighting of dogs still on chains- having drowned trying to get free-injured cats, etc.  It is very hard to tolerate and I sob as I recount this-too too much to wrap ones mind around.

There are many kittens and puppies too-with their faithful nursing mamas and papas staying to protect them and dragging the open cans of food we leave under houses to feed them. Unfortunately there have been some instances in which mother dogs are attacking their puppies over food though. The US marshals assisting us recounted a case like this but they were able to get the puppy and bring it to a vet triage set up. Another sad sight we saw all too often were live dogs sitting by decomposing dogs who were likely their friends and companions- who had clearly died from starvation. We recount all of this not to shock you or turn your stomachs but to let you know how truly bad the situation is and how much help is needed. Many of these animals are so scared they are virtually impossible to get without a catchpole, which we ultimately used to get many. Others are quicker to come into your care and get in to crates.

Most of these guys are like your average family dog or cat who would be trusting and run right up to you if not so traumatized. And many came around to trust very shortly after arriving at the facility. They are grateful for the rescue and they seem quick to forgive and trust given what they have endured. We learned a great deal from the animal handlers about the signs of trauma in these guys and the signs of how they will respond.

Rescue efforts are split between dropping food and water for those in the streets, going to specific addresses and maintaining animals that we know are living there and breaking in to houses to get out ones we either hear inside or have been directed to check on by their “owners.”

Some days the facility in Gonzalez had more room to bring animals back, other days we were instructed to get only the most critical. Those decisions were hard to make each day as all the animals out there need more help as the days pass. Many of the animals are so stressed they are starting to fight and even eat each other. Megan rescued a small dog that had been attacked by pit bulls that day-she needed to be euthanized as she arrived at the shelter. Megan stayed with her as this was done and helped offer peace in her last moments. We saw other instances in which pit bulls were beginning an attack on a yellow lab but were able to distract the pitts enough for the lab to get away- we tried to retrieve her but she had run off- hopefully to safety. There are many pit bulls down there as dog fighting is legal- many of them are as sweet as can be- like the one we mentioned that crawled right in to Pia’s lap (black and white pitt- see photos)- she is actually slated to go to the Marin Humane Society today.

In terms of Pia and Megan- well Pia definitely wins for personal injuries- the cat bite we reported earlier actually got worse and on the 2nd trip to the ER they wanted to admit her for intervals of IV antibiotics but Pia was able to cut a deal in which she would agree to take an additional antibiotics and check back in with them- phew! So that bite is healing well and responding to the meds. The US marshals we have befriended have made this the butt of many jokes and consistently instruct Pia to be careful of hamsters and other rodents- all in good fun though. Pia sustained a minor dog bit that has benefited from the antibiotics already in her system so that’s under control- the only remaining injuries to speak of were heat exhaustion, some cuts from breaking glass windows and being side swiped by a car as she was running across a street- this was a very lucky situation indeed- and what happened basically amounted to being punched in the jaw and arm by a car- Pia was a bit dizzy but since we had Dave Kaplowitz nearby in the field, who is a doctor- he was able to check her out and simply said to monitor things- so she is fine just a little stunned and very, very grateful.

That is all for now- we are seriously considering returning over the next weeks if we can cover the costs  – anyone interested in coming along or making a trip there sooner, please do so!!!!!!! Megan’s brother-in-law, Casey McDonald joined us for a few days and rescued many animals in that time!!! We can instruct you on the specifics if needed.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #6, #7: Back to Business

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #1: Getting Settled so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

9/22/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #2

The news is not as good tonight. I’m forwarding the following update from Wendy’s husband and Tammy Wilson (with minor edits):

Day 3, Thursday: “Mike here, Wendy’s husband. I talked to Wendy today just after lunch their time. She asked me to send an update to you and all others concerned. They are doing OK but have their hands full with all the rescue dogs. The majority of them are Pit bulls and are not really used to being taken care of, many of them could have been strays that may not of had homes before the storm. Wendy mentioned something like feral cats. She also said that they may need to evacuate later today or soon because of Rita, the next hurricane. Sandy is being given the title of barn captain and Wendy will assist her in running the operation of that barn, which has upwards of 900 dogs, crates stacked onto of each other. Lots of cleaning, walking and feeding going on and you can bet that’s just a part of the daily routine there. Well keep them in your prayers as I will and lets hope the next storm moves farther west from them otherwise Texas will be next. Wendy also mentioned that they need more help if anybody has some time to donate, and also some extra funds to pass along for future volunteers.”

“Tammy just got the call from Wendy, they are evacuating now. They will take the RV and rental car and are heading north, destination unknown. I guess that it is mandatory, but she was in a rush and could not talk anymore. I think we need to pray for all people and animals that may be in harm’s way. And also for their safety in this risky endeavor.”

I tracked Rita all day and watched as its path shifted farther and farther east. It still appeared that they would be well outside the worst of it, and would get drenched and suffer some 25-30mph winds, but that’s about it. I guess that circumstance has changed. I’m glad they are moving north, although I shudder to consider the fate of the animals (and people) that are being left behind. Hopefully the relocation will be temporary and they can get back to what they’re doing very soon. The good news is that it appears that Houston isn’t going to be slammed as much as originally thought, so they should be able to get out of there next week.

9/22/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #3

Forwarded from Nancy Campanile:

“Here is a Sandy story as told by Marty, her mom: Sandy had a busy stressful day with only one break after a 12 hour stretch. She said it is very hot and everyone is starting to panic about the new hurricane. She said when people come to look for their animals you just can’t look at them because they look shell-shocked. She has 375 pets in her barn. She said you can not imagine the stories. Breaks your heart. One man found his dog there and for some reason he can’t get it out so he just stays there in the barn.”

“She was talking so fast it was hard to keep the stories straight. She said the whole thing is just utter confusion. She had a pretty stressful day but she says there are people there who have had the day she had today for weeks. She says they are better people than she is. She says it is going to be very hard to leave there.”

“They have a border collie there that they have listed as an Australian Shepherd. Said the owner will never find it because they have the wrong breed on it. She is going to get the name of the person who is the head of that barn and have me get in touch with Pat Cook and Border Collie rescue to see if they might be able to get the dog.”

“One dog ate all of his paper work. She was on her hands & knees trying to find some little piece of paper that might have some numbers on it, but no luck.”

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #4, #5: Hunkered Down in Mississippi

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: The Story Begins so you have some context. If not, I suggest you go back to the beginning (Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: Introduction). Each episode links to the next for continuity.

After the first round of discussions and fundraising, I started sending out email updates almost every day as I got reports from our volunteers in Louisiana. That is when the story got its name – the Lamar-Dixon Chronicles.

As an additional challenge for both the volunteers and the regional, Hurricane Rita decided to make an appearance. At first it appeared just to affect their travel plans as it swept through Houston, but as you’ll see soon, it dealt another devastating blow on the whole gulf coast and required our volunteers to evacuate. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

9/22/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #1

The good news is that all three missionaries have arrived safe and sound, although not completely without incident or adventure.

Day 1 (Tuesday): Sandy and Wendy got their first unexpected event before they even got out of the Bay Area. Apparently, Wendy’s airplane had been hit by lightning on its prior leg and had to be grounded.  This obviously caused a delay (and more than a little consternation) while they waited for another aircraft to be commissioned.  When they finally arrived at New Orleans, the airport was desolate – nobody around except for employees and other folks from their flight.  That made the baggage pickup and rental car procurement easy.

Our Lamar-Dixon Home (photo by Wendy V)

They arrived at the site to find the RV in place, and described the expo center as a three-ring circus. Nancy Campanile provided these additional details:

9/21/05: Sandy update – from Louisiana (Email from Nancy C)

HI all …thought you would like a little update from Sandy….

Sandy says they had RV problems last night and didn’t get it taken care of until 1:30am so they didn’t work yesterday. She says they started working this morning and at 10:00am; she was asked to work with aggressive dogs and then at 11:00 they asked her to be a barn manager. The shelter is located in horse barns at a fairgrounds and the dogs are in cages stacked in the horse stalls.  It is very hot and there are tons of supplies.

Food, crates etc and no organization. She said it is organized confusion. She said they weren’t expecting anymore animals in now. I guess they feel any that can be rescued, have been rescued. They work in teams.; one walks the dog and the other cleans the cages and put in food and water. She said that all the dogs in her barn got two walks today.

Tomorrow, she wanted to see it they can get the supplies organized. It took her and Wendy 1 1/2 hours to get all their supplies ready to start to work. She is a little worried about the flight home as they are supposed to connect in HOUSTON. Her mom will keep her updated with the hurricane reports as they do not get any news at all.

Typical Scene Outside Barn

I have an image of trucks and supplies and animals and people everywhere.  They were asked to start work immediately that evening, but they wisely opted instead to get acquainted with the RV and settle in for what would likely be their last decent sleep of the week.  I know that Sandy didn’t sleep the night before she left, because I got an e-mail from her at 3:15am. The RV is no luxury mobile, lacking a TV or even a car radio. And they were unable to get the generator started (the RV problems Nancy referenced). They were able to relocate at least temporarily to a parking spot with a plug-in, but they may get thrown out of there and then the generator repair will become a high priority.

Day 2 (Wednesday): Sarah left this morning from Oakland, with a scheduled 2-hour layover in Houston. She says Houston-Hobby is a zoo – Houston has already implemented voluntary evacuations for Rita, so everybody is trying to get out of there. Fortunately, not many of them are trying to get to New Orleans so her flight was unaffected. During her flight, she met a shelter worker from Napa who is going to stay in a tent on the grounds! A woman no less, braver than most, I’d say.

I want to add a couple of things to the update that Nancy sent. Any of us who spent time at Power Paws Camp when Sandy was Camp Manager are not the least bit surprised that she was promoted to Barn Manager within an hour of beginning work. Also, I’m hopeful that Rita won’t affect their trip home. If it hits the coast on Friday night as expected, it should be worn out by that time. Unless it completely takes out the airport, they should be OK by Monday/Tuesday as scheduled.

Financial Update: Because of the incredible generosity of everybody remotely involved with these three (with money still coming in), it looks like our funding will exceed their expenses, barring any unexpected costs if fleeing from Rita becomes an issue. We have a couple of choices: leave the money behind with the rescue organizations as originally proposed, or challenge two or three more people to follow them in for a second shift. We’ve already had interest from a vet tech in SoCal who wants to go, but doesn’t want to go alone. If anybody is seriously interested, I suspect we can drum up more mileage awards for the airfare (one person already volunteered), and we can probably arrange to rent the RV for another week. Think about it and let me know.

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #2, #3: Getting Down to Business