AgilePooch Diaries

Introduction

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which as we all know, slammed into the Gulf Coast at the end of August, 2005. Between the storm and the subsequent levee failure in New Orleans, the result was the costliest natural disaster and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. History. That is the big picture, the sound-bite overview. But we also know that there are thousands of smaller stories. This is one of those stories. In the wake of that disaster, several friends and I organized an effort to send local volunteers to assist the animal rescue and shelter operations in the area – they were overwhelmed with abandoned and starving animals and had reached out across the country for help. We ended up sending nearly a dozen volunteers over a 2-month period.

Our primary resource for support was The Bay Team membership. We received substantial donations of both cash and airline miles to help pay expenses of the volunteers. I stayed home and handled the fundraising and logistics, and also sent out regular updates by e-mail for the benefit of the people who were supporting the effort. The experience was so powerful for the volunteers who traveled to New Orleans that some of them weren’t able to read the updates until long after they returned. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the disaster, I am re-posting all of the e-mail updates that were sent during that time.

I have made very few edits in order to preserve the rawness that resulted from the near-realtime posting of information in the originals. I have, however, inserted some additional information for clarity and have enhanced the text with photos that I received from the volunteers.

Each entry links to the next – please start here: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles: The Story Begins.

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #19: Wrapping Up 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.

I have crawled the web looking for additional information about the Animal Rescue aspect of Hurricane Katrina, including specials and blogs that were available at the time, plus several documentaries and books that have been released since. There a lot of lessons learned during this disaster, with its unprecedented scale. Animal rescue organizations have evolved their response plans, HSUS and ASPCA have been further exposed for their astronomical overhead expenses and mixed agenda. One of the most important changes that came from Hurricane Katrina is that FEMA now has to deal with evacuating pets with the people.

Here are my suggestions for the most relevant TV and Radio stories, Documentaries, Books, and Blogs/Articles/Websites.

Television and Radio

• Animal Planet Heroes: Hurricane Katrina Rescues (41.42): Features Jane Garrison, founder of ARNO (Animal Rescue of New Orleans), who was the volunteer coordinator at Lamar-Dixon
• Animal Planet Heroes: Hurricane Katrina Reunions (42:50)
• Nature (PBS) Katrina’s Animal Rescue, A Happy Reunion (1:54): One family’s success at Lamar-Dixon
• Dateline: Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue segment (6:23): Featuring the Best Friends shelter in Mississippi (Slydell?)
• NPR Story on Katrina Pet Rescue

Documentaries

Left Behind Without a Choice (Emphasis Entertainment, 2008)

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina turned the Gulf Coast region into a sea of loss and despair. Our nation sat in dismay as our government failed to respond.

Animals desperately searched and pleaded for help as they were left behind with no choice but to endure a hurricane, floods and a fight to survive the streets on their own. People from across the United States, Canada and countries abroad heard their cries and took it upon themselves to do something about it.

Left Behind Without A Choice explores the less media-friendly side of the animal rescue efforts. The physical and emotional conditions of the animals are told by the very people who cared for them and nurtured them back to health as they recount their journey with Hurricane Katrina animal rescue. A few animals’ stories have been completely documented from peril to the path to recovery and are included in this documentary.

Featuring the staff of “Best Friends Animal Society” and music by Jessy Greene, Wally Borgan and Marc Perlman (Jayhawks).

Written, directed and produced by Kim Walsh-Borgan.

YouTube Trailer (2:53)

 Available formats: The Bay Team library (Free to members); DVD ($20.99)

Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues (ShiDogs Films, 2006)

Over 50,000 dogs and cats were left behind in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The pets (mostly dogs) that survived the flood were locked in houses and chained to fences without food and water for up to six weeks.

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.

They discovered widespread scenes of horrific torture, death, disease, neglect, and thoughtless abandonment of dogs. They broke the case to the FBI of sadistic police officers who needlessly tortured and shot more than 20 innocent dogs at three schools in the St Bernard Parish area.

Some rescuers worked with the official rescue organization, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), while others joined a more aggressive rescue outfit, code named Winn Dixie.

This film also tells uplifting stories of hope and survival, as pets were reunited with their owners while other lucky pets found loving new homes.

These hard earned lessons will help our nation understand the need for animal evacuation plans in natural disasters.

Join me for a behind-the-scenes look at the grim reality of the life and death struggles on the toxic streets of New Orleans.

Available formats: Amazon Prime Streaming (Free to members); DVD ($24.95); YouTube ($2.99)

Hurricane Heroes: Survival Stories of Katrina Animal Rescues (ShiDogs Films, 2006)

Over 50,000 dogs and cats were left behind in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as FEMA required that all animals be left behind in the mandatory evacuation.

This forced separation created America’s first-ever major animal rescue.

A dedicated and compassionate group of volunteer rescuers and animal welfare groups from around the world risked their lives to sledgehammer down doors and brave toxic floodwaters in a truly heroic effort to save nearly 10,000 animals.

Hurricane Heroes is a film about hope and survival in the face of one of the worst natural disasters in American history.

It will renew your faith in the American spirit.

Available formats: Amazon Prime Streaming (Free to members); DVD ($19.95); YouTube ($2.99)

Books

Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned – Cathy Scott and Clay Myers

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many animals had to fend for themselves because their owners lost them or were unable to care for them. In Pawprints of Katrina: Pets Saved and Lessons Learned, Cathy Scott documents her experience working with the Best Friends Animal Society triage center to rescue lost animals and reunite them with their owners. Over two hundred stories with accompanying photos describe dramatic and challenging rescue cases with details about the rescues, the examinations, treatment, and follow-up care by the selfless volunteers who worked to save beloved best friends.

Available Formats: Kindle, Hardback, Audible

Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue: A Story Buried Deep – AJ Meadows

What would you do if you had only hours to evacuate your family and furry loved ones from the danger of a national disaster? In the heat of the moment, would you be prepared to take immediate action?

Using author A.J. Meadows’ personal stories of existing in a warzone named “Katrina,” this book outlines a plan easily implemented that will aide in alleviating the stress of the unknown. Being disaster ready is vital to your animal’s survival and well-being, also offering you desperately needed peace of mind in times of trouble.

Meadows witnessed the destruction and horror following a national disaster during her ten-day deployment in New Orleans while rescuing animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. She hopes through retelling her own stories to provide readers with information to ensure they are disaster ready, through such examples as:

• Preparation of your disaster bin, complete with items imperative to your animal’s welfare.
• Protection of your family in times of danger by being aware of your animals’ behavior and others.
• Taking into consideration past mistakes, and making them work to your benefit in the future.

Available Formats: Paperback

Orphans of Katrina: Inside the World’s Biggest Animal Rescue- What Really Happened on the Gulf and How You Can Help Save America’s Pets Today – Karen O’Toole

A compilation of over 60 stories with photos; it’s a master’s blend of both humorous and poignanat writing. A heartfelt journey deep inside the greatest animal rescue in history.

O’Toole’s acute eye, and insider photographs, are a sharp witness to the poignant, fragile land where man and animal band together in a the ultimate race against time. She exposes this searing, uncharted world with revealing photos, striking observations, and surprising rescue tales. As she walks us through this unfathomed land, she makes a moving plea, and gives us a road map, to help America’s pets today.

Orphans of Katrina is a vivid journey, a historical account, and a celebration of the volunteer rescuers–and the animals we share our world with.

Available Formats: Kindle, Paperback

Blogs, Websites, and Articles

There are so many web resources, I can’t possibly list them all. Here is a sampling of the ones I found. You can Google “katrina animal rescue stories” to find many more.

Eric’s Dog Blog – this was one of our key resources during the emergency when the situation was changing and we needed to know where to send. Scroll down on the right and look as his archives from the Sept/Oct 2005 timeframe and you’ll see just how fluid the situation was.

Storms 411 – another amazing real-time resource. Self-described: “This blog is the top resource online for Hurricane Katrina pictures / pics, storm tracks, a picture, coordinates, flooding, tracker, tracking, forecasts, photo/photos, map/maps, information, forecast, reports, path.” I believe it probably was.

Kim Upham’s blog – first-hand blog by a rescue volunteer from Portland.

Best Friends – The Legacy of Katrina – Two Years Later – great summary of lessons learned, many other articles on their site

Lousiana SPCA – simple but compelling chronology of the disaster as it unfolded and the aftermath.

Animal Rescue of New Orleans (ARNO) – This organization was founded by Jane Garrison (from Charleston SC) and two friends in the wake of (and actually, in the midst of) the Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts. With assistance and coordination from Best Friends, ARNO was handed off to locals about six months later. In addition to continuing their rescue/shelter/mission, they continue to focus on the lessons learned from Katrina.

I hope you got here from Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #16, #17: Situation Continues to 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.

10/13/05: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #18

Forgive me, faithful readers – I’ve been remiss. Here it is Thursday, nearly a week from my last update. And not because there hasn’t been anything to report. Truth is, I was able to let go a little of my sideline obsession at the trial last weekend, and I had enough distractions this week that the time just slid by. But I’m back again. Lorrayne and Eric returned home on Tuesday, and I’m hoping they are recovering as well as can be expected from their 10-day stint.

Lorrayne wrote me a note on her return that summarizes what she experienced far better than I could ever convey, so I’m just forwarding it straight through with her permission. I think that her report, though not specifically the same as the others, generally represent the experiences and emotions of the travelers.

I’ll follow up with a separate update of my own on what Cara and her friends have been up to, as well as a report on the party last weekend, Deborah’s upcoming trip, and a few other things as well.

Hi Holly –

There’s no place like home!   I was very happy to get home to my three papillons and husband last nite.  It has been both wonderful and extremely sad to experience the hurricane up close and personal.  I actually cried when I saw my husband at the airport, very unlike me.

I will send you an overview of the last few days, since last Thursday and perhaps you have already heard it from Cara and Eric, but her is my cut.

I think it was last Thursday that we moved the RV to the Abita Springs RV Park.  Things took much longer than expected and it turns out the Kendra is a very independent lady.  Kendra had given us detailed directions for getting to Abbieville the previous night, but we still had to find the food that she wanted transported and get it loaded.  I don’t believe that she has actually come to terms with how sick she is. She will undergo chemo for a year, have an operation and feels that she may not actually make it beyond next April. Regardless, she decided she is not about to take any help now because she can still function. However it was 2:00 before we got underway to Abbeville, LA.  We arrived at 6:00, unloaded the food, which they were very grateful for. The area (3/4 of the way to Texas) was hard hit by Rita and many cattle were still floating or isolated on small islands, stuck in the mud. They were going out on barges on the weekend to see if they could rescue them. It was definitely farm/cattle country. We visited for about half an hour and got home that night at about 10:30.  Eric seared some chicken for dinner on his new teflon frying pan and we gorged.

Friday, Kendra insisted that the Mutt Shack Rescue needed us far more than she did so we reported to 8400 Hayne Blvd, East New Orleans.  We both worked for the day in the kennel walking, loving, cleaning, etc.  Melody, the kennel manager mentioned that she would train me for her position if I were staying longer, but since I would only have 4 more days in New Orleans, she needed a longer commitment. Basically I stayed there as kennel help for the rest of the assignment until yesterday.

The dog walking consisted of taking the dogs across Hayne Blvd., up a flight of about 20 cement stairs to the top of the levy, interacting with the dogs and getting a P&P out of them.  Just the other side of the levy was the railroad tracks and Lake Ponchartrain, so you know that the houses in this area were extremely hard it. Half a mile to the west is the New Orleans Lakefront Airport and Marina. This is where FEMA set up the restaurant (all meals free to construction workers and Mutt Shack people) and the “Lake House” a houseboat where showers are available. Early on, the high management of the company who sets up such facilities noticed that the female workers from the Mutt Shack were sleeping in their cars and extended the invitation to them to use one of the bunk rooms on the Lake House. It has full service, clean linens and towels every day and in every sense a luxury party boat, with living room, dining room, decks, etc.ed  The day that I found out about it (Sunday) was the day that 5 vet techs from the Milo Foundation (Berkeley) were leaving and so it created space for Cara and her crew, a very lucky find. FEMA pays the bill and it is very handy to the Mutt Shack.

During my work experience I learned about the MILO FOUNDATION (Berkeley) and learned that they had an air-conditioned uhaul truck completely set up for animal transport and I helped them load the dogs on Sunday for their drive home.  They also took a significant number of cats. They were delayed by 2 hours because there was an argument about a valuable brindle colored mastiff which they selected to take with them. Someone (worker?) felt that it should remain behind and that there was a “possible” owner in the area but they could not locate the owner after 2 hours and the girls finally took off, with the “valuable” mastiff. Intact Male, good for breeding. Their only purpose was to rehab the animal and find fostering for it as it was emaciated. ric has pictures.

Another significant person who I met through transport/loading for the airport shipment was Susan Marino, who was also taking a large shipment of dogs to her location in New York State, I think Long Island. She is a vet tech who spent quite some time at the Mutt Shack and was returning to the Mutt Shack for more work, as soon as she had the animals situated at a facility, maybe her own, in New York. She may be back as early as today. She wrote a book which I have a copy of, called Lucky Dog, which talks about her experiences with some of the most beloved pets who found their way to Angels Gate. This is a hospice in her home for dying animals. “Lucky” was one of her favorites, hence the title. I would be happy to share this book with you. I read it on the flight home yesterday. It is obviously a heart-breaker as it tells the stories of how the animals wound up in her home, her love and care for them, and in some cases, their final days.

Every day, search and rescue continued and I could see that I was out of my league as most of the rescuers are now dresssed in army fatigues, are trained feral cat catchers with traps, and are basically willing to go out on night detail with the National Guard to catch packs which have taken up residence under stilted houses. Many of the houses are on cement blocks about 2-1/2 feet off the ground.  It is cool under there and they hide out under the house during the day.

Gael and I were permitted to go on one half day rescue mission to double-check a neighborhood about 5 miles from the Mutt Shack. We found a family who had just returned their ponies from Lamar Dixon and were moving back to their property. They also had a black chow. They had a large wooden sign indicating that they were in residence and that they were feeding the ponies (so they would not be taken erroneously). We indicated that they should add the dog to the list (to avoid over-anxious rescuers) but we just could not get the point across, so we added the dog to the list/sign ourselves to avoid a possible future pick up.

They continue to bring in emaciated dogs. One arrived in the vets hospital just as I was leaving.  and they are making a concerted effort to get the feral cats, fix them, and possibly release them again?  not sure of the latter. Some are set off to other shelters out-of-state.

All animals were microchipped, polaroid and electronic pictures taken and documentation prepared on their capture location prior to being shipped away. They all go up on Pet Finders.com.  This organization was not perfect but under such circumstances, they did as much as they could for the animals under their care.

Because of the nature of the neighborhood where we are working, most of the dogs we cared for were un-neutered male pitts, rotts, chows, and mixes. The cages were color coded so we were not handing the ones with red codes. Even some of the yellow coded dogs where difficult to handle and hated to return to their cages. I luckily missed a bite on Monday when returning a chow to her cage. All the dogs were truly grateful to get out and have a walk and relieve themselves. Some were okay with people but were aggressive toward the other dogs in the kennel and had to have special walks to avoid going down the aisles of other pitts and rotts. Many were not pretty dogs and were severely malnourished and needed love, even the pitts! I have a new understanding of the breed and do not generally fear them as I once did.  Some are severely scarred from previous fighting. My heart went out to them as all they needed was kindness and touching.

This particular site had difficulty with people who would drive by, watch us walk the big dogs, observe their characteristics, and then attempt to adopt them. The Mutt Shack were very wary of folks who were not adopting their own animals but looking to get good “fighters” to take home. They were screened carefully and many left  empty-handed. They were not allowed to go thru the kennel and “pick out a new dog.” I suspect that they stand a much better of getting what we might call a normal home by leaving the area (especially the big, mean looking ones). Just across the street from the Mutt Shack, the National Guard has set up their headquarters for the area. It is reassuring to know they are there, especially early in the a.m. and when it gets to be dusk because the whole operation is run by generator and everything tends to shut down at sunset because they don’t have enough generators.

Many homeless people were voluntarily surrendering their dogs because they had no means to keep them. They are staying with family or friends who could not take additional animals.  Some animals were brought in because they are actually neglected to the point of near death. On Saturday a mid-sized mixed breed came in covered with fleas and had only ten percent of her hair left. Its skin was all wrinkly and it had several special baths.  When it dried it was referred to as “armadillo dog” because that’s what it looked like. There was neurological damage on some dogs. There was every kind of ear infection and tons of heartworm. The dogs will need a long recovery time.

The juxtaposition of the normal life (in the marina) next to crashed airplanes and tumbled boats was unreal. All available to see in the same eyeful.

I am most grateful for the experience and the ability to help in a very small way. I will be checking out the websites of these organizations to learn more about them, especially the MILO FOUNDATION.

If there are any more gaps you would like filled in, please call me. I truly appreciate your confidence in me.  It was an experience I will never forget.

Lorrayne

Next up: Lamar-Dixon Chronicles #19, #20: Wrapping Up

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