Katrina Rescue Update

PICTURES SOON--TONS OF 'EM--STAY TUNED

I am happy tp report some amazing rescues on our last trip to Mississippi and New Orleans. After Peedie, the rescues kept coming. We aquired two desperate, starved dogs in the muck on a central New Orleans freeway: Gumbo, an emaciated poodle mix and Lady Bird, a beagle mix in even more dire shape. It was so close to the Superdome you could throw a rock and hit it. The stench in the air and on the dogs pre decontamination was incredible. After the requisite time and attempts to find owners, we will place both for adoption. Right now, they are clean, safe and learing what it is like to be spoiled !

In answer to our request to join the FFL team, the wonderful Drs. Jeff and Claudia Smith drove in from Indiana and helped set up an FFL field hospital, treat the sick in Pass Christian at a free vet clinic we opened and we even loaned them to the Jackson County shelter where they were the only vets the hard-working but overwhelmed techs had seen in a very long time. They rescued a beautiful siamese mom cat and five 2 day old kittens that were strays at the shelter. The staff asked us them to get them to a better place. We did. They are safe and in a foster home. They will all ultimately be up for adoption.

We took emergency calls--one from a police officer who had thought his dog was lost in the storm but he wandered up 5 days after the storm. The beautiful German Shepherd had cuts on his feet that had become infected and the infection had become systemic. There simply were no vets in Pass Christian to take him to so he came to us. The dog received antibiotics and other treatment and is recovering very well.

We trapped several kittens in the rubble that are being tamed now by Donna, our resident cat whisperer (how kittens survived the storm is amazing to me). Thanks to the good work (and willingness to drive a long way late at night) of the PAWS rescue group in Monroe, we have also added to the roles of FFL Sheer Khan , the handsomest, jowliest tomcat ever and Stitch the plump ferret.

NEW MISSION:
Our rescue team leaves tomorow am for our 3rd mission. This time it is to answer the call for help from a big cat sanctuary (with bears too). They have no power or water and are running out of food as the meat for the big cats spoiled. The place is the Exotic Animal Refuge in Kirbyville. There was actually a piece on their plight on NPR tonight during All Things Considered.

I talked to the director, Monique today several times and she is completely overwhelmed. They have their own tigers, etc and now have Katrina evacuees too. They also have MANY domestic cats currently without a/c in a trailer that they are trying to cool by leaving the doors open (screened, I presume) and a fan hooked to a small generator. They lost power just before Rita made landfall--we were already having some major winds in the Beaumont area.
Monique says no other rescue has come in to help.

We have a 7500 watt generator to donate, gasoline, water, repair supplies, about 500 lbs of meat (ick), fruits/vegetables/breads for the bears, cases of fluids and medical help. We have four 152 quart coolers and 100 lbs of dry ice and have rented (again) the 12 person van and are taking our FFL trucks as well.

We will at the least, be able to help some by simply getting them some supplies. We are also going to help refitting cages, feeding, cleaning up post storm and generally doing what they need to improve things short term. At best, our medical team will be able to help any down animals--and Monique reports that there are some.

I don't know the folks there except by our phone conversations and their request for help.
I'll know more about what is there tomorrow and will post it on our website asap.

Anyone wanting to know more or to help support the mission please email me here --we welcome all help !

that's all for now. 4 am is freaking early.

salise