Mission to Kirbyville

11:30 pm--(Im trying to post this myself like a big girl w/o my brilliant webmaster Madalyn Sklar so bear with me. Tired and computer illiterate. Perfect combo.) We spent the day traveling to theExotic Animal Refuge, delivering supplies FFL had purchased and helping some. The greeting from the exhausted folks there was so warm. They said that we were the only people who had been there with supplies since the storm! We wonder how that could be but are pleased that though Friends For Life is small, we were able to get there to help.

The sanctuary is located off the main road--actually almost off any road--and is home to about 25 big cats, 2 wolves, 2 bears , a monkey and numerous domestic cats. The big cat pens are fairly large and all contain 'tree houses' for the cats to climb up in. The tiger pens that were just redone pre-rita have great sculptured tiger swimming holes that slope gently from a wading depth to swim depth. Unfortunately, because there is no power there is no aerator and no running well water. The pool water is black and thick and the cats will not go in it. Anyone who knows cats would predict this. All the cats are panting and though none are down yet, some have started to refuse to eat. No one is more upset by this than the director , Monique and her staff. She and her crew have been awake almost non stop since the storm. They are clearing the huge trees from paths and rooftops trying to prevent any further damage. There are trees down on their buildings and on the animal pens. Fortunately , there are not now nor have there been any loose animals. We unloaded several 152 gallon coolers full of meat packed in 150 lbs. of dry ice. (I had to suck it up as a veg since 1985 when buying all that hundreds of pounds of dead chicken and pig--then traveling with it in the van. The things we do...Hope I can still get invited back on Go Vegan !), truckloads of vegetables/baked goods for bears, medical supplies, the generator, gas, water a chainsaw, electrical supplies and drinks for the folks working there. They are saving the water for the animals so not drinking it. They even drained the meltoff from our 'wet ice' coolers into a bucket not to waste any. They have one generator that is powering 2 freezers they have running so that they can store the meat for the big cats. There is not enough power in it to run an ac/fans for the big cats, bears in their wooly coats and the domestic cats currently housed in a trailer. These are things they are doing tonight--fitting the larger generator to hopefully power these things tonight. A blessing the weather cools tomorrow. C'mon Houston--we are 160 miles away. We can help these animals! These are our neighbors. We know that terrible things are happening in LA/MS--we've seen them firsthand and tried hard to help where we could. But there are animals right here that need us too. Whatever your opinion about animals in cages, wild animals kept by people (these are formerly abused rescue animals often owned/abused by boneheads who had no business with them in the first place) or exotics in Texas generally-(and I certainly have my own storm opinions not necessarily in line with that refuge)-the fact is that it is not the time to have a philosophical debate, for shelters to jockey for control or to sit in Houston and posture. It is time to load up a truck or contribute to a truck that is going or to write a check to someone doing something. The animals do not know that we have opinions about their circumstances or allegiances to different groups. This morning all they knew is that they were hungry and thirsty. Tonight they have had a good dinner but are still hot and thirsty. This is the soul of animal rescue; bowl by bowl, animal by animal. You can click from here and go to our paypal and help support the mission. Shameless plug for support of the FFL programs? You bet. We are proud of what we do and what we do it not cheap. As to the immediate needs at the refuge and our trip back tomorrow--water and a well pump (does not hurt to ask...someone out there has a well company and may want to help). Friends for Life will take truckloads of water back out there tomorrow morning. The caravan leaves at 10am. Tomorrow we will have a truck in the parking lot at the Petsmart @ Shepherd and Alabama from 8-9:30am. We will be accepting all donations of water to truck back in. Please come by and drop off a little. Hope to see you. Paypal. Volunteering. Donating supplies. If you like what we are doing, join the effort! We'd love to have you. Step by step--even small ones, we change everything. good night all, salise ** I have an update to add: As of Thursday the 29th as we are about to leave for Kirbyville again with our 2nd load of water and food, I have talked to Janice Blue who has coordinated getting the sanctuary another generator, more water and a well pump !!! Way to go !! She will be returning with our 2nd wave team on Saturday. Thank you Janice for all you do for the animals and for mobilizing your great animal lover network.