SAVE THE STARVING PETS LEFT BEHIND
IN NEW ORLEANS

UPDATE BELOW FOR HURRICANE RITA
IN TEXAS

MOST PEOPLE CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT GO!
TOO MANY WOULD NOT HELP.

BUT THE REST OF US CAN SEND
ALL THE SUPPLIES FOR THOSE
PHYSICALLY FIT ENOUGH TO DO IT
AND FOOD FOR THE ANIMALS 

AND LOBBY THE GOVERNMENT

SUPPORT THE HUMANE SOCIETY AT
 https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund_2005?

ADVOCACY INFORMATION
 https://community.hsus.org/campaign/katrina_governmentresponse

AND HEED GANDHI'S WORDS
"The greatness of a nation can be judged
by the way its animals are treated."
Read Karen Dawn's editorial in Newsday.
http://www.aa2sbu.org/aaezine/articles/vol12/N4KatrinaDawnWatchGandhi.shtml

This (edited) e-mail was received from Amy Mall on 9/20:

I am in the Atlanta airport on my way home from four days in Gonzales. Help is desperately needed -- I did not work in the field rescuing animals, I worked in the shelter and it is grossly understaffed. Until recently, major groups have not been asking people to go there. I have no idea why. Conditions are upsetting because there are so few people to take care of so many animals. If anyone can help these dogs, it would be a wonderful act of compassion.  I have not written up all my experiences, but plan to do so later tonight. Please e-mail me if you would like additional information. Another way you can help is to help rescue groups get some of these dogs out of the Gonzales shelter to be fostered or sheltered elsewhere until there owners find them or they get a new home.

As of last night they were still bringing dozens if not hundreds of animals in every night. Mostly dogs and cats, but even birds, turtles, snakes and more.  While some are very ill, some are still doing pretty well given what they've been through.  It is in the high 90s and high humidity, I have blisters on my hands and feet, cuts and bruises, but the more people help, the easier it will be for both humans and animals.

Amy
"amy mall" <amy_mall @ yahoo.com>

ED NOTE: Amy sent an update, Wed, 21 Sep 2005 09:59:11 -0700 (PDT)
She suggested another good way to support this effort is to pay the costs for someone to go.

Amy is referring to the following e-mail that was sent out from DawnWatch regarding volunteering with Jane Garrison:

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: DawnWatch
Sent: Sep 20, 2005 1:47 AM
To: earl@
Subject: DawnWatch: Katrina animal shelter update -- from Jane Garrison at the Gonzales shelter 9/19/05

Television specials, such as last night's Dateline, focus on the happy reunions. Below is a letter, a plea, from Jane Garrison, who is heading up the food and water program from the Gonzales shelter for New Orleans. It tells a different story -- animals dying daily for lack of people to get to them and feed them. I forward her letter knowing that many of you, bless you, have contacted the major organizations saying you wanted to volunteer but have been told that your unskilled services aren't needed. Jane's letter, from the front lines, makes it clear that if you can get yourself to Gonzales, and are willing to sleep in uncomfortable conditions in a tent or car or RV, you will be saving lives every day you are there.

Below her note I will paste the shelter address and a list of supplies recommended. I do recommend going through the official means, such as volunteering through the HSUS website, www.HSUS.org. But their volunteer web-page, which still includes questions such as, "Can you stay in the area for five days?," (as if a three day stay would not mean life or death to however many animals you can feed in three days) still has a tone likely to discourage people. Please don't let it discourage you. And if the HSUS office is overwhelmed and cannot get back to you quickly, please don't let animals die while you are caught in red tape. I am sure Jane's letter below will convince you that if you show up willing to help without having successfully jumped through all the right hoops, she will not turn you away.

ED NOTE: The DawnWatch email continues but has been updated with the following from Jane Garrison:
Wed, 21 Sep 2005 06:19:01 -0400
Here are the details:

Please come to LaMar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, LA. You can fly into New Orleans or Baton Rouge. You will have to arrange your own transportation to the expo center. Renting a car or van is ideal. Bring a tent, sleeping bag, flash light and a strong desire to work hard! It will take 24 hours to get you credentialed to get in the city but there is lots of work at the shelter to do while waiting for your credentials. Please come! I will no longer be on email after this morning. If you have an EMERGENCY ONLY call me at 843-343-8887. Please do not tie up the phone line with general questions as my phone is also used for people to report stranded animals.

Continuation of 20 Sep e-mail from DawnWatch:
FROM JANE GARRISON:
---------------------------------------
Subject: I am begging the animal community

Dear Friends:
I have been at the hurricane scene in New Orleans for over two weeks. In this time I have organized search and rescue teams and food and water teams (for the animals on the streets). I have personally pulled hundreds of animals from roof tops, attics and houses. It has been amazing to me that these animals are still alive. I got a dog off a roof a few days ago who should have weighed 90 pounds but was down to 40 pounds from being stuck on that roof with no food and water. These animals want to live and are showing us this everyday.

Here is the problem.
We still have 3,000 addresses of homes where animals are trapped. These are addresses where people have called either HSUS or LASPCA and asked for us to rescue their animals. I know that there are thousands of other homes where animals are trapped that no one called about. I know this b/c I have rescued
hundreds of animals from homes after hearing barking that were not on our lists.

CONSIDER THIS: Amazingly we are finding that half of the homes we get into have animals still alive. With a MINIMUM of 3,000 addresses that is at least 1500 animals who are waiting behind closed doors for a loving hand to rescue them. With the current teams we have now we can only get into approximately 300 homes each day. The animals will NEVER be alive if we continue at this rate. I am begging each and everyone of you to get to New Orleans to help. It does not take a "certified disaster rescuer" to break into a house and at last provide fresh food and water (to sustain that animal until someone qualified can get them out). We only have a week at most to save some of these desperate animals. Please do your part...we are all the animals have.

Jane Garrison
JaneGarrison@comcast.net
(END OF JANE'S NOTE)

GONZALES SHELTER CONTACTS:

Louisiana SPCA Shelter established at:
9093 St. Landry Rd.
Gonzales, LA 70737
225-647-0712 (This number may not be answered.)

Food and water volunteers should report to Jane Garrison outside the volunteer food tent by barns 1 and 2. There is a 6am briefing every morning.

Note: Large air-conditioned vehicles in which animals can be transported are still needed. But Jane's note makes it clear that anybody with transport for him or herself, who can go to houses and feed animals, regardless of being able to transport them, is needed. If you don't have your own transport, but can get yourself to Gonzales, you will be paired up at the daily 6am briefing meeting with somebody who has transport. OR -- the shelter desperately needs people to work there.

FEMA now has a large air-conditioned tent in which volunteers can sleep. (Though it is safest to bring a tent just in case.)

VOLUNTEER PERSONAL SUPPLIES LIST (IDEAL)
Some dogs on the ground have become dangerous. Some risks are due to contaminated water. Animals who have consumed this or stood in the water for long periods may be sick. You may also be exposed to water/mud yourselves. You also need protection from mosquitoes and wild animals. Overall, depending upon where you travel, you need to come self-sufficient, as if preparing for a camping trip.

current Hepatitis vaccinations
current Tetanus shot
pepper spray
hand sanitizer
insect repellent
sunscreen
first aid kits

thick "bite-proof" work gloves
sturdy, waterproof (rubber) work boots/shoes
waders
long sleeve shirts
long pants
belt (to hang gear/supplies from)
mouth coverings (surgical masks, bandannas)
eye protection (sunglasses)

flashlights
containers full of gasoline
waterproof walkie talkies
D batteries
toilet paper
other personal-care items

Kate Danaher, who has just come back from Gonzales, has sent the following note:
"I just returned from 7 days on-site at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, LA. Volunteers are desperately needed to clean shelter cages and walk dogs, to drop food and water to feed animals in the streets and stuck in houses, to do data entry of notes from the field, to clean crates, and do general site organization and clean-up. If you are interested please call me. I can brief you on my experience and give you directions on what to expect and how to get right to work when you arrive. Do not need supplies. Need strong loving and patient people to work very very hard under very challenging circumstances. You are NEEDED. Please consider this call for help. I look forward to hearing from you."

Kate recommends bringing spray paint, for marking and dating houses with food and water drop dates (what you did at the house) and also water markers to mark your vehicle as LASPCA, pad and pen for field notes, a crowbar for breaking in if necessary, and maps of New Orleans. She is happy to provide guidance for anybody ready to go. Her number is:
415-459-1149
katedanaher @ animalearthhuman.org

Brenda Shoss at Kinship Circle is also an excellent resource for information on volunteer efforts at the various shelters.
Her email is info@kinshipcircle.org
desk: 314-863-9445
cell: 314-795-2646

DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. 

More Articles:
http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/recent_activities_and_information/
hard_work_eases_haunting_images_of_katrinas_animal_victims.html

UPDATE BELOW FOR HURRICANE RITA
IN TEXAS

Please get the word out that the animals of Texas are in dire need of transport, if they are not helped, we will have another Katrina mess going on in Texas.

If anyone can help, have them contact me, Sharon Gorski, either by phone or email. My number 586-727-9815 or possecop @ msn.com

Need crates, cages, anything to transport animals away from the storm, horse trailers, welcome.