Pet Update -- Some Words...
First off, Kelsey and her crew of three rescued 9 cats and one ferret today. They also, with the reopening of parts of Orleans Parish to re-population next week, fed & watered innumerable animals as per owner's directives.
This little crew has been out on the front lines everyday, beating themselves up in order to save these animals. Even today Kelsey received a dangerous chemical burn on her right wrist and had to be taken to a Military Med Station. Nearly all of them have received bites and must now go on antibiotics...
Moving on to the rant...
I have received a few emails today expressing frustration with the situation down here regarding animals, their rescuers and a lack or organization... and I am pissed off.
Several emails have stated that volunteers have come all the way down here to assist, then witnessed first hand the lack of organization and have left angry, after dumping supplies at Lamar-Dixon or wherever.
Guess what. Fear the day
California that you get a massive earthquake and suddenly have hundreds of thousands of animals in dire straits... I HOPE you learn from this. Communication is effectively impossible. 504 area codes still can barely communicate with other 504 area codes, for Christ's sake. My cell only accepts calls from other area codes - no dialing out for most of the day.HAVE YOU SEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS RESPONSE TO THIS?... AND YOU EXPECT SOME LITTLE PARISH HUMANE SOCIETIES TO BE MORE ORGANIZED AND COMMUNICATING PERFECTLY WITH EACH OTHER?!
These are small groups who are using their own resources and the resources of friends and family, which are already strained, to try and do good. This is an immense problem - which, by the way, is very quickly nearing the endgame - if it hasn't already. How do you suppose they start up an organization from scratch in five days when no one can communicate with each other? Send out homing pigeons and recall everyone to Lamar Dixon for a goddamned powerpoint presentation on who's in charge and what's the proper way to get into a two-story house from a boat? For fuck's sake.
All of this frustration had better calm down. Because that's what it is... frustration that you're sitting up in California eating brie, or in Ohio eating whatever it is y'all eat in Ohio, or wherever... Know this... that the good people of this state and many others are DOING THEIR BEST!
Will animals die -- hell yes. Have they already died -- hell yes. Have people died -- hell yes.
Deal with it. We are. But know that there are some damn good and outrageously altruistic people down here trying to save what they can, lying their way through checkpoints and risking their own skin for these creatures.
Fear this happens to you, because everywhere in this country would be in exactly the same boat.
Side note... I like Brie...
More to come.
posted by TAG at 9:29 PM
12 Comments:
That's right! Did the NYPD wait for an evite with a mapquest link to come to River Ridge? Did Heart to Heart International in Kansas wait for a memo from FEMA before getting busloads of supplies (including a medical clinic) to Jefferson Parish? Did they turn around because they couldn't get Aaron Broussard on the phone? Hell no, and thank God not. Did Kenner, Harahan and Gretna wait for another red-tape Broussard fiasco before letting residents return home? Hell no. Man, I could go on and on. lol.
Right On! That's why I LOVE this blog. You tell it like it is and unafraid to call people on their stupidty!
Well said. I really appreciate everything you and your fellow rescuers are doing. Don't worry about the critics out there. It's very easy to second guess and judge from afar - they will never understand the scope and importance of what you're doing. Keep it up!
Hell FEMA still hasen't even arrived in some of the most devistated area's .. animal rescue groups are doing the best they can in addition, fighting the local/fed. government for a little help to no avail!
Without the independant rescue organizations and the Humane Society, such as Iberia, very few of the animals would have survived.
Hell even "Fedel Castro" of Cuba evacuated 150,000 people WITH THEIR PETS before the major hurricane hit last fall. Fed. and local government has failed the animals.
I for one, appreciate every single animal that has been rescued by all the rescue teams in LA & MS.
Bless you all!
Kris
SLC, Utah
Kelsey and your crew: I am so grateful for the rescues you are doing I can't even think how to express it. Yes, we know animals are dying and I for one am sick at heart but I know some will live because of you.
Chris
Boston
It's always SO good to have an update from you all, even when you are cussin and fightin! :o) I am so glad you are still out there, refusing to give up, and I know it's got to be getting worse every damned day. Like I always say...it's gonna get a lot worse before it gets worse. Well, some big pic political developments today. SPCA & HSUS, with Senator Ensign & Senator Santuro, presented an urgent letter to the White House asking for immediate Federal assistance with this animal rescue. Likewise, Best Friends put out an urgent press release, and in general, the country seems to be getting pretty pissed off that the politicians, particularly Blanco, have yet to even acknowledge this damned crisis. Good god what a cluster F**K. Sorry, but I'm so mad. Anyhow, many of us additionally fired off letters to our Senators asking them to support this effort immediately and get some more damned HELP down there now. Also, rumor has it there's about to be a big announcement on the situation with DHS and Blanco and some other bigwigs, where perhaps she finally asks for Fed assistance. GEE, YA THINK!? Ladies, even at the end of the day you are all lovely, beautiful, and radiant with an inner peace that only comes from knowing you've done incredibly meaningful work. Now dammit Kelsey put out that cigarette. XOXOXO Deb In Portland (p.s. read on a website today that there is PLENTY of damned room at the Monroe, La Shelter set up by EARS, and that volunteers are *waiting* for more animals!!?? The director of said shelter made a visit to Lamar-Dixon, hopefully to arrange transport & create more room?) And Boone Pickens, the wealthy oil tycoon, flew out the 3rd flight of dogs today to California, and they pledge to keep on doing it. So some good things ARE happening. WE LOVE YOU GUYS! p.s.s. and one more thing - now that they are letting some people back into St. B's Parish - why in HELL aren't they getting as many pet owners as they can in there FIRST? WHY aren't the pet owners having first crack so they can rescue their own pets & maybe even some neighbors pets? I'm hoping a lightbulb will go on inside someone's head someday soon.
Thank you again for another day of truly amazing work.
Yep. I'm here in California, not eating too much crawfish I'll admit, completely supportive of everything you've been doing with the rescue efforts.
Some of us...we're far away, unable to be there in person, but we try to help in some small way. Relentlessly writing and calling our reps and yours, the media, our families and friends, anyone who will listen & help call attention to this nightmare you're living through without enough federal assistance.
I'll never know what you've seen there. I'm afraid to imagine. But I feel this incredible sadness. It is mixed with rage. Which leads to action.
When the animals of the flood zone are safe, make no mistake, there will be those of us who do not forget what has happened to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. We will not forget the grave mistakes made, the responsibilities shirked or the lives lost. We will remember Brown, Blanco, Minton, Jefferson, Littlefield, and all those who shirked responsibilities and put the people and animals of the flood zone in imminent danger. We will write letters and make calls then too, when this immmediate pet emergency is over, demanding answers & resignations for all of these grave mistakes.
We will also remember Kelsey, Dr. White, Tiffany, Iberia, and the individual stories of heroism and survival.
With respect ~ Jennifer
So many people have expressed their support and desire to be involved. Here's how: Get your local humane societies to shelter/foster homeless evacuated animals. There are so many running loose, whose owners will probably not find them. It would be awful to have them warehoused and photographed, but never know the feel of a shag rug or running in the woods or having their ears scratched while sleeping on the bed with a human companion. We are trying to get shelters close to New Orleans and many are making room. However, every animal we picked up today is being kept at my house. We have a studio apartment attached to our house (and my husband is gone for a couple of days). By the way, this ferret is just the cutest thing. St. Mary's is trying to get their new runs finished, so they can house some dogs. They've also acquired an air conditioner to go into the new cat building. I feel like I've neglected to give them enough acknowledgement.
St. Mary's Humane Society
P.O. Box 452
Franklin, LA 70538
WEB site is under construction.
Ok, it's late and I'm going to bed.
Oh, the chemical burn does not hurt nearly as much as the cat bite. Troy, can you get me a deal on Augmentin? That is the most expensive antibiotic out there.
The cat that bit me is really apologetic now (now she's in A.C.).
Nite y'all
Its just the way people are, TAG -- its called projection, I think -- they project onto you their own sense of helplessness. They make their inability to help YOUR fault so they don't have to feel guilty themselves about doing so little.
So all I can advise is, don't take it personally. Its actually THEIR problem, not YOURS. There is also, of course, the Queen Bee symdrome going on, too -- they think that because they drove a few hundred miles to help, someone should give them a medal and a free hotel room. NOT
I got an email from a fella in TN who has a big truck & animal trailer, and he is coming to NO to help. He didn't want to drive 10 hours to Gonzales just to be turned away, he wanted to help people out on the front lines. Hope ya'll don't mind, I gave him the Iberia HS website & number, plus that of Dr. White's office. Great fella named Tomm Brady. If you can use him, great, if not, okay. He's willing to do anything ya'll need. Ya know, we can't all be there physically to do the tough, front lines battle that you all do on a daily basis, but we are trying our best to help. I have donated my entire savings, plus I donated all of my airline miles and got tickets for 4 Veterinarians to fly down there to assist (they are working w/Pasado's Safe Haven from Seattle), and have solicited more miles from others for 2 more plane tickets for Vets. We hear all kinds of mixed info from the different organizations. Reality is, many are dead or are going to die. We've just all gotta accept that, and work to get to the ones we can. More importantly, we have to put our $$ where our mouth is, and not sweep this under the rug when it's over. I'm hopeful this terrible event will result in some change. Meantime, we love you gals & thank you. Take care of yourselves & keep doing your wonderful rescues. Deb in Portland
Hello! I've been reading your blog, and I want to thank you so very much for the work you are doing rescuing these animals. It's hard to believe some people are actually criticizing the rescue effort going on down there. The only ones I criticize are the ones doing absolutely nothing (a few specific government officials and agencies come to mind), and the people who are heaping even more negativity onto the situation by being so critical. As for you and all of the animal rescue agencies, I am so proud of what you all are doing. My heart is broken for these poor dying creatures, but you give me hope. I can't be down there to help right now, but I do what I can from home, and I scour the internet every day to hear of more good news stories such as your rescues. THANK YOU for putting your health at risk and for expending your time and tears for this effort. It is so very much appreciated by me, and by many other animal lovers throughout the world. Take care of yourselves, and keep blogging the rescue stories! Laura in Falcon, CO
I'm late to this conversation, but just want to say that, although I am in California, I am not eating Brie right now. I am, however, having my morning cup of organic coffee with soy milk. I want you o know that I 100% support the efforts of the small and large animal rescue groups down there who are doing SO MUCH to save the animals. These folks, like Kelsey and the Iberia & St. Mary Parish folks are going in to save animals at great persoanl risk. They are spending countless hours in the shelters, treating sick animals and scooping cat shit. They and the folks who are doing constructive things to help (volunteering in shelters, fostering animals, donating money to animal rescue & sheltering groups, etc) are the true HEROS. Folks who hide behind their computers and only criticize the brave and heroic efforts of others are losers. THANK YOU and God Bless you to all the folks who are rescuing and helping animals, even if you are only able to help one animal.
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