People who do not Spay and Neuter...Where are their hearts?

If you know anyone who owns a pet shop, or breeds dogs or cats, please send them this video.

http://www.brightlion.com/inhope.aspx

How could pet shop owners who do not spay and neuter, who get their animals from puppy farms, call themselves animal lovers? How can a person supports these shops, call themselves animal lovers? Ask them if they have ever seen an animal put to sleep because no one wants them?

I welcome comments here, from these people, for I truely don't understand their hearts. -Rachel

HELP... Spay/Neuter 1000 NOLA cats!

Alley Cat Allies Presents (http://www.alleycat.org/)

The Feline Frenzy

A spay/neuter extravaganza for the stray/feral cats of the Greater New Orleans area!

May 8 – May 21, 2006

Volunteers needed to help reach the goal of 1000!

Volunteer roles include:

· Trapping team leaders (organize groups of trappers with assigned schedules)
· Trappers (trap cats, deliver to clinic, and return to original location – must have vehicle)
· Trap depot coordinators (oversee trap depot where traps and supplies will be signed-out to trappers)
· Volunteer leaders for clinic facilities (oversee volunteers at clinic, following clinic process)
· Assistants at clinic facilities (provide hands-on or admin assistance to clinic staff)


To sign up contact us at nolaalleycat@yahoo.com or 601-749-5084

(Please provide us your name, email address, phone number, area of interest, availability dates)

St. Bernard's Parish Pet Massacre - September 2005

I saw a lot of things I will hopefully never again see in my life down in New Orelans, and the neighboring parishes. The most disgusting one was that the Sheriff Stephens of St. Bernard's parish, the parish neighboring just to the southeast of New Oreleans ordered his deupty's to shoot pets! I heard it again and again. Different stories with the some outcome in a few different schools. This was not and is not a rumor. I saw dead dogs that had been shot on the streets, and the massacre in the schools is well documented. This was in very early September, not packs of dogs turning feral in the months following! Not that that would be acceptable either. How would you feel if your local authorities shot your dog? - Rachel

For more on the St. Bernard Parish Massacre check out:

http://www.pasadosafehaven.org/KATRINA/DOGSHOOTING/REWARD.htm

Can't believe someone could be that cruel? Watch this video it is not too graphic but you will understand that they think they were being humane... where do they get their ethics?

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2005/katrina_video/straydogs.html

But bring a box of tissues and don't let your four footed friend see this!

John Bozes, Senate Hearing Testimonial

Angel Girl’s Story...

From: Willow Lu, willowlu@gmail.com

Good afternoon Senators and citizens.

My name is John Bozes. I am a former resident of the now devastated St.
Bernard Parish, Louisiana and I am here to ask you to pass the Pet
Evacuation Bill so that when there is another disaster, our pets can travel
safely with us to designated shelters and not be left behind to perish
because of lack of proper emergency planning.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed Southeast Louisiana turning
St. Bernard Parish into a waterlogged marshland. A very large percentage of
our residents did not evacuate to shelters outside the parish because we did
not want to leave our pets behind and we were told we could not evacuate
with them.

To give you a brief background of my medical situation at the time, I had
just been released from the hospital and couldn't drive because of my
medical condition. The other occupant of my home, my elderly father, is no
longer licensed to drive. I had been disabled for three months and was
without the income to even fill my vehicle with gasoline, let alone charter
a vehicle to transport my family and pets. Obviously, public transportation
was not a pet-friendly option. Later I came to find that although some
generous gas companies were offering free fuel, this was not widely known
nor broadcast through the media. This was simply not a known alternative
that I was aware of. It seems that this was yet another flaw of the
emergency broadcast system.

My 2 and 1/2 year old black lab, Angel Girl, was a hero who saved the lives
of myself and my family. If she had not woken me from my sleep, my family
would've drowned. The water was over the roof when she led us out the door.

After the levee breach, my father, sister and my nephew's girlfriend were
rescued from the roof of our home in Violet, LA by boat thanks to brave St.
Bernard residents who took us to the school evacuation shelter at St.
Bernard High School. My brother-in-law and nephew stayed behind with four
dogs and eight birds.

That Tuesday night, my brother-in-law, Gene, and his son, Robert
Christopher, along with our family's four dogs: Angel Girl, Bullet, Daisy,
and Honey were transported by boat to PGT Beauregard Middle School. Gene saw
other dogs and cats at that school and thought that was where all the pets
were being safely kept until the water went down. The next day, Wednesday,
St. Bernard Sheriffs Office Deputies ordered everyone to leave the school.
We were forbidden from taking our pets with us. When we asked about our
pets, a St. Bernard Sheriffs Office Deputy assured us "your pets will be
rescued." To ensure their safety, I wrote a note on the wall of the school
pleading for Angel's safekeeping. I wrote "she is a good girl." Others wrote
similar messages, indicating our home addresses and contact information in
the hope that the Deputy's word would be kept and our pets would be
transported to animal rescue authorities.

One week after Hurricane Rita, my sister, Carol, her family, and I were in a
hotel after evacuating again due to Hurricane Rita. I received a phone call
from a dear friend that was searching for Angel advising me to watch the CNN
broadcast news that evening at 10:00 pm. We turned on the TV and witnessed
Anderson Cooper break the story entitled "Dog Killings at Three St. Bernard
Parish Schools." The first room the camera crew entered and filmed was room
203 at PGT Beauregard Middle School. What we observed was beyond
devastating. They camera followed as rescue teams opened the door, showing
the first dog, my sister's husky mix, Bullet. Bullet had not been rescued as
promised. Bullet was dead. In the next room, the camera showed my Angel Girl
and Honey, also shot to death.

The following Saturday, my sister Carol, her husband, Gene Hamm, and myself
drove back to St. Bernard parish for the first time following Katrina. Our
first stop was PGT Beauregard Middle School. When we arrived at the school
we went to the room where Gene was forced our lovable dogs. The sight was
beyond words, beyond understanding, beyond my worst nightmares. When I saw
my beloved Angel lying in a pool of her blood I knelt down beside her and
started crying. I asked out loud "Why did this happen and who did it?!" I
was kneeling in her blood and I was telling her I was sorry that I was
forced to leave her. Carol and Gene were with Bullet and were talking to
him. As we were getting ready to leave the school, I kissed Angel on her
forehead and told her that I was sorry I couldn't rescue her. I still have
nightmares about what happened and I picture this all too often in my head.
I still lay awake at night crying because Angel Girl was all I had.

This bill must be passed so that our pets can be rescued alongside their
human family members and not be sentenced to death unnecessarily by
unprepared law enforcement agents or people who do not like pets nor
understand the family bonds that keep us close to them. Also, the bill will
ensure that well-meaning rescuers will not misplace our pets in other states
where name tags and other important information have gone missing during the
chaos of emergency rescue situations.

Before I close, I would like to call attention to the three empty leashes
that I am carrying today. They represent my family's three dogs that were
killed in St. Bernard Parish. It is for the love of these dogs, for the love
of my family, that I am here today.

Thank for your time. I only hope that this Senate panel, in your wisdom,
will make sure that nobody has to go through what the pet owners of
Louisiana have gone through following a future natural disaster.

Help the Last dogs of Tylertown...

We are searching for individuals or organizatians that may be able to take one or more of the remaining dogs at Tylertown or still in the hospitals from Hurricane Katrina.

Here is a list of what still needs placed. I can send a picture of any dog upon request.

We have nineteen dogs that are here, some since October that are available through our trainer program. They are all making great progress, some are now living inside and crate trained and are responding well to the extra attention. Some of these dogs have turned in to totally different dogs since being brought inside. Their names are Bo, Niblet, Diamond Jim, Clarence, Deputy, Alex, Man, Spark Plug, Meatball, Shamrock, Reebok, Sheriff, Ballsy, Obed, Vanna, Bunker, Allie, Bruno, Princess and Rascal. Some of these dogs with pictures are also listed on our website. Our program includes coming here and spending time with the dogs and help with expenses.

We also have an older dog that an owner just asked us to take in. It appears to be a border collie mix and is in need of eye surgery. His name is MJ and he is very friendly, but having a hard time trying to figure out why he is here and not in his home anymore. –a vet in Florida just volunteered to take this old guy.

We also have 25 dogs that were left over from Celebration Station….they are….

6-- seven week old puppies that have been in a foster home---I think we have these covered.

2 puppies that are now about 4 months old.

2 adult TVT dogs that just completed their treatments of Vincristine.

Two adult dogs at SAF, Elsie and Dixie they are very attached to each other.

An older cocker spaniel mix, named Dixie, that needs cage rest for at least 4 weeks she just had both rear knees done.

And 12 other very friendly adult dogs that were returned from a shelter that had a poor adoption rate and were unable to place them. We have 5 of these dogs living in a group run together, we have two more of the females living with Man and Heimi and we have a black shepherd mix living inside, three of the 12 dogs are probably under a year old.

If you can in any way help us with just one of these dogs it would be greatly appreciated. We can provide transportation.

We would love to send you pictures of the dogs upon request.

Sherry, Mary, John, McKenzie, Austin & Chuck.
Best Friends Animal Society
Tylertown, MS
601-876-4764

Details about the HSUS Animals in Disaster conference

More details about the HSUS Animals in Disaster conference are here!

I have highlighted the workshops that I THINK I will be attending. Subject to change of course as I learn more about them, or the moderators! Some I was really split on which one to attend. My intersted is focused in getting Animal Rescue Front.net funded and operational as a training and response team(s) across the county.

http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/national-conference-on-animals-in-disaster-2006/ncad06_schedule.html

National Conference on Animals in Disaster 2006 Conference Schedule

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

8:30-10:00 GENERAL SESSION

Welcoming Remarks by Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO, The Humane

Society of the United States (HSUS)

Highlighted Speakers:

* George Foresman, Under Secretary for Preparedness, US Dept of

Homeland Security

* Bruce Baughman, Director, Alabama State Emergency Management

Agency and President, National Emergency Management Association

* Barbara Childs-Pair, Director, District of Columbia Emergency

Management Agency,

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

Captive Wildlife in Disasters

* Moderator: Richard Farinato, Director, Black Beauty Ranch, The HSUS

* Dan Maloney, Curator, Audubon Zoo in New Orleans

* Brent Whittaker, DVM, Deputy Executive Director for Biological

Programs, National Aquarium in Baltimore

* Mark Lloyd DVM, Wildlife Conservation, Management, and Medicine

Federal Coordination: Where is the Leadership on Animal Issues?

* Moderator: Kevin Dennison, DVM, Colorado State Animal Response Team

* Chester Gipson, DVM, Deputy Administrator for Animal Care,

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA

* Kimothy L. Smith, DVM PhD, Chief Veterinarian, Chief Scientist,

Associate Medical Officer for Operations and Response, Office of the

Chief Medical Officer, Department of Homeland Security

Critical Information: Initial Assessment of Damage and Needs

* Moderator: Laura Bevan, Director, HSUS Southeast Regional Office

* James Watson, DVM, State Veterinarian, Mississippi Board of Animal Health

* Renee Poirrier, DVM, Acadian Veterinary Clinic, Lafayette, LA

12:00-1:30 p.m. LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

1:30-3:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

Exercise Design: Helping Practice Make Perfect

* Robert Bohlmann, CEM, Director, York County (ME) Emergency

Management Agency

Mutual Aid: Is EMAC the Answer?

* Moderator: Don McGuire, Director, Charles County (MD) Department

of Emergency Services

* Leon Shaifer, Senior Emergency Management Assistance Compact

(EMAC) Advisor, National Emergency Management Association

Veterinary Medical Issues in Disaster

* Moderator: Eric Davis, DVM, Director, HSUS Rural Area Veterinary

Service (RAVS)

* Leo Egar, DVM, HSUS RAVS

* Karen Iovino, DVM, Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates, Deputy Team

Commander, VMAT-2

3:30-5:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

Emergency Management Directors' Forum

* Moderator: Randy Covey, director, Disaster Services, The HSUS

* Robert Bohlmann, Director, York County (ME) Emergency Management Agency

* Barbara Childs-Pair, Director, District of Columbia Emergency

Management Agency

* Arthur Cleaves, Director, Maine Emergency Management Agency

* Dan McGowan, Administrator, Montana Disaster and Emergency

Services Division

* Donald McGuire, Director, Charles County (MD) Dept of Emergency Services

Organizing a National Veterinary Response

* Moderator: Eric Davis, DVM, Director, HSUS Rural Area Veterinary

Service (RAVS)

* Garry Goemann, DVM, Commander, VMAT-5

* Barry Kellogg, DVM, Deputy Commander, VMAT-1

* Cindy Lovern, DVM, Assistant Director, Scientific Activities,

American Veterinary Medical Association

* William Stokes, DVM, CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service, Chief

Veterinary Officer, USPHS, Director, National Toxicology Program

Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological

Methods, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH,

DHHS - Invited

Compassion Fatigue in Disaster Workers

* Robert Roop, Ph.D., The HSUS, Vice President for Human Resources

Thursday, June 1, 2006

8:30-10:00 a.m. BREAKOUTS

Animal Hoarding: Disasters in the Making

* Moderator: Dave Pauli, Director, HSUS Northern Rockies Regional Office

* James Bias, Executive Director, SPCA of Texas

* Tammy Hawley, Program Coordinator, HSUS Southwest Regional Office

State Level Planning and Response: What Katrina Taught Us

* Moderator: Joanne Bourbeau, Director, HSUS New England Regional Office

* Barbara Legatowicz, Training Coordinator, Massachusetts

Emergency Management Agency

* Paul Williams, DVM, Consequence Management Program Manager,

Georgia Emergency Management Agency

* Others

Resource Management: Got Stuff?

* Moderator: Steve Putnam, Vice President, Business Development, The HSUS

* A. J. Cady, Director, Animals in Crisis and Distress,

International Fund for Animal Welfare

* Barbara Fought, Petsmart Charities

* Rudy Frayre, UPS Professional Services Inc.

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness

* Moderator: Michael Greger, MD, Director, Director of Public

Health and Animal Agriculture in the HSUS Farm Animal Welfare Division

* Tracy S. DuVernoy, DVM, US Department of Agriculture, Animal and

Plane Health Inspections Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services,

Emergency Management

* Patrice N. Klein, VMD, Staff Veterinarian/ Avian Disease

Specialist, USDA/APHIS/Veterinary Services, National Center for Animal

Health Programs

FEMA Support and Cooperation with Voluntary Organizations

* Moderator: Ande Miller, Executive Director, National Voluntary

Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD)

* Craig A Nemitz, CEM, Disaster Services Manager, America's Second Harvest

* Susan Jensen, Voluntary Agency Liaison, Federal Emergency

Management Agency, Region V

Large Animal Issues in Disasters

* Moderator: Rebecca Gimenez, Major, USAR and Primary Instructor,

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue

* Allan Schwartz, Disaster Responder, HSUS Disaster Services Department

* Others

12:00-1:30 p.m. LUNCHEON

Keynote Speaker:

* W. Ron DeHaven, DVM, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture

1:30-3:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

Animal Incident Management Teams

* Moderator: Venaye Reece, DVM, Area Emergency Coordinator, United

States Department of Agriculture

* Fred Bourgeois, DVM, USDA APHIS

* Greg Christy, DVM, Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services & ESF-17 Coordinator

Planning Disaster Funding for Animal Activities

* Alex Amparo, Director of Emergency Management, Volunteer

Florida, The Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Service

* George Haddow, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Crisis, Disaster

and Risk Management, George Washington University

* Joel Hersch, Executive Director, Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team

Media: A Call to Action?

* Moderator: Diane Webber, Director, HSUS Central States Regional Office

* Renee Bafalis, Media Consultant

* Others invited

3:30-5:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

NIMS, Resource Typing and Target Capabilities Lists

* Moderator: John B. Copenhaver, President of the Board of

Trustees, Global Partnership for Preparedness

* Eric Sakach, Director, HSUS West Coast Regional Office

* Pat Malak, Office of State and Local Government Community

Preparedness, Department of Homeland Security

* Kyle Blackman, NIMS Integration Center

Pet Friendly Sheltering: When You MUST Take Them With You

* Moderator: Debra Parsons-Drake, Sheltering Manager, HSUS

Disaster Services Department

* Laura Bevan, Director, HSUS Southeast Regional Office

* Jill Lancon, Marion County (FL)

Coordinating Training for Animal Disaster Responders

* Moderator: Randy Covey, director, HSUS Disaster Services

* Kelly Harrington, Director, American Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animals, New York State Disaster Response Services

* Kerri Burns, American Humane

* Kay Mayfield, Director, Emergency Animal Rescue Service, United

Animal Nations

6:00 PM ATTENDEE RECEPTION

Friday, June 2, 2006

8:30-10:00 a.m. BREAKOUTS

Local Initiatives in Animal Disaster Planning and Response

* Moderator: Peggy Keller, Chief of Animal Disease Prevention,

District of Columbia Department of Health

* Lynn Crabb, Associate, Mass Care, American Red Cross

* Susan Keyes, President, Surf City (CA) Animal Response Team

* Becky Rhoades, DVM, Executive Director, Kauai Humane Society

Legislative: Should There Be A Law?

* Moderator: Lauren Silverman, HSUS Government Affairs Department

* Others

Search and Rescue—Getting Federal Cooperation

* Moderator: Jeff Eyre, Director of Disaster Response, The HSUS

* Others

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. BREAKOUTS

International Disaster Response

* Moderator: Kelly O'Meara, Program Manager, Asia and Africa

Humane Society International

* Barbara Callahan, Director of Response Services, International

Bird Rescue Research Center, International Fund for Animal Welfare

* Sherry Grant, Humane Society International, Disaster

Coordinator/ HSI Asia Director

Volunteer Management

* Moderator: Faye Stone, Governor's Office of Volunteers and

Service, North Carolina

* Ben Curran, Voluntary Agency Coordinator, Recovery Division,

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security

* Others

Using Technology in Disaster Response

* Moderator: Beverly Madga, Director, Information Systems &

Technology, The HSUS

* Others

12:00-1:30 p.m. Lunch on Your Own

1:30-4:00 p.m. SPECIAL SESSION

LESSONS LEARNED FROM KATRINA

* Moderator: Randy Covey, Director, Disaster Services, The HSUS

* Representatives from major national organizations that responded

to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

4:00–5:00 p.m. CLOSING RECEPTION

Saturday, June 3, 2006

8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Workshop

Satisfies requirements for FEMA course, National Incident Management

System (NIMS): An Introduction (700)

(Separate registration; includes lunch)

Jack, Jake, Jezebelle, Niko, Sophia, Elsie & Dixie

I just got this from Holly, who is still in New Orleans working down at SAF animals etc. Animal Rescue Front's next transport is full. Can any other group help Holly out? -Rachel

Hi everyone.



Okay, I have a few more pups needing adoption from my rescue life in New Orleans to update you on.

Jack, Jake and Jezebelle. They were recently rescued running in heavy traffic in New Orleans (old enough that they're roaming on their own). They are possible pit terrier/??? mixes and just absolutely gorgeous. They have great personalities and are incredibly calm for puppies. Jack has white in his face. Jake is basically solid golden. Jezebelle has beautiful auburn highlites and long white gloves. They've all been fixed, vaccinated (their first series of shots) and microchipped. They need to go on transport, to a foster home or to a forever home very soon as where they are at can no longer foster.



Additionally, I still have Niko (currently 29lbs) and Sophia (currently 25lbs) who will grow to be between 30-40lbs). They are going on four months old. I also have two incredibly personable young adult females (approx 1-2 years old), Dixie Lou and Elsie Mae , who need to be adopted together as they have bonded incredibly. They are as big as they should get (approx 35-40lbs). They each had a litter of pups and are now sharing time together as best friends. These two lovely ladies each battled distemper and survived without any bouts with apparent neurological issues so yeah!



I'm attaching photos of everyone. If you can post their pix or share with others...or maybe have a temporary foster situation, please let me know as soon as possible.

They will each be adopted at $65 (alter, shots, microchip).

Thanks so much.

Holly

hollyq24@yahoo.com

Sophia



Niko



Jake



Jack



Jezebelle



Elsie



Dixie

Animal Rescue, Post tramatic Stress workshop??

Given the tremendous response to the letter I sent to fellow rescuers, I am considering creating a more formal forum for people to share the emotional and mental fallout that many are experiencing.

This would be an workshop/retreat of a sort- perhaps occurring over 1-2 evenings or 1 full day. The focus would be on the grief and rage still felt, issues of reintegrating to the world around us, ways to cope, ways to garner support, what to do now, how to get help, how to remain effective and so forth.

The purpose would be multi- fold:
-to provide a safe and contained forum to express feelings
-to offer a sense of closure
-to re-establish our connection to one another
-to re-energize for the work that is ahead and so important to all of us
-to create a memorial for the animals

Some presentations would be more academic in nature (e.g. a speaker or 2 who have published on grief and animals), while others would be meditative or have a healing component using art and journaling exercises as tools. There would also be opportunities to share feelings and coping strategies.

I am considering doing this in DC/Va area while the HSUS conference is taking place, as many of you will already be traveling to this event May 31-June 4, 2006). I myself will not be attending the HSUS conference but would work around the hours of it and its locale. You do not need to be attending the HSUS event to participate.

Please let me know if this would interest you and if you would be willing to cover costs amounting to somewhere between $65 and $95 per person (depending on amount attending, location, speakers, length of program, etc.).

By replying you are not committed to attend. I just need to get some feedback before embarking on such a project. Also, feel free to share thoughts on what would be useful to you and your fellow rescuers.

Please send feedback, questions, and suggestions to
piapia@adelphia.net

Important Note: This is not therapy and should not be considered as such. While some exercises would certainly be ‘therapeutic,’ they are not meant to replace actual therapy or the professional services of a psychologist, psychiatrist or other mental health professional.

I look forward to hearing from you.

In Kinship,
Pia

Pia Salk is a clinical psychologist and co-founded Animal Rescue New Orleans with Jane Garrison and David Meyer.

Some Comfort - Pia Salk

An offering that might perhaps provide some comfort….

For me, much of the comfort I crave these days comes from my 2 ‘Katrina’ dogs- a term that has come to be like a brand name for the newest, chicest trend in animal welfare.

I am so full of love for these creatures, it is unimaginable. There is Luna, the feral one who was so traumatized upon her arrival at Lamar Dixon I had never seen such a site- her eyes filled with puss, deemed aggressive for snapping at the catchpole and essentially doomed because of her spirit to live. And there is Sweetie, the little skeleton pit bull my friend Megan and I had rescued from a porch in the Upper 9th ward. Upon her rescue, she crawled right passed the food we put out for her and into my lap. She was starving when we found her but craved human touch and comfort more than the food. She just sat still in my lap with her face pressed up against mine for the longest time. It was on a day that we were not supposed to bring animals back to LD because they were full and would only take criticals. This was critical in our book.


As for Luna, she has transformed me. The moment I set eyes on her a switch flipped and I silently conveyed to her that I had her covered. In the days at Lamar Dixon, I would often sneak off to sit with her and try to get her eating from my hand- my only real respite in the time spent there.

After I jumped through the bureaucratic hoops and got her cage tagged for adoption I felt relieved, only to I turn around one day and find she had been loaded on a transport to a public shelter in Iowa. I was livid and that was the first moment in my initial weeks there that I said, ‘no more, I can’t do it anymore.’ But, like so many of you, I found a way and kept on with the work. I frantically contacted the shelter in Iowa and was able to have her shipped to me in LA when I returned. I set her up in her own room where she would not leave her crate while I was around for over 3 months. She would eat out of my hand occasionally but that was it. If she heard a sudden noise she would literally try to climb the walls like a wild animal as if attempting to escape for her life. My vet and others confirmed that she was feral and they were dubious about her ability to become less fearful. I was torn about how best to care for her. I would fill the room with the smell of lavender, as it’s supposed to be calming. I bought a CD with calming music specifically for animals and I would sometimes nap on the floor by her crate to convey some sense that I would be vulnerable near her and she could trust me. I became a flower child momentarily.

There seemed to be little change as the time passed, but I then began to notice the subtle things- like her tail was now strait down and not between her legs. Her ears were different- they seemed to square off her little Labrador head and not be angled downward. And I’ll never forget seeing her sleep deeply for the first time- that really got me. I sobbed quietly as I witnessed her get what was likely the first restful, deep sleep she may have ever had. And to think she allowed herself to let go enough to do so in my presence.

So I became grateful for the little changes and I let her know that whatever she did was OK. A few months after having Luna, Sweetie, the pit bull was now joining us.
She was transported to me from my new friend Adrianne’s care. Adrianne had taken her from Lamar Dixon with a lot of other special needs pups. I couldn’t get her off of my mind so I called to adopt her. She was driven across country by the help of 2 people I had never met who answered the call and another friend who had wanted so to help but had not been able to go to N.O. herself. I feel much gratitude towards all of them!

When she arrived she was a playful bundle of love. She came complete with heartworm, home crafted clipped ears and what looked like the udders of a cow- the result of many litters. Sweetie and I would roll and play as Luna watched quietly from her crate- which I had now opened so it was only a ½ crate she would sit in. I watched her, wondering what she thought of this- and then it was almost as if the switch now flipped in her. Her tail began to wag for about a second at a time. I sent word out to all of my friends- alerting them to this news! I was ecstatic! The emails I had been sending were typically one liners- “Luna ate from my hand today,” “Luna took a nap in front of me.” Now they were, “Luna wagged her tail today!!!!!,” “Luna licked my hand,” “Luna jumped on to the couch with me!!!!” It was thrilling.

This was a dog who, likely never been touched by a human hand prior to Katrina and so traumatized by her capture, had decided to step outside of what she knew- to take a huge risk and to trust me. What a gift! And one that I thank her for each day. She taught me so much- patience- acceptance- true kinship. I had surrendered to her- deciding I would likely never really get to pet her or kiss her little black muzzle. I accepted that we would live together in kinship- not needing anything from each other. Just sharing space and an occasional glance. But as I accepted this, she gave me so much more- a miracle of sorts.

Now she runs and plays and rolls over so I can bury my face in her tummy. She licks my face and wags her whole body. We take naps on the couch either spooning each other or fully entwined with Sweetie, and all with our faces pressed up against each other. I look at these guys when they are sleeping and wonder what they went through- what they saw- how they felt- and I am thankful that they are here with me now- and safe. The love I feel for them is so very pure -and I share this with you all simply because I want to share something with you- something that might uplift you for a moment. Something that speaks to the kinship we need to cultivate with each other- a kinship born of pure love and respect- the kind of love that needs nothing in return.

It is one of you who rescued Luna. I may have met you, I may not have. It need not matter as we each play a roll in this collective. But I deeply thank you for the role you have chosen and I re-commit to mine.

In Kinship,
Pia

Thanks to Fellow Rescuers - Pia Salk

A letter of thanks to my fellow rescuers….

It is March 31, 2006- 7 months and 2 days after hurricane Katrina hit. Just today I have spoken separately to 6 volunteers who I met down in Louisiana who have now come to be good friends. We chatted, exchanged emails about rescue workshops to attend and just shared that thing that we each need so to share right now- that which it seems no one other than those who witnessed the fallout from this awful tragedy can share. It’s hard to explain. One fellow rescuer stated that she had wished there had been some sort of exit process for volunteers to help them deal with the thoughts, feelings, images that they were now left with. I agreed and it has been something I have thought about many times- often thinking that, as a trained clinical psychologist who is supposed to know how to offer comfort in such a case, I should do something.

As I think of the clinical side of all this- that many among us are suffering from signs of Post Traumatic Stress symptoms. That many of us are likely to meet the criteria for diagnoses of Bereavement, Adjustment Disorder, or a situational Depression- I can’t help but hear- “blah blah blah”- I do not mean to make light or dismiss anything here- I am just potently aware that what I have studied in textbooks for years surrounds me and is real and felt and not a part of academia. It is part of life. It is part of myself and of the people I have come to know and love through this. And it is life itself. These symptoms, these feelings of despair- they are life itself. They are very real reactions to real events. And they need to be tended to as such. And while I absolutely encourage those among us whom are having prolonged difficulties functioning or feeling suicidal to seek professional help- to share these feelings with others- I also want to acknowledge that many of these feelings are to be expected. I, a psychologist myself, have cried many tears about this in my own therapists’ office and she has cried with me. Some might see this as strange or somehow unprofessional but I do not. I am quick to say that no one understands unless they were there. But there are many who do. What they share may not be an understanding of what we witnessed and the depth of the pain that has resulted from this- but they share an understanding of the injustice and a belief that these animals deserved so much more. They love their own animals and are thankful for what we did to help. While it is likely you will find more solace with those who also took direct action in this effort, try to remain open to the comfort offered by those offering it. And seek it out- personally, professionally- do not isolate your self from connection. Connection is what got us involved- whether it was connection to a friend who was going to the region, connection to your own animal- whatever it was, it was about connection and kinship. That is what motivated us to take action and it is that spirit that we must rekindle as we struggle now.


So, my friend’s words motivated me to write tonight. I feel a profound kinship with my fellow rescuers, one that has tears streaming down my face as I write to all of you- those who I have met and those who I have not. I feel a deep love and appreciation for each and every one of you. You, the person who took a stand for the animals- you, the person who took the time, made the sacrifice and by so doing defined who you are. Some of you helped from afar- reuniting animals, helping those on the ground navigate, sending out alerts and so much more. Others of you helped at Lamar Dixon, Winn Dixie, Tyler Town, Pasado, Waveland or the like- cleaning stalls, alerting vets to those who needed immediate care- sitting with and stroking a scared dog covered in mange with no concern for what you might catch. You were the eyes, ears and voice for the animals. Others of you were breaking down doors and fiercely searching for that stranded little creature who might now be too weak to call out. Others of you set traps and returned time and again to get every last puppy or the bonded mate of the creature you were sent to trap.

I have a quote on my ‘fridge that reads, “You are not truly alive until you have found something that you are willing to die for.” (Martin Luther King). Well, for so many of us this was that ‘something.’

You are my heroes- each and every one of you – and while I feel so alone in many ways- embedded in a world that does little to understand, help and honor our fellow creatures – a world that sees Katrina as the distant past- I also feel a kinship with all of you and I am so honored to have been a part of this effort with you.

We live in a constructed reality, where animals are considered below us in some silly hierarchical order and where deep feelings are often pathologized and dismissed. What we witnessed in the gulf coast was truly tragic. We arrived ready to help and get dirty but found little order or direction. This left us feeling even more helpless and confused. There was no formula, no real plan and what was most disturbing was that there was no real sense of urgency among those running the show. We looked for guidance but once we realized that we needed no ones permission to do what was right and urgently needed, we quickly mobilized and drew on both internal resources and each other to get to work.

Our adrenaline helped get us through. But now is a different story. There is no adrenaline driving us to get that injured kitten out from under a house, or that snarling pit out from the drainpipe of a canal. There are no ‘authorities’ we have to get past as we try to enter a restricted parish, or curfews we need to be concerned with as the day closes on a rescue we have been working on for hours. Now it is just each of us back home attending to our daily lives. And it is hard. I know for me the sadness and the rage is just below the surface and I carry it with me each day. I feel a sense of pride on some days and tremendous guilt that I did not do enough on others. It is an emotional roller coaster- but one on which I know I have many other co-travelers riding along in my roller car. I am plagued by images of certain animals that got away, that I left behind, that I pray were somehow saved. I will not recount any specifics here as we each have our own versions of this and need not add more to the mix.

But for all of this, regardless of how much time we spent there, or if we even got there at all because we were instead assisting from afar, it was hard and in some ways, it is now even harder to tolerate. We heard stories, we saw images, and we faced obstacles that we will never forget. For some this was more of the despair we have come to know regarding the worlds treatment of animals. For others this was new and an awakening of a sort. One woman recently said to me that she was never an ‘animal person’ but as she saw the heart wrenching images on TV, she had to go help- and that she has now found her calling. I am not surprised.

As we each try to reintegrate ourselves into our normal lives we face much despair. The despair comes in many forms- rage for what we saw, for how it was handled, for how it continues to be handled- rage at the people who left their animals or the people who forced them to do so- rage at the injustice of it all-that’s what gets me. And then we also feel deep sadness and compassion- compassion for the same people who had to leave their animals- imagining what it would be like- what we would do- and compassion for the animals who perished- the ones who suffered so- whose suffering we could see live or could only imagine given the signs left by their lifeless little bodies. Oh to turn back the clock is what we thought- How?! Why?! This cannot be! And the feelings are too much to bear.

There seems no consolation- nothing that we can convince ourselves of to make the pain go away. And I offer none here. In the years of academic training I have endured on this sort of matter, I can offer no remedy, no potion, no salve. It is something we must simply sit with and allow its due place in the space of our emotional lives. It is something that is now within us and has come to define each of us. And it will motivate us all the more then next time around. For many it is fueling efforts at reform, continued work at reunification, spurring ideas for new rescue groups that will help in the future. It is organic and real and living itself out in these ways. The only comfort I can attempt to offer or suggest comes in the form of kinship and in the form of action.

With regard to kinship, I’m thinking of that sort of Eastern Zen concept that as a Jew from NYC, I have little experience with, but I have come to discover that there is something to it. It is the feeling of kinship with others who share this plight. And kinship with the animals- the lovely creatures- some so fierce they evaded capture, others so weak they simply collapsed in our arms. And the ones with whom we share our homes and who live in our local communities-the ones who need us every day.

And as for action, my second suggestion for comfort -continue to take action in your daily lives. I know we are all tired and we must replenish ourselves and rest for sure. But action can play a role in this. The injustices we saw in the gulf coast and the actions we can take to oppose them are not limited to the fall of 2005 in that geographical region. They span the spectrum from rubbing the belly of the pound pup in our home, to writing letters on matters of injustice, to modeling a compassionate life style that others can draw inspiration from and replicate. For me personally I try to draw the connection for people between the social injustices enacted upon animals and those from which marginalized people have suffered. It is one and the same- all resulting from the misuse of power.

We were all a part of..well no.. we comprised, the largest animal rescue of all time and now it is us who need rescue. All that we knew before, the priorities of daily life evade our attention as we search for some comfort and a sense of where to file this massive experience. At times I get this strange sense that the animals who perished have our backs on this- that they are watching from afar and will assure that we will be all right. We must stay connected to them and to each other. And let this be the impetus to think outside of the box- to shake things up for the sake of the animals, for ourselves and for the future of social justice. As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of concerned committed citizens can change the world.” We are those concerned ‘citizens’ and we must applaud ourselves and each other.

I applaud you. I give you a standing ovation. You are my kind of people. The people who know what is right and what is important- the people who take action- who are not afraid to get dirty- physically or emotionally. You feel deeply- it is what defines you. You are extraordinary and deserve the comfort that you so crave. Take a moment to close your eyes and ‘summon’ the animals who passed on- those who perished in Katrina or those who shared your life in other ways and have now passed on. Connect with them as a collective force of compassion and love that is accessible to you- that is part of you- sounds hokey but I find this helpful. Find ways to access comfort and share those ways with others.

I have great love and appreciation for each and every one of you and am proud to have you as kin.

Sincerely,
Pia

(Pia Salk is Co-founder of Animal Rescue New Orleans but began her work in the gulf coast as one of the many volunteers who just got on a plane and showed up despite rumors that she was not needed or that she might not be allowed admission to Lamar Dixon)

Thanks to Fellow Rescuers

A letter of thanks to my fellow rescuers….

It is March 31, 2006- 7 months and 2 days after hurricane Katrina hit. Just today I have spoken separately to 6 volunteers who I met down in Louisiana who have now come to be good friends. We chatted, exchanged emails about rescue workshops to attend and just shared that thing that we each need so to share right now- that which it seems no one other than those who witnessed the fallout from this awful tragedy can share. It’s hard to explain. One fellow rescuer stated that she had wished there had been some sort of exit process for volunteers to help them deal with the thoughts, feelings, images that they were now left with. I agreed and it has been something I have thought about many times- often thinking that, as a trained clinical psychologist who is supposed to know how to offer comfort in such a case, I should do something.

As I think of the clinical side of all this- that many among us are suffering from signs of Post Traumatic Stress symptoms. That many of us are likely to meet the criteria for diagnoses of Bereavement, Adjustment Disorder, or a situational Depression- I can’t help but hear- “blah blah blah”- I do not mean to make light or dismiss anything here- I am just potently aware that what I have studied in textbooks for years surrounds me and is real and felt and not a part of academia. It is part of life. It is part of myself and of the people I have come to know and love through this. And it is life itself. These symptoms, these feelings of despair- they are life itself. They are very real reactions to real events. And they need to be tended to as such. And while I absolutely encourage those among us whom are having prolonged difficulties functioning or feeling suicidal to seek professional help- to share these feelings with others- I also want to acknowledge that many of these feelings are to be expected. I, a psychologist myself, have cried many tears about this in my own therapists’ office and she has cried with me. Some might see this as strange or somehow unprofessional but I do not. I am quick to say that no one understands unless they were there. But there are many who do. What they share may not be an understanding of what we witnessed and the depth of the pain that has resulted from this- but they share an understanding of the injustice and a belief that these animals deserved so much more. They love their own animals and are thankful for what we did to help. While it is likely you will find more solace with those who also took direct action in this effort, try to remain open to the comfort offered by those offering it. And seek it out- personally, professionally- do not isolate your self from connection. Connection is what got us involved- whether it was connection to a friend who was going to the region, connection to your own animal- whatever it was, it was about connection and kinship. That is what motivated us to take action and it is that spirit that we must rekindle as we struggle now.


So, my friend’s words motivated me to write tonight. I feel a profound kinship with my fellow rescuers, one that has tears streaming down my face as I write to all of you- those who I have met and those who I have not. I feel a deep love and appreciation for each and every one of you. You, the person who took a stand for the animals- you, the person who took the time, made the sacrifice and by so doing defined who you are. Some of you helped from afar- reuniting animals, helping those on the ground navigate, sending out alerts and so much more. Others of you helped at Lamar Dixon, Winn Dixie, Tyler Town, Pasado, Waveland or the like- cleaning stalls, alerting vets to those who needed immediate care- sitting with and stroking a scared dog covered in mange with no concern for what you might catch. You were the eyes, ears and voice for the animals. Others of you were breaking down doors and fiercely searching for that stranded little creature who might now be too weak to call out. Others of you set traps and returned time and again to get every last puppy or the bonded mate of the creature you were sent to trap.

I have a quote on my ‘fridge that reads, “You are not truly alive until you have found something that you are willing to die for.” (Martin Luther King). Well, for so many of us this was that ‘something.’

You are my heroes- each and every one of you – and while I feel so alone in many ways- embedded in a world that does little to understand, help and honor our fellow creatures – a world that sees Katrina as the distant past- I also feel a kinship with all of you and I am so honored to have been a part of this effort with you.

We live in a constructed reality, where animals are considered below us in some silly hierarchical order and where deep feelings are often pathologized and dismissed. What we witnessed in the gulf coast was truly tragic. We arrived ready to help and get dirty but found little order or direction. This left us feeling even more helpless and confused. There was no formula, no real plan and what was most disturbing was that there was no real sense of urgency among those running the show. We looked for guidance but once we realized that we needed no ones permission to do what was right and urgently needed, we quickly mobilized and drew on both internal resources and each other to get to work.

Our adrenaline helped get us through. But now is a different story. There is no adrenaline driving us to get that injured kitten out from under a house, or that snarling pit out from the drainpipe of a canal. There are no ‘authorities’ we have to get past as we try to enter a restricted parish, or curfews we need to be concerned with as the day closes on a rescue we have been working on for hours. Now it is just each of us back home attending to our daily lives. And it is hard. I know for me the sadness and the rage is just below the surface and I carry it with me each day. I feel a sense of pride on some days and tremendous guilt that I did not do enough on others. It is an emotional roller coaster- but one on which I know I have many other co-travelers riding along in my roller car. I am plagued by images of certain animals that got away, that I left behind, that I pray were somehow saved. I will not recount any specifics here as we each have our own versions of this and need not add more to the mix.

But for all of this, regardless of how much time we spent there, or if we even got there at all because we were instead assisting from afar, it was hard and in some ways, it is now even harder to tolerate. We heard stories, we saw images, and we faced obstacles that we will never forget. For some this was more of the despair we have come to know regarding the worlds treatment of animals. For others this was new and an awakening of a sort. One woman recently said to me that she was never an ‘animal person’ but as she saw the heart wrenching images on TV, she had to go help- and that she has now found her calling. I am not surprised.

As we each try to reintegrate ourselves into our normal lives we face much despair. The despair comes in many forms- rage for what we saw, for how it was handled, for how it continues to be handled- rage at the people who left their animals or the people who forced them to do so- rage at the injustice of it all-that’s what gets me. And then we also feel deep sadness and compassion- compassion for the same people who had to leave their animals- imagining what it would be like- what we would do- and compassion for the animals who perished- the ones who suffered so- whose suffering we could see live or could only imagine given the signs left by their lifeless little bodies. Oh to turn back the clock is what we thought- How?! Why?! This cannot be! And the feelings are too much to bear.

There seems no consolation- nothing that we can convince ourselves of to make the pain go away. And I offer none here. In the years of academic training I have endured on this sort of matter, I can offer no remedy, no potion, no salve. It is something we must simply sit with and allow its due place in the space of our emotional lives. It is something that is now within us and has come to define each of us. And it will motivate us all the more then next time around. For many it is fueling efforts at reform, continued work at reunification, spurring ideas for new rescue groups that will help in the future. It is organic and real and living itself out in these ways. The only comfort I can attempt to offer or suggest comes in the form of kinship and in the form of action.

With regard to kinship, I’m thinking of that sort of Eastern Zen concept that as a Jew from NYC, I have little experience with, but I have come to discover that there is something to it. It is the feeling of kinship with others who share this plight. And kinship with the animals- the lovely creatures- some so fierce they evaded capture, others so weak they simply collapsed in our arms. And the ones with whom we share our homes and who live in our local communities-the ones who need us every day.

And as for action, my second suggestion for comfort -continue to take action in your daily lives. I know we are all tired and we must replenish ourselves and rest for sure. But action can play a role in this. The injustices we saw in the gulf coast and the actions we can take to oppose them are not limited to the fall of 2005 in that geographical region. They span the spectrum from rubbing the belly of the pound pup in our home, to writing letters on matters of injustice, to modeling a compassionate life style that others can draw inspiration from and replicate. For me personally I try to draw the connection for people between the social injustices enacted upon animals and those from which marginalized people have suffered. It is one and the same- all resulting from the misuse of power.

We were all a part of..well no.. we comprised, the largest animal rescue of all time and now it is us who need rescue. All that we knew before, the priorities of daily life evade our attention as we search for some comfort and a sense of where to file this massive experience. At times I get this strange sense that the animals who perished have our backs on this- that they are watching from afar and will assure that we will be all right. We must stay connected to them and to each other. And let this be the impetus to think outside of the box- to shake things up for the sake of the animals, for ourselves and for the future of social justice. As Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of concerned committed citizens can change the world.” We are those concerned ‘citizens’ and we must applaud ourselves and each other.

I applaud you. I give you a standing ovation. You are my kind of people. The people who know what is right and what is important- the people who take action- who are not afraid to get dirty- physically or emotionally. You feel deeply- it is what defines you. You are extraordinary and deserve the comfort that you so crave. Take a moment to close your eyes and ‘summon’ the animals who passed on- those who perished in Katrina or those who shared your life in other ways and have now passed on. Connect with them as a collective force of compassion and love that is accessible to you- that is part of you- sounds hokey but I find this helpful. Find ways to access comfort and share those ways with others.

I have great love and appreciation for each and every one of you and am proud to have you as kin.

Sincerely,
Pia

(Pia Salk is Co-founder of Animal Rescue New Orleans but began her work in the gulf coast as one of the many volunteers who just got on a plane and showed up despite rumors that she was not needed or that she might not be allowed admission to Lamar Dixon)

Cyclone Larry, Cyclone Glenda, some to hit the NE US...

Excerpt from Animal Disaster News - Eric Rice's new page with information about Cyclone Larry.
http://www.animaldisasternews.com/

"There are 200,000 people eating over cooking fires with people whose houses were not destroyed pitching in food. They have not heard from some of the areas yet. Mission Beach and other beaches in farther out area are reported to be leveled and look just like the beaches we saw after the Tsunami. The entire area affected is 400 miles. They also have little contact with the farming areas who she says all have farm dogs and cats and some livestock. These areas can't even be reached.

She is getting reports that people have their animals tied near homes that were destroyed. The military is pushing people to go to the shelters BUT they have no plans for animals. She has already had calls from people begging her to take animals so they can go to the shelter themselves. She doesn't at all think things are under control. She thinks that they are unprepared for animals that the outside world may never hear of animal problems in this. Her opinion is that it is going to snowball into a major problem and that very few of the people who need help with actually get it or even come forward."

Cyclone Glenda -
Please google for the most currnet information, for there isn't much out there yet. Other than it was as strong as Larry.


Major Hurricane Threat Seen for Northeast U.S., Experts Warn
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0328_060328_hurricane.html