Wednesday Update and Responses

HELP!!!!! POLICE SENT TWO RESCUE TEAMS OUT OF THE CITY TODAY TELLING THEM THEY WOULD BE ARRESTED TOMORROW. Call New Orleans Police Department and give them your comments on this one. I do not have a phone number. If you get a good one for the main office and the captain’s name call me with it. 443-421-0000. This is scary. If I don’t get in the dogs I left in houses will starve.

KEEP SENDING VOLUNTEERS TO JANE GARRISON AT Lamar Dixon. SHE PUTS THEM IN THE FIELD FIRST DAY. THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET.

I’ll let you all decide on Wayne P’s response from HSUS. I might write when I get back.

We do not take in 50-60 dogs a day because we are taking owner call-ins only. We are the only place you can call and get someone to check the house within 24 hours and usually on the same day. These people are desperate! Many thought HSUS had already rescued their animal. No, not the case. Many are dead or gone out of the house but not rescued. SAD! The National Guard left many doors open. Rescuing 7-8 live animals is like scoring 140 in a high school basketball game. When you find a live animal and call the owner it is the most amazing call of your life. But most calls are not like that. We can’t collect 100 dogs. We don’t have anywhere to take them nor a way to transport them. We get 10-15 in plus the ones rescued for owners and then we start pleading for someone like Pasado to take them.

Response to Various Comments:

HSSM – not exactly what we were told. Tara did have people working. What she needed most from us was supplies. I collected the original money of about 4.5k and gave her gift cards to buy supplies. I also sent her computers. Sent dozens wire instructions for donations directly to HSSM. Beyond that not much for us to do. One trip to New Orleans and you could see that you could make a difference from the time you hit the ground. I spoke with Tara and she understood.

Curfew – You have to be here to understand. Whatever you can talk your way into or out of is what goes. Many police and guard see Animal rescuers as part of the team. However in recent days city became unsafe to work after dark. Several teams doing it anyway. Shootings are heard near the YMCA and the Winn Dixie. We even got called to a murder scene to take out a pitbull. Lots of thugs coming home. It is a wild place. Cops don’t care if you are out after dark and the city is packed again. They can’t stop every car. Some streets are down right busy.

Money – this site was meant for family and friends. It clearly states if you are not one of those that I do not want your money. I appreciate the people that sent a few bucks anyway as I am over 15k in the hole and collected about 4-5 k.

Blog – this is my first time at a computer in 3 weeks. I have never read the blog. I call it in when I get a few minutes to my friend and coworker Melanie. Who would have thought thousands of people would turn to it to get the inside scoop on the plight of animals in and around New Orleans.

Going home – I've spent 3 weeks here and that is 2 weeks more than most people do. I am sick about going home. Everyone that goes home is having major emotional problems. This is the most discouraging thing I have ever done. Saving a few thousand out of a hundred thousand animals with many still in need of help. Lexi and Lee went home and came right back. They were going crazy worrying about special little friends they left in specific houses. We all have special ones that we can’t get out of our minds. What is going to happen to mine, a little black lab under a house with his buddy dead in the back yard rotting away. I have tried to get him everyday but he is scared to death…can’t get him more than 5-6 feet away. He scoots over towards me then runs back. Then peeks his head out. How am I going to just forget him like this never happened? It is heartbreaking. Almost impossible to reconcile that I have to go home.

WORK WILL NOT STOP WHEN I LEAVE. By staying lean, all we need is a list of owners who want pets checked on. One person takes the calls and directs a team of 4-8 cars in the field to the locations. Along the way they pick up any really sick animals or ones that look like they are NOT sitting on the porch waiting for owners. I still have 4 solid days here anyway. Just come and you to can make a difference. People knocking me for going home is crazy.

Photos and VIDEO – KEEP CHECKING BACK! After I get home, all will be uploaded for you to see.

Your comments – I look forward to staying up long nights when I get back, answering questions and comments.

Why we abandoned the YMCA – 1) National Guard pulled out of area. Area is totally unsecure. Went back after storm to set up and looters and criminals lurking everywhere. Gunshots fired around corner. Thank god Lacey,the little blond ROTC girl, went and got her hidden .38. It was that scary. We literally backed our way to our cars and headed out of the city. We found the Rite Aid parking lot.

Some girl’s posts -- Not sure what she was expecting? She just came from Lamar Dixon where they spent 10 million to rescue a few thousand animals. Perhaps she wanted us to have stacks and stacks of unneeded supplies (we could as we get offers for a truck load about once an hour)? We don’t need it. She said Rite Aid parking lot was a joke.

The reality is you could do it from any piece of ground you can house a few animals on. We cut out all the unneeded garbage. We take calls and we go to houses and we feed and water a lot of animals on the streets. She somehow got the idea I had asked for money for $100,000 in supplies or something. I never did. Anyone that calls me to donate I say I don’t need it…just get your friends to Lamar Dixon. She called me and said her comments were totally taken and ran with by “internet” mania. I think she really was sincere. Her friend she talks about came in today and was appalled she had written it. She worked all day.

The picture of the dog is a hoax. Folks, call Russ at 678-524-0008. His entire team was with us. He thought I was nuts at first to offer the guys $250 to drive the poor guy home.
But it was worth every penny. I would have paid a thousand. That dog was not staying in the area. This was in the real toxic area—10 ft of water in all houses.

Not here? Don’t even attempt to understand what it is like here. NOBODY HAS EVER BEEN IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. 1) EVACUATION OF AN ENTIRE AMERICAN CITY 2) TOXIC MOLD AND CHEMICALS EVERYWHERE 3) 100,000 ANIMALS IN NEED OF RESCUE. 4) 4-6 DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES NONE KNOWING WHAT TO DO 5) No appropriate safety equipment. You accomplish in this city exactly what you talk your way into or out of. My team and I are good talkers.

Pics and video – tons of amazing stuff when I get back. Lack of internet access makes it impossible to get the stuff out.