Finding Lost Pets Is Hell For Owners and Will Wayne Sign? I think Yes.

So you think animal rescue efforts are all wrapped up? We expect to recover 10,000-15,000 animals in the Gulf Region with a massive trapping program in the next 6 months. You better read and watch the video of my latest trip the the Gulf Region in the 2nd post below (scroll down).

If you have lost your animal during Katrina or Rita please email: ericrice3@comcast.net and search on petharbor.com and petfinder.com

If you are a shelter or rescuer please review to see if you have these lost pets. These owners are devestated. Click Here

First How Hard is it to find and get back your pet if you are a desperate owner?Answer: It Is HARD!

Listen to Renee in an Interview and the story of her Lost then Dognapped Beagle "Chat" that her family was forced to leave at a bus stop after they successfully got the dog out of the city:
Click Here For Audio Interview

Read Renee's Saga To Get Chat Back: Click Here
Chat Reunion Pictures: For Pictures Click Here
See the Chat Reunion Video: Click Here For Video Reunion


Kickoff Conference Call to Bring Needed Funds and Resources Back to the Gulf Region

Listen to last nights kickoff conference call with "Best Friends" Organized by Joe Trippi, Howard Dean's Campaign Advisor. He specializes in Internet "Get the Word Out Campaigns". This is an interesting piece. Please send people here to hear it. Anyone that questions the incredible intentions of Best Friends or wants to know the needs of recuers still on the ground should listen (it is an mp3 and has 6 minutes of music that you should forward through before the call starts: For Audio Click Here


Can groups work together to save animals? I hope so. So I requested that Wayne Pacelle the CEO sign Best Friends Petition. I think HSUS can help set the pace and revitalize people to look at the Gulf area again. Any attention they bring will help with everything from adoption to a continued flow of volunteers.

It should be noted that I have kept in touch via email with both Wayne and Bernie Unti at HSUS. Both have responded quickly to any requests I made on a few issues. They are supporting several groups. My wish is that they would become more vocal about the continued animal welfare recovery effort and plight of the Gulf Region.

Here is what they post on the website about continued efforts in the Gulf:
Click here

I will give more on the situation of Tara High in a few days. Things are bad in Mississippi and they get little press coverage.

I hope Wayne doesn't take my email the wrong way. I think it 100% the right thing to do for him to sign the petition.

My email to Wayne:

----- Original Message -----
From: Eric Rice
To: WPacelle
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 10:57 PM
Subject: Will You Sign?


Wayne,

In the last 2 weeks it has become apparent to many of us that The GULF Region is in dire need of continued assistance. Regardless of arguments about the number of animals in New Orleans the entire region is devastated and it is showing.

In my email to you about Tara High at Humane Society of Southern Mississippi and her desperate plea for support, you quickly stepped up and got her a phone call
from your people who can help her. So I know you have the willingness to help where HSUS can

Tara's been living without the support needed to clean up after Katrina. She has 26 miles of coastline that needs trapped and export needs for the population explosion at her shelter. Her shelter took 5 feet of water during Katrina. It is operable but not the best situation. She was in the middle of building a new shelter but the reality is that her donor base is largely unable to support her as they need to rebuild the houses they own that got destroyed. Miss. has huge needs that went largely ignored due to the press focus on New Orleans.

St. Bernard Parish has virtually no animal control and no shelter. Plaquemines Parish has far out sections that look similar to the coast of Mississippi and have animals that need taken off the streets.

Of course things are not back to normal in an area of such total devastation.

I see at this site you are still doing much to help the Katrina situation and more people should know about your continued efforts.
Click here to see the HSUS Katrina Updates

Best Friends has a petition that has been signed by 31,500 people as of tonight simply asking for a renewed focus on the area. Will you sign it?

http://network.bestfriends.org/Petitions/Detail.aspx?pn=2

You might think it funny to sign a Best Friends Petition but in all honestly there are so few of us who protect animals in the world that we all need to stick
together, work together and organize to get jobs done. What you support today they will support of you tomorrow I have no doubt.

Signing this will put your critics back in place. It will show other large organizations that we all need to take a look at how we can continue to respond when so many are asking for help.
It will help bring legitimacy back to supporting this region on more short term and long term animal welfare efforts. Please help. I sign all of the petitions you email me -- Black Bear Hunts, Horse Slaughter, Puppy Mills. Elephant Rides to name a few. Petitions must be good as many as I get.

You more than anyone have the ability to say we see a need and we will help. What you do others will follow.

So will you sign?

Regards,

Eric Rice
PS. Riding around in a truck with Dave Pauli for the day during the LASPCA Assessment was quite interesting (in a good way).

My favorite must see blog stuff:

1. My own favorite Post: Click here
2. Best video footage: Click here
3. This blog has the BEST PICTURES so far of Katrina Animals. It is all pics and good ones Click here Warning pics of dead animals.
4. School shooting story WITHOUT ANY GORY PICS -- and ton of other great pics Click here
5. And this is one of our groups blogs --
Click here
6. Most amazing photography: I mean must see: Click here
7. To reunite pets with owners: Click here
8. Watch a Pitbull video Click Here
9. Chat makes it home after being dognapped by Brew Beagle for 8 weeks http://booknote.blogspot.com/ (nov 23 blog entry)
10. Vermillion Parish Needs Help http://vermillionanimalaid.blogspot.com/

The Forgotten Ones: Whether it be 4 or 4000 they deserve our help!

Please enter your email on the right so I can stay in touch with this great network of people that cares so much about our work!!!

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED.
Please visit www.animalrescueneworleans.com about volunteering.
AnimalRescueNewOrleans.com

See great Video’s Below of my 2nd trip to New Orleans Nov 12-Nov 16th (Videos are in Quicktime and needed placed in a new Browser).

Best Friends Comprehensive Assessment Of Gulf Region
Read Assessment

Best Friends Petition to bring money dedicated for Katrina Animals Back to the region
SignThePetition

This week was marked by lots of data showing that the entire GulF Region has serious and continued animal welfare problems from Katrina and Rita. New Olreans got lots of attention. It irks me to no end that big groups went in for a month or so and then lost interest. Best Friends deserves our praise. They are still on the ground, they are spending money, they are intaking animals and they are helping out with EVERY situation that comes to their attention. They also spent money on an assessment of the entire Gulf area and determind that we still have much work to do.


My Day 1 Trapping Results, Nov 12, 2005:

If we are bringing in these kinds of numbers with a small # of traps then just extrapolate out to see how many animals still need rescued....

ARNO: 27 dogs (I was on site and counted myself)
Winn Dixie: 13 Dogs
LASPCA: 30 dogs (approx as reported by them)
Muttshack: 9 dogs

X 7 DAYS = would be 553 total for week. Some disasters only have that number total for the entire disaster. (Note: other days appeared consistent with this and yesterday Nov 18th Animal Rescue New Orleans brought in 32 both cats and dogs).

This week Alley Cat Allies and ARNO trapped approximately 50 cats from one trailer park to be bulldozed. This was in Jefferson Parish.

It is my belief because of what I have now seen with my own eyes is that these numbers of trapped animals can be retained by all groups and increased with more traps and with more places to Export animals. It does not take long in the field with “Navy Seal” type trapping teams to locate many packs of animals.

A Navy Seal trapping team uses intelligence to find hiding packs. The people I was out with had 8 different units of the National Guard telling them where they saw animals as they drove around ALL night. The Guard are the only ones on the streets 24/7 and they patrol a dedicated area seeing everything. Even when they told us specifically where packs of animals were it took us hours to find where the pack consolidated at night. You simply don't see many of these animals.

Here is my video: (you must put each link in your browser) Please do not cut and past my video to other site but please refer people to my website to watch so that I can collect email addresses for the future!

Video #1:
http://revenue-dev.bulkregister.com/rescue/dogshollynick.mov
This is dogs coming in by 1 trapping team (27 that day total), Holly at morning meeting talk, and Nicky an ACO and responder to many disaster situations:

Video #2:
http://revenue-dev.bulkregister.com/rescue/chows.mov
Pack of Chows found and trapped. One chow was missing an ear see picture below.

Video #3:
http://revenue-dev.bulkregister.com/rescue/coverall.mov
An experienced trapper describes the animals she brought in and tells how she is finding multiple packs.

Video #4:
http://revenue-dev.bulkregister.com/rescue/corrolla.mov
Trapper Corolla with multiple years experience explains what she sees in the field.

News Clip on 50 Cats Rescued in Kenner:
http://www.wafb.com/Global/category.asp?C=38708



Pictures:
Chow with ear gone and rotted. Luckily Best Friends has vets.


Lab trapped with Pack of 20 dogs located in brick yard. Just as Friendly as he was 3 months ago.


Same Lab as above after I made my friend Jim rent a car 1 way and drive him 22 hours to my house in Maryland. Jim loved me for that.


Pit in same pack of 20


Does this Pit look agressive? It is the one in the page above.


Brick Yard where the pack of 20 dogs live. This is why it is so hard to find animals. This yard had one entrance but once inside you found animals everywhere.


Recent Morning Meeting where they talk about respect for the citizens and laws of the state


Video #1:  
Dogs, Holly, Nick (Quicktime, 60MB)

This is dogs coming
in by 1 trapping team (27 that day total), Holly at morning meeting talk, and
Nicky an ACO and responder to many disaster situations:


Video #2:  
Chows (Quicktime, 19MB)

Pack of Chows found and trapped. One chow was missing an ear see picture below.


Video #3:  target="new">Coverall (Quicktime, 2MB)

An experienced trapper
describes the animals she brought in and tells how she is finding multiple
packs.


Video #4:  

Corrolla (Quicktime, 56MB)

My old favorite stuff:

1. My own favorite Post:
Click here
2. Best video footage: Click here
3. This blog has the BEST PICTURES so far of Katrina Animals. It is all pics and good ones
Click here Warning pics of dead animals.
4. School shooting story WITHOUT ANY GORY PICS -- and ton of other great pics
Click here
5. And this is one of our groups blogs --
Click here
6. Most amazing photography: I mean must see:
Click here
7. To reunite pets with owners:
Click here
8. Watch a Pitbull video
Click Here
9. Chat makes it home after being dognapped by Brew Beagle for 8 weeks http://booknote.blogspot.com/ (nov 23 blog entry)
10. Vermillion Parish Needs Help http://vermillionanimalaid.blogspot.com/

New Report Soon

I will have an update and video on the blog in 2-3 days from my recent 5 days in New Orleans. I met with Laura Maloney LASPCA, met with Ciely Trog who runs St. Bernard Animal control, went on the LASPCA assessement, spent time with Jane Garrison and Richard at WD, drove to Tylertown to get a Little Black lab we rescued and delivered to MD (my buddy loved that as I rented him a car one way and said "you don't mind driving 24 hours to save this little dog do you?"), I went trapping with Marilyn and others, I found packs of dogs on my own, I spent 3 hours with a National Guard unit who showed me many packs of dogs, I found the owners of 3 dogs Marilyn had just trapped a few days before by asking neighbors if they knew who owned them, lady started crying hysterically when I called her about the dogs...Had an insightful trip. Have good news and bad news.

Eric

A little lesson on why we keep doing what we do for animals and OWNERS! This is Porsche. He spent 10.5 weeks on the streets and then was rescued within blocks of his house just days ago. How many Porsches remain? I think thousands. And what if is only 4? Why in the world would anybody care if we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of our own money to chase 4 little dogs around the city to catch them and return them for their owners?

Most of the smear against rescuers makes very little common sense but neither does most silly things humans fight over. Welcome Home Porsche and I won't give up on you and your friends no matter how much money I spend and how nuts people think I am. I wonder who you (Porsche) would vote on to be in charge of your rescue..Me or the LASPCA?

Wait till you see the pictures I post of my little Lab boy who was with a pack of 20 dogs but decided he would rather jump in my rental car and get back to his couch situation. He is happy and at my house.

Returns

I am off to New Orleans for another week...

Phase 2 Crisis Emerges - Please Help

I AM ASKING EVERYONE TO REGROUP AND RECOMMIT. THE #1 NEED IN NEW ORLEANS AND SAINT BERNARD IS VOLUNTEERS. SEND EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO www.ericsdogblog.com TO ALERT THEM.

This is why we are still doing this. This dog was found on the streets
showing that animals like this have been missed-- Thousands like him are hiding and coming out at night. In Saint Bernard packs roam the woods.
http://www.geocities.com/nibbles141/candy.html

It is becoming apparent that a second crisis is emerging. That crisis involves a large number of remaining animals combined with a low volunteer to animal ratio.

I make the case that on a ratio of “on the ground personnel” to “animals” we are far worse off now than we were at the end of September (and animals are coming out of the woodwork)

Let me explain. The animal population over the last month has not decreased significantly but the volunteer base has decreased significantly so that our “volunteer ratio” is at an all time low. Progress is becoming slow. We can’t sustain lives long enough to trap animals because we can’t keep them fed.

What is happening to produce a second crisis:

1. Thousands of animals remain, the ones that were hiding during the day so not seen during Crisis 1.
2. Call ins of animals “in need” is increasing daily
3. The small group of volunteers is locating thousands of places where the animals are hiding out. Thousands. Once we find them we have to keep them fed.
4. The remaining animals are not being adequately fed and watered
5. People simply are NOT returning home to New Orleans. Parts of the city are a ghost town.
6. The animals are breeding in full force
7. Trapping is a slow process and it will take months to clear these animals
8. Local Animal Controls at the Parish level were decimated by Katrina and are in rebuilding mode. As dedicated as they might be no one agency is going to solve this crisis.
9. The state and federal gov’t are in recovery vs rescue phase. This places the control back at the Parish level.

The current command and control structures appear to be inadequate to deal with such an on going crisis. Nobody imagined a crisis of this magnitude for people, let alone animals. The reality is that the legal authority now is the Parish and in Orleans Parish that is the LASPCA and in Saint Bernard Parish virtually no animal control is functioning. From a strict legal standpoint the state and federal government are doing their jobs. However, from a practical standpoint someone needs to pick up the ball and take it to the goal line because the LASPCA can’t handle the burden alone. Who exactly is that someone?

There is no way anyone can handle all of this alone, whether it be any one rescue group (Alley Cat Allies, Jane Garrison, Muttshack or Winn Dixie) or the LASPCA. The LASPCA through no fault of its own is in rebuilding status and the remaining rescue groups are understaffed themselves.

The emerging data is that we have a huge problem on our hands, more enormous than anyone thought we would have going into month 3.

The LASPCA has made it clear to us that they have a hard time credentialing “anyone who just shows up” due to legal issues of being responsible for all of those volunteers with no real way to manage them. On the other hand they are “ok” with the work that grassroots groups are doing and don’t interfere.

Given today’s crisis we don’t have time for anything other than to immediately send volunteers to Jane Garrison at www.animalrescueneworleans.com

Have them contact: katedanaher@animalearthhuman.org

Let’s be creative. How can you get volunteers to Jane Garrison to feed? If every person reading this got just one volunteer our problems would be solved. Let’s get the word out again.

1. Revisit your list of former volunteers. I have gotten several people to go ahead and commit to trip #2 once they heard what is happening.

2. College Strategy #1: You could sponsor college student at $8-10 an hour. Run an ad in the school papers at $50 or so a week. (LSU is the main school but I bet you can dig up others and community colleges)

3. College Strategy # 2: Fraternities would love this kind of thing. LSU has many. Start calling them.

4. Call your local animal community – Vets, Kennels, etc…Any place that has animal lovers. Let them know they can still save thousands by feeding and watering during a 3-7 day tour in New Orleans. You will be surprised at how many have no knowledge of the ongoing crisis. GET EMAIL ADDRESSES AND START FORWARDING THEM INFO. Fax them updates as well.

5. I am sure you guys can find more ways to find volunteers??? Local Papers?

Be nice if we could get some new revitalized support from big groups. I heard EARS sent 25 to EDNAH, how about just 10 to New Orleans.

Have volunteers contact: katedanaher@animalearthhuman.org


This is not over. This was the “perfect storm” for an animal disaster. I think it was 100x worse than anything previous.

Special Guest Hero: Marilyn McGee

Special Guest Hero: Marilyn McGee

Marilyn and Lexi (I worked with Lexi on many days. She is awesome, been back to New Or 3 times


I met Marilyn about a week after I got to New Orleans. She called my dispatch phone (my cell, which is unfortunate for my bill) and asked me to get a team to go on a water rescue with her in Saint Bernard Parish. We were late so much like the Marilyn I have come to know now she said, "I found a boat I will just go on in myself." Later that day she called my team over to the school where all the dog shootings were. That is how we all got involved in the shootings. I never went and am glad I didn't as those images are haunting all that did. But I was able to call State Senator Bajorie (sp) who we were helping in a search for her friends dogs. She gave us Mrs. Wells, who gave us Mimi Hunley in the AG office. Mimi Hunley was all over it. My next call was to the CNN guy we met at the YMCA. He was all over it and quickly sent people to the school. All this transpired before noon on just one day.
I am sure just as much happened that afternoon.

I do not know of a SINGLE DAY Marilyn McGee has not rescued since the day after the storm. She rules the far out places like Saint Bernard where people feared even going.

If you want to understand the Rescue Operation as it is going on today read this as trapping is the standard way animals are being brought in.

Here is her latest to me: (will be continue in comments)

I attached a picture of Teddy the Wild Child we trapped in the woods along Riverbend in St. Bernard. Also is "Linus" the beagle we trapped that was running with him. I named him Teddy to soften his first impression by people. He was almost unimaginable and it took two of us to pole him out of the trap and crate him. I noted on his intake that he had been living in the woods for 2 months and survival was his only concern and that he would bite out of fear if you approach him.

This little beagle was one of a pair of two that was reported over a month and a half ago. I caught his brother in a pile of brush with the pole at that time and this guy eluded me for all that time. I bait fed him every other day, and spoke to him in beagle talk to get him used to my voice. I had a great concern for this little guy and was so delighted to get the traps so that we could bring him to safety. I called a local vet Dr. Green and he came to magazine and treated Teddy and Linus free of charge they both were anemic, HW positive, and had worms. Teddy's mouth was lacerated from gnashing at the trap. Linus was dehydrated and decompensating from fear, drooling for two hours, pale, shaking, listless etc. He recovered with IV's and tons of TLC and was taken to Oregon by Karen one of the volunteers who helped me with the trapping mission... THIS IS CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS. LOTS OF GOOD INFO.

Teddy The Wild Child In Trap (pissed off, he was king of the jungle)


Linus The Beagle- He don't look to wiiiiild! (I think he is happy to be trapped.)


Yes that is Teddy the Wild Child A Bit Calmed Down

Interview Questions: Laura Maloney LASPCA

Scroll down to see interview questions posed and answered to Laura Maloney, President of the LASPCA


First time here? Read the Oldest Posts and LOOK AT PICTURES at the links below. Words can't describe what rescuers saw once they hit the ground.

1. My own favorite Post: Click here
2. Best video footage: Click here
3. This blog has the BEST PICTURES so far of Katrina Animals. It is all pics and good ones Click here Warning pics of dead animals.
4. School shooting story WITHOUT ANY GORY PICS -- and ton of other great pics Click here
5. And this is one of our groups blogs --
Click here
6. Most amazing photography: I mean must see: Click here
7. To reunite pets with owners: Click here
8. Watch a Pitbull video Click Here

Over the last few weeks I have been in regular contact with Laura Maloney President of the LASPCA.

My initial email to her with the questions, "Laura I hope you will respond to any of these questions you feel prepared to do so. I think a lot of bad information may be being passed around. I have tried to post accurate information on my blog and would like to give you the chance to set the record straight."

The questions: (see #2-#19 in comments)

1. Yesterday in a conversation Asst. State Vet Marsha Littlefield claims that the LASPCA was responsible for shutting down the HSUS as of the end of October. Yet you told me several days ago in an email that it was not you? Can we get a straight answer? How many employees and volunteers do you have on the streets today? And what are they doing? How many “animal control” or other volunteers do you need to finish the job?

The state veterinarian and the USDA representative determined that Lamar would close on September 30 based on an early discussion about 9/30 being the date when animals could go into foster care. The LA/SPCA had nothing to do the decision to close Lamar and asked that it be extended since our facility wouldn’t be open. During the first week of October, the LA/SPCA asked the Mayor of New Orleans to contact the lessee for Lamar to ask if we could use it for animal control services. By the time the city and Lamar responded, in mid-October, we were well on our way to setting up our current facility in Algiers and couldn’t have operated two facilities.


Between Oct 1 and last week, we were blessed with significant human resource support from SPCA of Texas, San Diego Humane Society, HSUS, and the ASPCA. We had a strong operations director from Broward County Humane helping us setting-up shop.

Most people have now returned home. We now have about 6 officers on the street and the same number of people working in the shelter. Our regular LA/SPCA volunteers (pre-Katrina) are coming in to assist as well.

We are seeking volunteers to work with our ACOs and shelter staff and are accepting applications at our facility, 701 Thayer St. We’ll have the applications online soon. However, volunteer opportunities are limited until our roof is replaced. See next question.

PLEASE SEE QUESTION 2 THROUGH 19 IN THE FIRST COMMENT FIELD (CLICK COMMENTS BELOW)

Laura wants to know why anyone would spraypaint a car? Situations like this have caused tension with people as they came home. She did say in the early days the army did instruct the painting of houses.