SNAP-NC Hurricane Report

[Kelly]

SNAP-NC is the local Spay/Neuter Assistance program (they work from a mobile vet office). http://www.snap-nc.org/ They do alot of the altering on the dogs & cats at the pound. Chloe was spayed by SNAP before we adotped her. They are so nice to take their mobile vet down there and help out. here is a report from them...


Sent: 9/16/2005 6:31:56 PM
Subject: Katrina rescue report from SNAP-NC


Hello all -

I know that many of you are aware that I took the SNAP-NC mobile
surgery unit to Louisiana and then Mississippi over the last 10 days
to help with pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina. I returned last
night and thought that I'd give a first hand report of the situation
there, since I have gotten so many calls from people wanting to know
how they can help, where they should go to help, how they can adopt
or foster dogs and cats, etc.

My team went down to the Louisiana State University with a team from
NCSU Vet School and Dr. Kelli Ferris. Upon arrival, we split up
(there were about 1000 small animals there I was told - all owned)
and my team was sent to the Lamar Dixon Expo Center - where we
expected upwards of 2000 pets - from horses to dogs, to pythons -
all "strays"!

Upon intake, every pet is given a physical exam and identification
(if any) is collected and catalogued.
At both locations, the animals were kept in crates with volunteers
doing the feeding and cleaning. There were and continue to be too
few volunteers. Dogs are not getting walked and must urinate and
defecate where they sleep.

First, let me say that the situation is very bad and for those
animals not yet rescued, it will continue to get worse. The animals
pulled out in the early days are in good physical condition, though
many are as traumatized as their owners from whom they are
separated. As the days go by, the longer they are without food and
water, the pets continue to deteriorate. Like with the people,
rescue will likely stop soon and it will be a recovery mission only.
Additionally, for those rescued, the housing is mediocre at best -
more volunteers are needed to help with the basic care of the pets on
a day to day basis. I do know that VMAT has arranged the temporary
relocation of some animals to different states.

After several days working in LA, we moved on to the Best Friends
sister sanctuary, St. Francis Sanctuary in Tylertown, MS. I have to
say that it was this group that was by far providing the best rescue,
recovery and after care to animals coming out "on the boats". Every
day, the teams would go into the city with boats and a big tractor
trailer and then return to the facility after midnight, once the
trailer was full. We would then triage and provide every animal with
fresh food and water. In the mornings, dogs were appropriately
socialized and placed in 10x10 runs! And, oh, what a job these folks
did at identification and attempting to return dogs to owners - there
would be several reunions daily - and that would that keep you going.

The accommodations at all places are "rustic" at best. There is no
such thing as a hotel room for many hours drive. Most folks camp. I
slept on the floor of the mobile unit. You will use portable toilets
and sun-showers. There is no laundry. You will sleep with the noise
of barking dogs - if you can get any sleep at all. There will be
many sad stories that you will hear and witness. You will cry often -
both from good outcomes and bad.

We were able to bring back a few cats that were surrendered by the
owners - a mom cat with her own kittens, and several bottle feeders -
she took them all - see the attached photo. One litter was found
alive in a house with 13 dead cats. At Best Friends, there was a
momma dog whose babies were all dead when they got to her, but the
next day, the rescuers came upon a litter of pups without a mom! Put
both together and you have a happy family!




As of now, NO animals are being released for adoption or foster. I
have been given differing accounts of the official hold times.
Louisiana has said 30 days and Mississippi has said 90 days. While
everyone would like to have a "katrina dog", I would urge you all to
reach out to your local shelters and see what they have been asked to
take in from the south. If our local shelters are being asked to
make room - you know what that means. Let's rescue more locally
since the Katrina pets are not going to be available anyway for some
time to come.

If you do wish to head south and you are the roughing it camping type
(seriously folks) - I would recommend Lamar Dixon in Gonzalez, LA.
The animals need you most there. HSUS website (I was given this
address for applications today - http://www.ruralareavet.org/ravs-php...pplication.php)
should have more info on that. Otherwise you can head to St. Francis
in Tylertown - Call Best Friends in Kanab, Utah first to get more
info and see what their needs are.

Supplies are pretty good at all locations. There is plenty of food!
Just plan to cover yourself - food wise too! (At Best Friends you'll
get a Red Cross meal once a day - and its not vegetarian). By the
way - there is NO cell phone coverage there - it is too remote.

If you want to help SNAP-NC, we can desperately use donations to fund
the last trip. We are also trying to clear some of our upcoming
schedule so that we can return and funding will be needed there
too. Not only were we able to perform some very needed veterinary
care, we provided spay-neuter services at the St. Francis Sanctuary
in order to allow some of the sanctuary residents to be adopted and
make more room for the income rescues!

Thank you for your calls of support and for all of those who came
through with last minute supplies before we left!

http://snap-nc.org
Laureen Bartfield, DVM
SNAP-NC
Program Director

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Kudos to them for helping out!!