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9/22/08: SOS From Texas, Animals After Ike
1) A Texan Talks About Where Animals May Need Help
2) Can This Be True? 10 Days To Reclaim Pets... 3) Give Them Shelter: Help For Ike’s Animal Victims 4) Caught On Camera In Galveston Island 5) More Photos From Houston SPCA & ASPCA 6) Rescuer Near Galveston Pleads For Help 7) Dogs, Cats Spared In Montgomery County, TX 8) Do Their Lives Matter? Cows Cling To Life In Texas In post-Ike Texas, large groups (such as HSUS) have reportedly invalidated the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) smaller groups (such as MuttShack) had formed with local authorities to work in Beaumont, Texas. Such alleged hostility made it increasingly difficult to obtain a realistic snapshot of the animal situation in Ike-ravaged areas. There was concern about the amount of time some large groups devoted to removing other emergency rescue groups, rather than helping animals in the field. Below is some of what we know — straightforward, without a “public relations” angle.
1. A Texan Talks About Where Animals May Need Help
EDITED FOR LENGTH: From Kathy Landry — I live in Kemah, TX on Galveston Bay. My foster animals/rescues and I are OK, but home impacted — no electricity but neighbor allowing some hook up to his generator, so just got computer/TV access... Here is what I think about which specific areas most animals will have been left and suffering.
CRITICAL ANIMAL NEEDS AREAS BOLIVAR PENINSULA (ESPECIALLY CRYSTAL BEACH): This area took a 20 ft. plus storm surge. When the island started to flood 12 hrs. BEFORE Ike even arrived, the coast guard tried to evac people and pets... An hour later TV said coast guard had to stop, as weather became too dangerous. They had to leave many people (and pets). There may be MANY companion animals injured or left in houses or on streets. I don’t know how SPCA could possibly handle alone the magnitude of animal rescue in this huge Houston/Galveston affected area.
• Bolivar Peninsula — Best Friends Rapid Response • Crystal Beach — Best Friends Rapid Response FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE: It is shocking to see dogs left on short chains — from which they have no chance to escape floodwaters — bloated and dead. We agree with Best Friends’ Rich Crook that the individuals responsible for abandoning animals in a catastrophic storm should be prosecuted to the full extent under Texas animal cruelty law. GALVESTON ISLAND & CITY OF GALVESTON: Large areas submerged, major devastation of entire island... Heard reporter talk about a call from a woman who left 2 dogs in house, in area where houses took on 10 FEET of water. Reporters went in, dogs alive and OK (one on top of refrigerator). They fed and watered, put in backyard and called SPCA (? dogs still there). They said this was area of 57th St. and Avenue R in Galveston... There are always many strays in Galveston. Also many economically challenged people and elderly with animals. Although local officials bussed many out with pets...you know there were still animals left (people with multiple pets, etc.) There have always been many horses, cows also on the island. SEABROOK (my area)
ON GALVESTON BAY: Also completely flooded. There are a lot of feral cats, and many outdoor but not feral cats who shop owners feed, etc. I live 8 blocks from Seabrook, but not allowed in, roads blocked, water just went down yesterday.
KEMAH (across the bridge from Seabrook): Also has lots of outdoor feral or semi-feral cats who hang out at restaurants and shops. Also took a lot of flooding. No one allowed in, roads blocked.
BACLIFF (about 5-10 miles south of Kemah) ON GALVESTON BAY: A coastal area noted for a lot of animal neglect and abuse. Likely many chained dogs left behind, animals left loose, and confined in houses.
** LA PORTE (slightly north of Seabrook): Lots of wind damage, but I don't think as much storm surge (not sure). Also MANY strays and MANY abandoned animals even when not a hurricane. The kill shelter always overfilled...
Thank you all for helping Houston/Galveston animals, KATHY LANDRY / ph: 281-535-1009 2. Can This Be True? 10 Days To Reclaim Pets... According to the Houston Chronicle’s blog on Ike animal information: “Rescued animals will be put up for adoption after 10 days.” Marilyn Knapp Litt - A Stealth Volunteer in San Antonio, TX writes: Right now I’m EXTREMELY concerned with the ten day limit for Galveston residents to claim their animals. It will result in very few residents having their animals returned. It is a Houston SPCA policy, but they do not have it anywhere on their website. I had it confirmed by one of the hotline volunteers. READ MORE: • People from Galveston haven’t been allowed consistent re-entry to determine if their animals are missing...
• YOU HAVE TEN DAYS TO CLAIM YOUR PET OR YOUR ANIMAL WILL BE ADOPTED OUT! ORIGINAL ALERT FROM: Marilyn Knapp Litt - A Stealth Volunteer in San Antonio
Stealth Helped Reunite Families with their Katrina Pets: 1,000+ Volunteers = 1,000+ Pets Home Safe with Stealth! 3. Give Them Shelter: Help For Ike’s Animal Victims TO LOCATE LOST COMPANION ANIMALS / REPORT FOUND ANIMALS: Photos and descriptions entered by rescue workers from all organizations working on this issue.
If you have lost or found an animal not from Galveston, use HSPCA tool to post report. Houston area shelters kill around 100 dogs and cats each day because there are not enough homes for them (ON AN ORDINARY DAY). Although everyone is working very hard, the task post-Ike is massive. HOUSTON SPCA “OPERATION SAVE A LIFE:” Houston SPCA seeks people to foster a Galveston/Bolivar/Coastal Area animal for TEN DAYS.
Emergency Foster Care Read more.  Families interested in fostering can:
• Download an application • Or come to the Houston SPCA / 900 Portway Drive / Houston, TX 77024 HARRIS COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER: Harris County's animal shelter also has many animals lost in the storm. Unclaimed animals will be killed (essentially the same story
for all local shelters). To find out how you can help, call 281-999-3191 or check their website
EMERGENCY INFORMATION: • SPCA Lost & Found Pet Hotline: 713-861-0161
• SPCA Rescue Hotline: 877-661-0161 or 713-435-2990 / 10am- 6pm daily Emergency Animal Shelters For Lost Animals: 1st United Methodist Church of Humble / 800 Main St. / Humble, Texas 77338 Lamb of God Lutheran Church / 1400 FM 1960 East Bypass / Humble, Texas 77338 Bring Injured Wildlife to the SPCA: SPCA Houston / 900 Portway Drive (near I-10 Hempstead Highway) Citizens for Animal Protection, also caring for wildlife and pets. CAP Lost & Found Pets WAYS TO HELP: RESCUE BANK / FOOD SOURCE FOR ANIMALS
This Houston-based "food bank" for animal rescue and adoption groups has started a shelter restoration fund to help member groups recover from Hurricane Ike and care for the increased numbers of rescued and recovered animals. Rescue bank is a cooperative group of more than 45 Houston-Galveston area non-profit shelter and foster organizations. Created in response to Hurricane Katrina, rescue bank operates on the "food bank" model, collecting and distributing more than a quarter million pounds of pet food and supplies during the last two years. TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS can be made at any Washington Mutual branch by specifying "rescue bank" to the teller. More information. ONLINE DONATIONS Click on PAYPAL link on left side of page. SPECIAL PALS ANIMAL SHELTER This rescue shelter has taken in animals from Kemah, Galveston and the Bay Area shelters. Special Pals usually has about 70 animals in their shelter and currently has about 200. Special Pals needs: • VOLUNTEERS: To help with 8:00am feedings, other assistance. • SUPPLIES: Bleach / Dry dog food (Purina, Beneful, Pedigree Small Bites) / Cat litter / Drinking water / Financial aide • DONATIONS TO HELP, CONTACT SPECIAL PALS SHELTER: 281-579-7387 / 3830 Greenhouse Road / Houston, TX 77084 GALVESTON ISLAND HUMANE SOCIETY DONATE to the GIHS Hurricane Ike Recovery HOUSTON SPCA DONATIONS & HSPCA WISH LIST ORIGINAL ALERT FROM: Shirley Wilkes-Johnson, 1-800-864-3501, Vegan World Radio
Tune in every Monday 10:00am at 90.1 FM KPFT Houston (89.5 in Galveston) or live on the web (or later on archive) 4. Caught On Camera In Galveston Island From: Texas Independent Rescuer in Kinship Circle Disaster Aid Network 9/16/08: I returned home from Galveston Island last night. I had self-deployed to assist my blind father who lives in Alvin, Texas, about 10 miles from Galveston. Early after the storm on Saturday I took my truck and trailer and headed into town to find the local authorities were conducting their own search and rescue operations for animals. They told me to head south on Hwy 6 to assist in Galveston if I could get onto the island.   I ended up a few miles away in the towns or Santa Fe and Hitchcock, Texas where there were dead cows and other pets. Here I established a small base of operations next to the Santa Fe Police station near a bar where people where congregating. With permission of the local police I went street to street searching out pets in backyards and feeding them. After a days work and collecting a few strays, I got permission of the bar owner to leave the dogs overnight. The locals at the bar began assisting me with feeding and watering them. They asked if I had been down to Galveston yet and said those people need more help there than here.   Leaving local pets in good hands of residents, I headed south to Galveston Island. There I found the local EON and talked to the local police who directed me to the Houston SPCA and stated they were in charge of the rescue efforts for animals on the Island. How that was going to happen I never figured out. Because the Houston SPCA was already overwhelmed as I understood it. Anyway I traveled about the Island feeding dogs and cats until I ran out of food. (I should note that everywhere I went local people and lower officials commented on how great it was that someone was doing something so quick for the animals. One official stated: "About time someone got here to help the animals.") I made a trip over to the local Humane Society to find the building destroyed and no one nearby. As curfew fell and without communications, I chose to leave the Island. I returned to Santa Fe and made arrangements for the strays I still had a my temporary shelter... The area of devastation is so great that not even the HSUS, ASPCA, or any one organization bearing all it's assets could handle rescue and care of the animals affected by IKE.  God Bless those of you who are headed to the southeast Texas area to help. Expect to hit brick walls with the authorities... If you do go, be prepared to operate solely on your own and get permission from the local town Mayors and police departments. Expect no help from FEMA or Texas State officials. Theodore R Endicott, Jr. MSG RET, Texas Independent Animal Rescuer 5. More Photos From Houston SPCA & ASPCA   PHOTO, left: Five little terrier-mix dogs were left behind on Galveston Island. Alone and frightened they watched as the storm surge rushed into their home. As the water rose, they jumped atop a table and that’s where Houston SPCA rescue teams found them whimpering. The high water mark was over their heads and our rescue teams knew in their hearts that these little dogs spent most of the night swimming for their lives. But they had a strong will to live... HOUSTON SPCA UPDATES FROM THE FRONTLINE, 9/21/08: Thousands of dogs, cats, horses, puppies and kittens, birds and other pets have found a safe haven at the Houston SPCA. On
Saturday, we sheltered 233 animals from Galveston, took in another 149 at the temporary shelter on the Island and conducted 141
rescues. Overall, nearly 600 animals have arrived from our Island’s temporary shelter and our teams in the field have
conducted over 600 rescues...
ASPCA DISASTER RELIEF TEAM, 9/16/08, LIBERTY COUNTY, TEXAS   PHOTO, left: Equines can drop weight quickly — becoming dangerously thin — from enduring extreme stress and environmental changes, such as those caused by Hurricane Ike. Now that his owner has been allowed back into his home, this senior horse is once again being cared for. PHOTO, right: Liberty County, though not hit as severely by Hurricane Ike as other parts of Texas, is dealing with the storm’s ripple of chaos. This pack of displaced dogs, which includes three nursing mothers, is being cared for by a group of neighbors who have banded together to help the strays. ASPCA 6. Rescuer Near Galveston Pleads For Help REPLY TO: Kathy Blankenship / Halfway Home Animal Rescue Team / Santa Fe, Texas / 713-751-5252 9/17/08, From Kathy Blankenship — I founded Halfway Home Animal Rescue Team in January and currently foster 9 dogs and 31 cats. I live in Santa Fe, about 20 miles north of Galveston. This past weekend Hurricane Ike took off half my roof and
destroyed the fence enclosing my yard. My house is inhabitable, but I have no choice but to stay there to protect and care for my
animals. Without a roof or a fence, it is nearly impossible. It is critical that I find a no-kill shelter or group to take in my animals so
that I can focus on caring for my family and rebuilding our home in this time of crisis. Can you please help me?
Kathy Blankenship / Halfway Home Animal Rescue Team / Santa Fe, Texas / 713-751-5252 Halfway Home Animal Rescue Team 7. Dogs, Cats Spared In Montgomery County, TX REPLY TO: 9/18/08, Many saw the alert about hundreds of adoptable animals on death row at a Texas pound, due to fallout from Ike: Hi, my name is Kelle and I’m a shelter walker at Montgomery County Animal Shelter... Before Ike they took in many animals from shelters closer to the coast (over 200) and also had the normal owner surrenders that occur during disasters. Now, the shelters they assisted are in no shape to take the animals back. They are going to have to euthanize many, many very adoptable dogs and cats from lack of room and people to care for them. Many of us are also without electricity or running water at this point and in no position to take any more right now. No outside rescue groups are being allowed on to Galveston and surrounding areas (HSUS is denying any other rescues to help) and maybe if your group was going to help out in the Gulf, now is an opportunity to get some dogs and cats of the storm to a safe place where they can be adopted... Montgomery County Animal Control 8535 State Hwy 242 / Conroe, Texas 77385 / 936-442-7738 OTHER CONTACTS: Marsha: 713-2017306 / Sandra: 954-336-3222 9/20/08 UPDATE, From: Kelle Davis — I believe almost all dogs and most cats got out yesterday. The media picked up on this and when I got there yesterday the parking lot was full. I took two mangy starved pups who were of course overlooked. But the shelter doesn't need to euthanize anyone, as so many were taken in! I did pick up a golden retriever right after storm who needs a foster... She is young and I believe spayed, if interested. Very loving and dog and cat friendly. CONTACT KELLE DAVIS: 832-969-8831 8. Do Their Lives Matter? Cows Cling To Life In Texas   PHOTO, right: Cowboys on the Bolivar Peninsula, which was ravaged by Hurricane Ike, round up some of the thousands of head of cattle that are roaming loose in southeast Texas in the wake of the storm. Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. Doomed — anyway you look at it. Saving cats, dogs and other animals but who will give sanctuary to the cows? Some 4,000 cows have already been killed by Ike. More than 20,000 cattle and hundreds of horses are dying from eating and drinking salt-contaminated grass and water. The grim chore of disposing of dead livestock still looms, said Bob Hillman, executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. Alligators are eating some of them. Some groups have left hay and water for the cows... One horse rescuer, Elizabeth Asher, with “Rescue Bank” knows where most stranded cows are located. The Texas Dept. Of Agriculture set up “Operation No Fences” to provide relief for horses and cows. OPERATION NO FENCES, HAY HOTLINE: 877-429-1998
RESCUE BANK / FOOD SOURCE FOR ANIMALS T
AX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS can be made at any Washington Mutual branch by specifying "rescue bank" to the teller.
More information. ONLINE DONATIONS Click on PAYPAL link on left side of page. ORIGINAL ALERT FROM: Jerrily Halbert, Vegan World Radio
Shirley Wilkes-Johnson, 1-800-864-3501, Vegan World Radio FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE: We hope (and have called) rescue groups such as Farm Sanctuary are permitted to help stranded cows...so some may go to sanctuary — escaping both floodwaters and life as a production unit in a feedlot. Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Aid Network BE ON FILE IN KINSHIP CIRCLE"S ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK: • Email Kinship Circle for a volunteer form to fill-out and send back to us
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAIL LIST: • You must subscribe to our email list to get updates during disasters.
Kinship Circle and MuttShack are separate 501c3 organizations, working in agreement for hurricane season 2008. Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Aid Network was enlisted to coordinate volunteers for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike — evacuations and aftermath. DONATIONS are urgently needed to help cover our nationwide communications. Kinship Circle is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. DONATE ONLINE DONATE BY MAIL: Kinship Circle 7380 Kingsbury Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63130
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