Urgent: Animal Rescue Group Needs Transport Vehicle

[iconoclastic cat]

Steve Gilliard has a friend whose father is down in New Orleans with an animal rescue group called HEART. They are in desperate need of an air conditioned transport vehicle or trailer to truck animals out of the city. You can read his entire letter, along with contact info, at Gilliard's blog.

If anyone out there can help, or knows someone who can, please contact HEART.

(Note: More info on this post too: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/25/142818/493 )

This is a letter from my friend's father about helping animal relief in New Orleans

Dear Fellow Animal Lovers:

Thank you so much for your interest in trying to help H.E.A.R.T. secure an air-conditioned animal transport vehicle for our relief efforts in the New Orleans area for animal rescue. Our last donated vehicle had to be returned to it's owner.

As you know we have been rescuing animals in the N.O. area for the last several weeks. We started out doing boat rescues in the Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish areas. We made many rooftop and attic rescues of animals over many days.We had to break doors down sometimes when we could here barks for help behind the doors. We personally witnessed the remains of a few unfortunate pet owners that would not evacuate because of their animals. As you know the heroic rescuers of humans almost never allow their animals to accompany them. They are forced to leave behind what most of us regard as family, that is, our animals...... our best friends.

We were the first animal rescuers allowed into St. Bernard's Parish. This is the dreaded lockdown area that has places designated as the 'Red Zone'. There the mercury levels that permeate the putrid water and mud were reported to us by the military at 3,000 parts per million when 2 parts per million is the norm.It's not good for us and it will eventually kill all the animals !!! We have training in Haz Mat conditions but the poor animals don't. On the last tour of duty there we rescued many, many dogs and cats of course but we also rescued pet pigs( which wallow with deep gratitude at the sanctuary now), pet rabbits and ferrets, pet snakes found inside homes in aquariums, etc.,etc. and yes even an emu we wrestled aboard our transport. When we left there was still just about everything God created roaming the Parish. We know of Shetland ponies that we couldn't get to yet, a miniature horse, the cattle we brought feed and 165 Gallons of water to, and of course the many dogs and cats that were left behind the first time the floods came. They hung on for life and survived and some we eventually rescued but many many remain behind and as you know at this very minute, because of the new floods, they are once again clinging to something to survive hopefully once again and wondering ' what the hell is going on' and ' where is my dang caregiver' !!! ( we don't like the term ' owner"). Pray for them and help us to return to rescue them.

HELP US GET THEM OUT OF THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anybody can help us get a transport vehicle (on Loan) we would be eternally grateful.This air conditioned vehicle or trailer serves as our 'Mothership' at the rescue site. Our Search & Rescue teams fan out in grid search mode in boats or 4 wheel drives with highly trained animal rescuers. They bring their captured animals back to the Transport vehicle manned by a driver, vet tech and usually a vet also. The animals are field triaged if necessary and put in pet carriers. At the end of the day we transport them to the sanctuary where teams await us to catalogue all rescued and tend to the sick and injured, water and feed, walk and then bedded .

This a/c vehicle or trailer should be able to hold 30, 40, to 60 animal carriers safely. We allow sponsors to display banners or such. On our last tour National Geographic, Dateline, a Red Cross cinematographer, and a renowned Washington Post photo journalist accompanied our rescuers. If you truly want to help we'll give you all the exposure we can get for you.

JUST HELP US GET THE ANIMALS OUT OF THERE !!!!!!!!!!

My team members are heading for our rendezvous starting tomorrow (Sunday) They are getting a much needed rest and many are pleading with employers and loved ones to let them redeploy. So far we have paid all expenses on our own and some are stretched to the limit.We expect to be fully operational by Tues. or Wed. My contacts with the military and police at the checkpoints has been very favorable. They have at times personally escorted me and my teams under armed guard to rescues of animals of which THEY knew their whereabouts. But I know that , as much as it pains me for I know personally some of the animals I looked in the face and said 'I'm coming back for you" , the military and police are going to allow NO ONE to enter for a few days. And when they do it will be with strict documentation of entry papers as it was last time.

If you would like to help find us a transport vehicle to borrow or send us a $$$ donation to H.E.A.R.T. (that stands for Hernando Emergency Animal Response Team). We are a non- profit org. that volunteered way back in Hurricane Andrew and have worked hurricanes, forest fires, floods, local disasters such as overturned livestock trailers on the interstate, etc.

DONATIONS:

H.E.A.R.T (of which I am a board member) is a 501 3/C non-profit. Donors can send cash or checks to H.E.A.R.T. ( that stands for Hernando Emergency Animal Response Team). Any donors requesting a receipt for tax purposes will be mailed a receipt with-in 60 days. Sorry for the delay, but with this disaster situation our members are stretched to the limit.

DONATIONS CAN BE MAILED TO:

H.E.A.R.T.
4120 Culbreath Rd.
Brooksville, FL 34602

* Please make Checks out to H.E.A.R.T.
* Those requesting a receipt will be mailed one with-in 60 days. Sorry, but we are stretched to the limit right now so I don't want to promise a receipt any sooner.

H.E.A.R.T. will be up with a web site of the disaster very soon and we will have many pictures from our first rescues.

VOLUNTEERING:

For those of you that think you might want to volunteer send a brief description of your skill. Shelter people, animal handlers, dog walkers, cat people, maintenance/handy persons, clerical are all needed.

Thanks for your interest! We sure hope you can support us in saving our animal friends' lives.


Rob Robison
Search & Rescue Team Leader
[e-mail]


(DISCLAIMER: Do not support HSUS! Go here for more info: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4847614

Can anyone help them out?

[shireen]

1. if you can't provide transport, here's something else to do

WRITE CONGRESS!!!!
... especially if you're a volunteer ... insist on talking to a legislative staff member and give them a earful. Staff contacts for Shays and Lantos are included below.

Rep. Tom Lantos (CA, 12th Congressional District)
Sponsor, amendment to HR3858, Sept 22 '05
Co-chair, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://lantos.house.gov/hor/ca12/home.htm
Email: only for constituents, http://lantos.house.gov/HoR/CA12/Contact+Tom/
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)
Staff Contact for this issue: Guido Zucconi x53531

Rep. Christopher Shays (CT, 4th Congressional District)
Co-chair, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Co-sponsor, amendment to HR3858, Sept 22 '05
Website: http://www.house.gov/shays/
Email: http://www.house.gov/shays/contact/index.htm
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)
Staff Contact for this issue: (Kristy Crooks x55541)

Congressman Don Young (AK, Congressman At Large)
Co-sponsor, amendment to HR3858, Sept 22 '05
Website: http://donyoung.house.gov/
Email: http://donyoung.house.gov/opinions.htm
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Congressman James Oberstar (MN, 8th Congressional District))
Co-sponsor, amendment to HR3858, Sept 22 '05
Website: http://www.oberstar.house.gov/
Email: Constituents only, http://wwwc.house.gov/oberstar/zipauth.htm
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Barney Frank (MA, 4th Congressional District)
Co-sponsor, amendment to HR3858, Sept 22 '05
Website: http://www.house.gov/frank/
Email: Constituents only, http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ - 7th Congressional District)
Member, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://www.house.gov/grijalva/
Email: http://www.house.gov/grijalva/contact.html
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3rd Congressional District)
Member, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://blumenauer.house.gov/
Email: http://blumenauer.house.gov/about/Contact.shtml
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6th Congressional District)
Member, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://www.house.gov/pallone/
Email: Constituents only, http://www.house.gov/writerep
Phone: [phone] (Washington DC)

Congressman Fred Upton (MI-6th Congressional District)
Member, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://www.house.gov/upton/index.html
Email: Constituents only, http://www.house.gov/writerep
Phone: [phone]

Congressman Michael E. Capuano (MA, 8th Congressional District)
Member, Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Website: http://www.house.gov/capuano/index.shtml
Email: Constituents only, http://www.house.gov/writerep
Phone: [phone]



Note: Amendment to H.R.3858, introduced Sept 22 '05: To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that State and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency. Sponsor: Lantos. Co-sponsors: Shays, Oberstar, Young, Frank.