Isn’t it funny how life works out? 

 

It all started because a friend, Palena,  who runs Sanctuary Animal Rescue, was worried about her family in New Orleans, and decided since she felt so helpless to help them, maybe she could help the animals that were there.

 

I told her, that if she would get the truck, I would be happy to drive it over, loaded with supplies….and so it went…..

 

We ended up raising about 3 tons of dog food, probably 5000.00 in medical supplies, and about a ton of people stuff.

 

It surely renewed my faith in mankind.

 

We were originally supposed to get on the road, my team and I, on Monday, September 19^th.  But, due to the threat of Hurricane Rita striking South Miami-Dade County, and the fact that my “lead dog” John, has exotics and lives there, we opted to postpone one day, to allow him time to get his animals safe.

 

Three of our team members opted to leave that afternoon, as they were anxious to get on the road.  So, Keith (who ended up our camp cook, and resident Apple headed Chihuahua daddy), Sue (our treasurer, and puppy pleaser) and Marilyn (our kitten momma and all round, way too cheerful and happy person) took off.

 

The next morning, the rest of the team, John (our lead dog in the pack, and our second in command) Katie (our navigator and information seeker), Myself(otherwise known as Mz Train…’cause once I get started, nothing stops me, and the van from hell, Mindy (our organizational freak) and Virginia (our, Does she ever slow down? And “I wish I had 1\2 her energy) person, meet at a turnpike plaza, re-checked everything, and started off on the journey.

 

 

We met up with Keith, Marilyn and Sue on the second day, at a place called “Defuniak Springs”, Florida, where a wonderful woman and dog lover, Sandy, met up with us with corn on the cob, potatoes, lettuce, peaches, and other garden veggies to take to the shelter workers there. 

 

I was introduced to Sandy by Cynthia McCollum, another dog trainer that I know….Cynthia…give that woman a job and turn her loose….boy, can she get things done.

 

My sub-team opted to overnight in Defuniak Springs, and Keith, Sue and Marilyn went on to Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

 

We pulled out around 6 am the following morning.  As we got to a rest area just before leaving Florida, we ran into a group of Air Force guys who were headed to Gulfport, Mississippi.  As we already knew that Hattiesburg, while in need of volunteers, had no need for food or supplies, I got on the phone with Palena, our shelter director, and explained where these guys were headed and felt that I really needed to be in Gulfport.  She gave the go ahead, and off we went.

 

 

We got to Gulfport and to the local humane society, just off Airport Road….as we pulled in, the smell, the scent of death hit like a freight train.  It was almost overwhelming.

 

We walked up to a lady, introduced ourselves, said we had food, both people and pet, and supplies, and able-bodied hands, and how could we help?  She was teary-eyed as she directed us to the staging area, where all the animals were housed.  I later found out, she was Tara, the director of the Humane Society in Gulfport.

 

It turns out, that the shelter there lost 80% of the animals that were there in the hurricane. What a sad day.

 

We got to the new, unfinished facility, were we met up with Kim, the team leader for Project HALO, who was there organizing volunteers, and assisting the city in care of strays and owner releases.

 

There we off-loaded our supplies, and started assisting with clean up and organization of the warehouses.  I went in and assisted the vet, giving his tech a much needed break.  Dr. Mike and April were wonderful, and doing a great job.

 

There were volunteers there from all over.  There was Mike from Texas, who was camped out in his tent, doing anything he could.  There was Mike and his wife, Amy, the groomer, from New York.  Boy, was she a blessing!

 

I can’t even begin to name all the volunteers that were there.  And if I tried, I would leave someone would surely get left out, and I would not want to do that.  Trust me, that “Karma” points are being distributed freely to all that are helping out.

 

We cooked for the volunteers that first evening.  Or should I say, Keith cooked.  He also cooked breakfast as well.  Turns out, Keith had brought steaks for them as well as the hamburgers and hotdogs that were donated!  What a wonderful guy our Keith is!

 

The next day was spent cleaning and organizing, walking and bathing, and just loving the dogs.  Some of the dogs were very emaciated and needed special care.  Most there were “owner releases”, owners that just felt that they could not care for their animals, as they were without a home, and didn’t know when they would have a home.

 

All strays were taken to Hattiesburg, in the hope of re-uniting them with their owners.  Hattiesburg was doing an awesome job of that!

 

There is one dog and it’s owners that stand out in my mind most of all…..the owners were in their mid 80’s.  They had an old German Shepherd, who had an abscess that opened up.  The wound was horrible.  The dog was in bad shape, severely dehydrated, and gums/tongue white.  She wasn’t the sweetest dog in the world, but it was obvious that the people loved her. 

 

We gave her fluids, and a Vit b-12 shot, and cleaned the wound….sent her home with antibiotics…the owner was in tears, as we helped her to the van, “Is my dog going to die?”  None of us could say anything more than hope for the best.

 

Then there was De-Bo.  You have to understand, that I have a passion for Rottwielers.  They are my breed of choice, and I have been owned by the breed for 23 yrs.  De-Bo, is a big boy….his home was totally destroyed and friends of the family were watching the dog.  They let him go out where he was attacked by two other dogs….Bless his tender, kind heart, he never fought back.  His owner decided that she could not care for him, as she didn’t know where she was going to live or be.  She released him to the shelter.

I got there and fell in love, immediately.  I begged to take him home with me.  The shelter director, Tara, and Kim just smiled and said “Of Course”. 

 

Last night, after a day of clean up from the trip, I picked up his paperwork.  On it was his owners phone number….I called her, and told her he was doing great and live was good, and if she ever decided she wanted him back, just to pick up the phone, she could have him back anytime.  She was in tears…she didn’t expect to ever see him again….she was so greatful.

 

We brought home a good number of dogs….15 adult dogs….The deaf Dalmation….the Catahoula/Hound mix, Harley, the big lab/chow cross, Puppy, the little lab mix….then there are the 11 puppies….and two momma dogs….oh, yes, and how could I forget the black bassett hounds….We also brought back 6 adult cats and about 10 kittens….what delightful creatures all are!

 

A couple of the puppies we are concerned about.  They might not make it.  But while they live, they will live in peace and contentedness.  And if it is their time to go, they will go in the arms of someone who loves them, and will weep for them.  They will live on in our hearts and thoughts.

 

The others will live long, happy, lives….and we, as humans, will look at them and know that we are blessed to have been privledged to care for these wonderful creatures.