rescue journal

The Oregon Humane Society, as part of the Humane Society of the United States' National Disaster Animal Response Team (HSUS NDART), was asked to send a team to Baton Rouge to assist with animal rescues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. OHS's team consists of (as pictured here) Casey Jones, Lt. Randy Covey (team leader), Officer Kerri Tyler, and volunteer René Pizzo.

Melissa Seide Rubin, vice president of field and disaster services for the Humane Society of the United States, says the Oregon Humane Society -- nationally known for its animal care and search-and-rescue training -- was one of the first to receive the call for help. "We needed the very best to do these rescues," Rubin says. "The animals are scared and stressed and hungry." Oregonian front page – September 13, 2005

OHS sent another team of 6 to continue

rescue/relief efforts for animals affected.

Read their journal of activities

 

• Animal Rescue and Donation Information
• More information and some facts/figures
• Welcome Home Reception (9/19) photos
• Day 13, September 15, 2005 - last day at Gonzales
• Day 12, September 14, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 11, September 13, 2005 - work in the shelter
• Day 10, September 12, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 9, September 11, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 8, September 10, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 7, September 9, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 6, September 8, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 5, September 7, 2005 - out in the field
• Day 4, September 6, 2005 - first day in the field
• Day 3, September 5, 2005 - travel and arrive in Gonzales
• Day 1 & 2, September 3-4, 2005 - travel to Louisiana
• What its like working in the emergency animal shelter (with more photos)

Day 13

September 15, 2005

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(From Lt. Covey) Yesterday (9/14) was our last day in the field. Today we have some smaller but no less important assignments as we start to wind down and pack up for the drive home. The clock says 6 am as I type this, yet Kerri and René have already been gone for 30 minutes getting gallons of coffee for the rest of the early risers in camp. I’ve been asked to track down some pallet jacks so the vans full of crates and other supplies can be unloaded more easily. We’ll help out with other small tasks and then quietly slip away as our replacements step up and continue the great work going on here, both in the field and in the shelter. We’ve met some amazing animal welfare professionals from all over the country, and there is no doubt in our minds as we prepare to “pass the torch” great things will continue to occur daily for the animals left behind! It is an honor to be trusted by the Humane Society of the United States to be members of their National Disaster Animal Response Team. We admire the HSUS team spirit and respect the relationship we’ve built with them in the best interests of animals across the US. (NOTE: HSUS rotates rescue teams every few weeks so as not to burn out any of the volunteers. As OHS leaves, more volunteers and teams will be arriving.)

As we drive home we will reflect on the accomplishments and disappointments that go hand in hand with emergency response work. We will stop at the first hotel that has rooms available and debrief while we catch up on little things like sleep, laundry, and relaxation.

And we will work on how best to get this message out:  When you evacuate in anticipation of a disaster, take your pets with you! Plan ahead, evacuate early, and protect yourself and your animals from the trauma and pain of leaving them behind.

Lt. Randall B. Covey

Special Agent Officer Kerri Tyler

Animal Rescue Specialist Volunteer René Pizzo

Animal Care Technician Casey Jones

Day 12

September 14, 2005

(From Lt. Covey) Wednesday started out with paperwork and preparation. As hard as it might be to imagine, even out here we have an obligation to keep accurate records of our activities:  where we went, what we saw, and what we did so our efforts aren’t duplicated. There are various methods for reporting back to Katherine, the LA SPCA field chief, but we choose to type up a brief summary of each stop and not subject her to the trauma of trying to read our handwritten notes from each day! Besides, that portable printer we pack around needs to be put to use on occasion. As we were talking to Katherine, she related that while she was attempting to break into a house and check on an animal earlier in the day, one of her officers who spent time with us said “if Oregon were here, they’d be in by now!” I guess we’ve proven ourselves in more ways than one; I hope that’s a good thing!

We found various ways to help out around the shelter in the morning and prepared to meet in downtown New Orleans to get some new credentials to assist us in getting around the city as security is tightened. I invited Juli to spend half a day in the field with us. She is a member of OHSTAR, and I knew it would add to her experience and understanding of disaster response.

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Our first assignment was to go to “Camp Lucky”, a temporary animal shelter in St. Bernard Parish started by a local and supported by the military personnel from Jackson Barracks. We met another rescue team there and helped assess the logistics and necessity of moving 32 dogs from there to Lamar-Dixon. It was decided only two dogs needed to be moved for immediate health reasons and the rest could stay under HSUS supported feed and water efforts. We got the distinct impression that “Camp Lucky” not only gave the homeless dogs in that devastated area a place of safety, it also provided “animal therapy” for the military men who pretended to be tough but let their true colors shine when we caught them providing dog beds and toys to their “adopted” pets!

Just as we were getting ready to leave, some Sheriffs Deputies drove up and asked if we could help them with some aggressive dogs. They had been searching a local high school for human remains and on the second floor ran into some aggressive pit bulls. Now, in my experience, dogs who create a safety issue for rescue/recovery personnel, especially those armed with high powered weapons, don’t live very long. I was amazed these four deputies had left the scene to search for animal control professionals to help them clear the building without harming any of the many dogs congregated there!

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When we arrived, after a long drive through some of the areas hit hardest by Katrina, there were dogs running all over the place. Little dogs, big dogs, medium sized dogs, friendly dogs, skittish dogs, fat dogs, and skinny dogs. Black dogs and brown dogs and…well, you get the picture! About 25 or so altogether, most of them running at our feet happy to see us. The school itself had been flooded about 6 feet up the walls and the floors were covered with brown, slimy goo that defies description and assaulted our senses. We walked slowly so we wouldn’t fall, and spread out in a safety formation in case an aggressive dog decided to attack. It was gratifying to us that the deputies trusted our expertise and followed our direction and that they cared enough about the animals to enlist our help.

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After clearing the building (no human remains found) Kerri, Casey, and I went back in to assess the dogs' conditions more thoroughly. We knew we couldn’t take them out with our limited space and we were running short of daylight. But we did want to take photos and pass on a complete report to those who would follow up. What we saw was heart-wrenching.

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The upper floor of the building had been used as an emergency shelter, and people obviously took their pets with them, but then had to leave them behind when they were evacuated.

Cats left in carriers didn’t survive. Dogs tied to desks didn’t have a chance to scrounge for food or water. It was a grim reminder to us that rescue efforts must continue and that there could still be animals trapped and struggling to survive.

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We set up multiple food and water stations and left our hearts behind with the dogs who chased after our vehicles as we drove away. We have every confidence that our information will assist in the quick recovery of these dogs in the very near future.

Day 11

September 13, 2005

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(From OHS Volunteer René Pizzo) It was a little harder staying optimistic today. We had to break down our camp that overlooked a pond and had lots of thick grass and trees – to move to a gravel parking lot on the other side of the Expo. The bathrooms, shower, and mess tent are a long ways away. I guess if there is an upside, so are the barking dogs

UPDATE: The old Rottweiler OHS rescued is doing fine and was seen being taken for a gentle walk around the compound.

We were assigned to work in the shelter today. Juli got to work in the horse barns and help out with the veterinarian stuff. Kerri and Jay spent a lot of time cleaning crates, which we have a mountain of. Casey, Randy, and I bounced back and forth between cleaning dogs, walking dogs, doing Intake, and doing Out-take. 

Being a sucker for English Springer Spaniels, I had to come to an abrupt halt in my workday to take the two Springie puppies out for a walk and play session. Oh my gosh, they were the cutest puppies in the world. They already had two notes on them that if unclaimed by their owner (they were strays), adopters were interested.

I didn’t have to read a map today or fill out paperwork, so I left my glasses in the truck.  As I peered across the parking lot towards the dog walking area, I was amazed to see a lady walking two of the biggest dogs I had seen since we arrived. As I got closer to her, I realized maybe it is time for me to start wearing glasses all the time. She was walking a pony and a miniature horse.

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As I walk through the parking lot to get from Barn 5 to the dog walking area, I am constantly impressed to see how many animal groups and people from all over the US are here to help the animals. I have met people from HSUS, Peta, IFAW, Wild Animal Orphanage, Code 3 Associates, ASPCA, American Humane Association, Rottweiler Rescue, veterinary colleges and vet tech programs, animal behavior schools, and many, many humane societies and animal control agencies. There are numerous other people unaffiliated with any kind of animal group who are just plain animal lovers who showed up to help. It does my heart good to see how much people care about these animals’ welfare -- and not just these people but all the people who have donated money and food and supplies to take care of these wonderful animals caught up in such a terrible disaster.

The people who run the boat program to do the water rescues have it particularly difficult. They are taking their boats into that nasty water and trying to get to animals trapped in homes and on little islands of non-flooded land. They have to wear dry suits, which in this sweltering heat can’t be any fun. Then when they get back each evening, they have to go through decontamination of all their boats, dry suits, and other gear.

I helped out at Intake for the afternoon. The area I worked was Dogs where the dogs were being dropped off by the groups who transported them from the affected areas to the emergency animal shelter. Paperwork is completed on each dog and notes are made of any animals who are wearing ID so his/her owner can be attempted to be reached this way. A Polaroid photo is taken to attach to the original of the paperwork and a temporary ID collar is placed on the dog. Both the photo and temporary collar have the ID number that is listed on the paperwork written on them to cross reference the dog.

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The dog is then given a brief veterinary exam. He/she gets a digital photo taken for www.petfinder.com so his/her family can try and find him via the website. We then go for a bath – I find that I get almost as wet and dirty during this process as the dog gets wet and clean. At least he only takes one bath. I lost track of how many I had. Lastly, the dog is placed in his/her relatively roomy wire cage with bowls of fresh food and CLEAN water and hopefully a good sound sleep in his/her new, safe surroundings.   

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It is an awesome honor and responsibility to be here caring for these pets. It is also a very emotional experience. I helped the check-in process of a few that stand out in my mind.  One was an emaciated female beagle who was very sweet. She had an ID on her collar, so hopefully her owners will be able to be found soon. She was so weak I had to carry her through each stage of the check-in process, and as I gently carried her, she would rest her tired head on my shoulder. I rested my cheek on her forehead, and I think it brought both of us comfort.

Another sad but sweet dog was a pit bull female. She, too, was emaciated. She had clearly been a mother fairly recently, and she had fight scars on her head, chest, and front legs. Then she survived a Category 5 hurricane and the two weeks post-hurricane. What a tough life this sweetie-pie has had. As I walked her to the dog walk area, we had to stop frequently so she could rest, and she would sit and lean against my leg and look up at me with eyes that showed a combination of relief and trust as she gazed up at me She loved the gentle ear massage I gave her.

I wonder what tomorrow holds for us. . .

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Day 10

September 12, 2005

(From Officer Tyler) Today started with a meeting at 6:30 am. To put this into perspective, this is 4:30 am Oregon time. I was pretty tired when my watch alarm went off at 5 am. My tiny tent seemed even smaller while I struggled to dress and avoid the condensation on the walls (danged humidity!). I yelled over to René’s tent and she replied that she was awake. I yelled over to Jay’s tent and got no response. I finally gave up, staggered to the restrooms and then to the main aisle to get my hot water going for coffee.

At our morning briefing we learned that we were resuming our rescue efforts with full field staff and would be staying in Gonzales, as opposed to moving the camp another 30 minutes away; an understanding had been reached with the owner of the Expo property, and the shelter operation had passed the inspection of state officials. The best news at briefing was that 200 pet owners had been re-united with their animal family members the day before. This news made my whole day.

Back in New Orleans we immediately noticed an increase in vehicle traffic. Business owners were being allowed in to get important papers and computerized records so they would be able to resume the operation of their businesses, pay employees, and do whatever they needed to keep the New Orleans economy going. This increased traffic, along with the restoration of power in some areas, meant we had to remember what it was like to drive in a civilized fashion (something we hadn’t had to do before): stop at intersections and stop signs, drive the “right” way on one-way streets (well, most of the time), use turn signals, etc. We still had no problems with driving on the sidewalks to get to our targets. More streets were being cleared of debris, although there were plenty that still were impassable due to trees, power lines, and water or muck.

Our first call took us to a nicer home that supposedly had a cat or cats. As in some subsequent homes, we saw signs of pets: food and water dishes, and a litter box.

Outside this house we met Lance, a very nice person who rode around on his bicycle doing his own mission of delivering water and supplies to his senior neighbors, and at times coaxing them into evacuating with the officials. He and his wife had been allowed to stay on with permission of the police department, to help others. He offered to assist us in any way possible, and gave us his address and cell phone number.

Our goal had changed to trying to maintain the animals in their homes, if possible, by providing food and water. At times the owner had left a message that their pets were still in the home, and either had left a key hidden or gave permission to break in and provide for the animals. In order to save time and reach as many pets as possible, we did not perform exhaustive searches to locate all the whiskers and noses, but did the best we could and left the house secured with up to 2 weeks supply of food and water.

Of course, after we were done with our burgling, we moved on to tagging….we left our spray-painted messages that told other rescuers we had been there, the date, and what we had done/found in big red letters in a prominent location, usually on the front of the house.

We were diverted from our list a few times…once was for a dog in a house that had survived in his flooded house, then been noticed by National Guardsmen; this dog really enjoyed MREs!

Another time we were told that “four dogs were loose in the area of the hospital morgue”. When we arrived it turned out to be two dogs who had been caught and tied near the hospital morgue, awaiting pick up. When Randy and Casey went in to get these dogs—out of the same hospital we all had gone into previously, in the dark, to the sixth floor to rescue two cats—they learned there had been about 13 deceased persons lying in there undiscovered until today; we had not seen them in the dark, but had no doubt walked past some of them.

René and I went in a house to find and feed two cats; while there, we also fed and “watered” the tropical fish. At another house we left food and water for a cute Pomeranian and his roommate—a black cat who did his best imitation of a Halloween cat, then changed his mind about attacking us and instead hid under a bed and growled; the Pom however, was thrilled to see us!

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On the last rescue of the day, Casey donned a long-sleeved shirt in the 95+ degree weather, a face mask and thick gloves, to crawl under a house where a frightened and aggressive pitbull was tangled by a chain to the plumbing.

The crawlspace was smaller than some we had seen and was a challenge for him to reach the dog with a catch-pole and the bolt-cutters.

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He succeeded in getting the fractious dog on the catch-pole, but then was unable to hold the dog securely and cut the chain….Randy also crawled under to help free the dog while keeping it from attacking them both.

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Casey finally emerged from the spider zone (also the icky receded flood water zone) with the dog on the pole. The dog was thin, but muscular, and did NOT want to go n the crate. Casey hung on to the bucking, growling, and snapping dog, and finally aimed him into the crate. The door was slammed, the pole removed, and huge sighs of relief sent up.

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The dog was transported to the Sav-A-Center parking lot, along with a tiny Maltese mix a police officer had given to René and me earlier. Both dogs were checked by the vets and transported to the shelter.

Our day of door jimmying, window crawling, and graffiti artistry for the animals ended at about 7:15 pm….then our hour commute back to base began. Traffic was light due to the 6 pm curfew, and we left town, after a much too long a wait in a line of cars at an exit check point.

Just before we got back, Juli (OHS volunteer working in the animal shelter) called, concerned because she had heard a levee had collapsed, and we were late---she feared the worst. I had heard on the radio that a canal was leaking; this had been expanded into a burst levee by the base camp grapevine! (Read Juli's journal from the emergency shelter perspective.)

We finally got back to base and relaxed, ate, and prepared for another day of the same tomorrow.

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Day 9

September 11, 2005

(From Lt. Covey) This was our second day of feeding and watering animals in place. Field operations were limited as the incident commander chose a few select teams to go into the city, while other field teams were asked to stay at the shelter and help the massive effort underway to make sure the shelter is able to manage the hundreds of animals that are still waiting for help. Limited space is a reality, and it’s great to know that even in a disaster those managing this massive operation recognize the limitations and apply common sense to finding solutions.

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Our team was split up today, the first time we have been asked to use our resources in two different areas. Casey and I were teamed up with a Louisiana SPCA team to continue food and water operations in the field, while Kerri and René were assigned to transfer dogs between kennels in the shelter and help with the re-organization there. OHS has earned a reputation as an organization that will remain flexible and comply with any request that contributes to the success of the entire operation. I’m so proud of our team! OHSTAR Team member and OHS volunteer Juli Warner flew in and barely had time to set her pack down before she was jumping in, cleaning kennels, and sharing her boundless energy with those around her. 

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As Casey and I worked with the local officer (who we call LA Laura) and Bruce from Iowa throughout day six in the field, I was amazed by the number of animals we continue to find, most of them in fair or even good condition. We went to some new areas today and the provided life-sustaining food and water to 23 animals still confined to their homes, as well as at least that many more animals that we saw running loose but couldn’t approach. For those we set up feeding stations for them to access at will.

In our most dramatic rescue of the day, we were just leaving a factory where recovery workers gave us a rabbit they had found and put in a box. As we were getting back into our truck, we heard a bark from a house across the street.We approached. All we could see was a nose, no two noses, no, three big noses lifting the blinds in an effort to look out the window at us! After quickly gaining access through the door, the three Rottweillers greeted us with wagging bodies and slobbery kisses! We could see that they had been confined since the storm hit, and there was no sign of food or water. They were thin, dehydrated, and not in an area where it was reasonable to leave them behind. As a team, we agreed that they met the “dire straights” criteria for transport to the shelter and loaded them on board.

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As we were preparing to leave, Casey reminded us that we needed to clear the rest of the house…and proved again his value as a member of our rescue team. In the back corner, laying in the filth and clutter of two weeks worth of rottwieller survival camp, was an older male barely hanging on to life.

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He bobbed his head with as much energy as he could muster as we rolled him onto a blanket and lifted him into our field stretcher (bottom half of a large dog crate) and put him in the air-conditioned cab of our truck.

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As it was near the end of our day, we were likely this dog's last chance at survival…we took him immediately to the veterinarian at the triage center and helped as she gave him fluids in both a front a back leg and stabilized him. The feeling of watching that dog make a dramatic turnaround from lethargy to awareness is beyond description!

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Casey is the hero for making sure we did a final check, and our team ended the day with smiles on our faces.

Some have asked about the living conditions and how they compare to “real life”.  I try not to think about the comforts of home much because we need to be tough out here...for ourselves and for our team. It's interesting to watch the wide variety of ways people are handling things around here. I met with the OHS team after we had heard the shelter was closed to taking more animals and encouraged them to maintain their optimism and flexibility in this fluid environment of emergency response field/shelter operations. I could have saved my breath, as our team is the model of professionalism! We have done great work out here and will join the hundreds of others in remembering the many successes of this massive rescue effort.

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Day 8

September 10, 2005

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(From Volunteer René Pizzo) Today felt more productive. Our mission had to change because there were an estimated 2,000 animals in the emergency animal shelter at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center this morning. We were at capacity (probably over it). While HSUS and the Louisiana SPCA are working on moving some of these animals to other shelters or foster homes, and while they are trying to get the arena added to the area we can keep animals, we are switching to feeding and watering trapped animals. (NOTE at this time OHS is in contact with the sheltering organizations to offer assistance with the overcrowding. When and if OHS receives any animals from this area, we will let you know.)

We stuck to our same list of addresses in the Garden District and Uptown areas of New Orleans. The floodwaters are subsiding more each day, so we are sometimes able to get into a new area to check on the addresses there. 

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We rescued a tortoise crossing the Jefferson Highway as we first arrived in New Orleans. As we were grabbing it up out of the traffic lanes, some folks from a local agency with expertise in turtles happened by and agreed to take the little guy to the triage center while we continued on our way. I am amazed at how so many animals survived being outside during 155 mph winds, then flooding. We have seen lots of strays and ferals wandering the streets, and we saw a flock of Quaker parrots flying overhead. How can a bird hang onto a branch in those kinds of winds? Amazing.

Casey is becoming our expert navigator as he looks at all the unfamiliar street names and maps them out, and then figures out a route. It can be challenging when we get to areas where the streets haven’t been plowed yet of all the storm debris, or when the power lines hang down like a tangle of spaghetti, or power poles are tilted haphazardly over the street. Water mains are broken in areas, so the water pouring from them has created sinkholes, so we generally don’t drive down a street covered with water. It appears to be only a few inches to a foot deep, but then we’ll look ahead and see a car up to its engine compartment deep in a sinkhole.

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We are all becoming experts at breaking into homes with little damage, then closing them back up again securely when we are done feeding and watering their pets (or previously retrieving the pets). Most of the cats we have found in homes have been in good shape since so many of their human families left them lots of food and water. We top off their food and water, give them loving attention if they are so inclined, and then re-secure their homes.

We heard dogs barking from a house not on our call list. When Casey and Randy finally located them (after jumping a few fences) they were so happy for human contact that they didn't pay much attention to the food and water we gave them, even though their bowls were empty! Our orders for the day were to feed and water in place; even Casey noticed that leaving them behind was tearing us all up, especially Randy (pictured above feeding one of the dogs and below giving the other some love).  When we get word that we can start picking them up again Randy's going to make sure they get out of that wasteland of a city. 

It is so surreal.A city the size of Portland has been evacuated, so it is like a ghost town. However, battalions of military and police patrol the city and military helicopters constantly fly overhead. Houses are being marked with a big paintedX showing they have been searched, the date, and whether any one (living/dead) was found.Some of the guardsmen put whether or not animals were in the house, so we stop and check on the animals.

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We too are becoming graffiti artists as we mark “SPCA” on each home with red paint plus the date and “F/W”, which means Food and Water. That is our code for future teams to either collect the animals when room is open at the shelter, or their families contact us saying they are in a position to have their pets in a new home with them, or to feed and water them again in a few days or a week. The military has a bunch of different symbols they paint on the house to show they have checked a home for people, so we are trying to break their code to see what theirs means. Of course, we could just ask them since we see them everywhere.

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Most of the dogs we have found have been outdoors. The cutest little taffy-colored cocker spaniel came up to me and offered her belly for a nice belly rub. She was a ‘leaner’ – she sat down on my foot and leaned against my leg for a nice ear massage and a short session of T-touch. Thank you Susan Davis (OHS Tellington Touch Trainer) for what you have been teaching shelter volunteers! The cocker loved it, and when we left her, she curled up in a shady, grassy spot and fell asleep.

We worked in an area today where the flooding was around 3 feet deep, judging by the water line on homes and cars. Where it was against the hedges, they looked like the vegetation had died where the water had touched it. We have heard what a toxic soup it was. Anyone who touches the water has to go through hazardous materials decontamination, so we make sure we don’t touch it. Animals who may have swum in it also have to go through decon as well. Kerri and I spent a few minutes while being the guards outside a home Randy and Casey were working inside and checked out the floodwater pooled along the curb. We were astounded to see tadpoles swimming in it as well as other bugs and larvae. Wow. I wonder what they are going to be?  Three-headed frogs and super-mosquitoes?  Sounds like a grade B movie to me. Besides the living things in the water, it was bubbling little tiny bubbles. It was a biology and chemistry experiment gone bad.

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At the end of the day the field teams gathered in the parking lot of the Sav-A-Center, which has become our field staging/debriefing area. While there, we were approached by a woman named Karleen who had made it in to rescue her own cats. She had managed to get them into her car but didn’t have any carriers. One look at their open-mouthed breathing and we could tell they were dehydrated and stressed. After giving her carriers, calling a veterinarian over to exam the cats, and helping her on her way, she insisted that we accept the only cash she had on her…$13. Although we tried every conceivable method to refuse her, she assured us that she would hit the first ATM outside the city and didn’t need the money…she only wanted to contribute back to the efforts going into saving the animals. As she gave me a hug in thanks, we were reminded once again why we are here.

This has been an emotional roller coaster ride. Seeing these conditions, seeing the animals who were obviously well cared for and loved now in an overcrowded shelter, seeing the ones we have to leave behind to fend for themselves, seeing the ones who weren't cared about, is extraordinarily difficult. There are psychologists and various trauma counselors and Christian groups at the shelter offering support, thank goodness.

I’m not sure what our mission tomorrow will be, but we’ll do our part to bring relief to the animals and their human families.

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Day 7

September 9, 2005

(From Officer Tyler) This day started like all the rest, except there were a few clouds in the sky. They did nothing to cool the day ---mid 90s for heat and about 300% humidity. Did I mention it was HOT and MUGGY?

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We went into New Orleans with four folks from Massachusetts: Manny and Cheryl, who we had worked with on Thursday, and two new arrivals, one who had lived in New Orleans and knew his way around. Unfortunately, they left us immediately and we were once again our core group of four OHS super heroes, minus a few super powers…but we had a ladder and tools!

Our first call gave instructions to access the house by the balcony. Unfortunately, the balcony was out of the reach of the super-ladder, so we took the plywood off the front door and removed the big pane of glass to gain access. We found that the cats had already been removed….this has happened more than once; we marked the house so no one else would also try.

At this point we had a long list of addresses to check and were still receiving many requests from police officers and National Guard personnel to go to places where they had seen animals. We would explain patiently how we had to get the ones who were trapped inside before we tried the loose ones….that said, we tried to catch a couple of loose dogs, no luck. The loose dogs all seem to dive into the dark recesses of safety under the porch. Every house, with few exceptions, have the entire area under the house open. This is where a lot of dogs live, and of course, crawl in and hide. It is no fun going after them!

We were also told of two kittens near a tavern. We drove to this location, which was near a large low-income apartment complex, and at the edge of the flooded zone. This zone looks like a bombed out area with stagnant water added on top; power poles hanging precariously over the street, sinkholes big enough to swallow vehicles, and all manner of trash and debris piled everywhere. Of course, the ubiquitous downed trees and branches, and those little plastic water bottles are everywhere.

Back to the kittens….we arrived at Kerry’s Sports Bar and Casey got out and started making here-kitty-kitty noises (he’s good at that, by the way). The two scrawniest 5 week-old kittens came running towards him from behind a dumpster. He soon had them in a carrier. They were starved and thirsty and had hundreds of fleas, some almost as big as they were!

We tried to get to the next call on our list---animals left in an art gallery---but were stopped by impassable water. We were warned not to drive in the water; not only is it a bio-hazard, but the aforementioned sink holes that can swallow vehicles lurk beneath what appears to be 2 or 3 feet of water.

One call was to the sixth floor of a hospital.  We take turns going in and staying by the vehicles, for security reasons. It was Randy’s and Casey’s turn to go in. Two cats left in an office area when the hospital was evacuated---last week.  Rescue workers had broken into the hospital earlier because employees had been trapped for a few days due to power failure (electric, very secure entry doors). So the front doors were already opened forcibly, allowing access.

Randy and Casey were up there for about an hour, searching in the office area for the cats. They were pretty sure they were still there, because their carriers were still there, but no sign of them. They were getting ready to leave….the search was exhaustive and exhausting---piles of office furniture, file cabinets, you name it. Finally, under a huge pile of stuff, in an impossibly small space, they found one. Then found another. They had me and René come up to assist with catching one while they did the hard work of moving things and reaching the one least accessible.

They gave us directions via radio to find our way in the dark hospital, in and to the stairwell and then up to the sixth floor, then to the area they were in. Talk about scary-movie creepy. The building had been looted after it was opened up, so there was no telling if someone was in there!

Both cats were safely put into carriers and back down to the trucks. At that point we were contacted by a reporter and cameraman from KGW, who spoke with us, interviewed Randy, and then followed us to our next call.

This call turned out to be a newsperson’s dream---three pitbulls abandoned in a house. It was René’s and my turn to do the rescue. We accessed the house through an open window after determining there were at least three adult pitbulls chained to separate spots in the front room of the house. The dog nearest the window had mostly entirely eaten the couch he was tied to; the tangled chain was in the frame. He had about 10 inches of room to move. I got him on the catchpole and René cut the chain with the bolt cutters (a tool no animal-burglar should be without).

We loaded him into a crate and hoisted it out the window to Randy and Casey, waiting on the ladder. We did the same with the next dog. They were both intact males, and did not appear aggressive, but no chances were taken. The third dog was a cute little white female. She was just all wiggle and wag. We still put her on the catchpole, but merely unsnapped the chain clip from her collar. We had run out of dog-sized crates at that point, so she was lifted out the window to Randy on the ladder. He executed the effective “dog under armpit” hold on her, and took her down the ladder without incident.

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Since the transport area in the back of our OHS vehicles is not air-conditioned, we needed to find transport vehicles that were. We drove to their location and handed off two of the pitbulls. The third dog and the cats were put into the air-conditioned back seat of Randy’s quad-cab truck.

We then returned to the pitbull house---while we had been getting them, we thought we heard a dog in a house across the street. Sure enough, there was a Rat Terrier inside. The house was cleared by the cops/troops earlier in the day, as evidenced by spray-paint markings on the front. Lucky for us, the front door was still open. Randy and Casey went in and collected the little guy and added him to the back seat.

We got a message from base that we were to come directly back to the shelter, even ‘though we had a couple hours to do. And had only recovered 8 animals.

Another Portland-area TV station (KPTV) finally tracked us down, and Randy gave yet another interview, as we were heading out. Both these two men and the two before told us that they had been staying (for over a week!) at a convent. There were no bathrooms there, and of course, no showers. They appeared amazing clean and were, of course, professional. We greatly appreciate their efforts to get the word out about the animals and the rescue efforts.

The news from the base shelter was that at 2000 animals, critical mass at the shelter, had been reached. An independent rescue group had brought in 200 dogs unexpectedly. Just imagine the impact on any shelter of 200 dogs!

Presently, Continental airline has offered to fly animals to other shelters nation-wide. There are shelters ready to receive animals. The snag is that the Louisiana state vet has not allowed any animals to leave the state. (OHS will let everyone know when and if we are to receive animals from this area.)

Until that happens, we will be doing a search and rescue in-place mission; finding animals trapped in houses and buildings and supplying them with food and water. At this point some of them have been without food or water for over a week. With temperatures in the 90s and no air conditioning, some may be in critical condition.  It is very important that we reach them as soon as possible. Our methods of entering houses and buildings will become more aggressive to save time.

Shelter workers worked through the night to care for the thousands of animals.  Jay Hutchison arrived from OHS, and was immediately put to work….he worked until 1 am!

As I finish this, my teammates have gone to the morning’s second briefing; I see Jay is up and about, and another day of our relief efforts lies ahead.

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Day 6

September 8, 2005

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(From Lt. Covey) After working with LA SPCA officers the last two days to learn the city, we were asked to lead a team today, and our efforts to rescue as many animals as possible continued.  The four of us were teamed up with two officers from Massachusetts who were driving an air-conditioned animal transport van. While we have all the skills and equipment to accomplish the various rescues, our ability to transport animals in the heat and humidity is limited.

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Today we rescued 20 animals: 10 dogs and 10 cats. The National Guard brought us a basset hound they found on the porch of a house surrounded by water. They were all smiles when we told them the dog would be well-cared for by the shelter staff in Gonzales. Several citizens approached us with information about animals in need, and we worked them into our list of calls.

One resident on a bike came up to us and asked us if we could take his cat. He rode home to get it, and was back before we finished rescuing two others who were locked inside an apartment. What an honor it is to be trusted with his companion animal until he could make other arrangements!

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At one particular house, we had information that a different team yesterday had been unable to catch a dog that was loose in the yard. Casey had been itching for a chance to demonstrate his skills with a snappy snare, and although the dog was fast Casey was faster! Within minutes of our arrival, the dog was confined in a transport kennel and on its way to safety!

We were in a new part of the city to us, but again Casey came through with his map reading and navigational skills. With Kerri and René taking care of the paperwork required for each animal, and the Massachusetts officers taking their turn going into each house on our list, we completed our assigned calls just in time to head out of the city before dark…only to find that the shelter had been overwhelmed by animals.  After unloading our animals, we pitched in and helped the volunteers at the shelter with moving crates and making the animals comfortable. Our team alone has rescued 61 animals so far, and yet there are many more to help. 

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We have been receiving e-mails and messages from the wonderful people in Portland  offering words of encouragement and thanking us for our efforts here in New Orleans…it really is a team effort and knowing that so many people are supporting us and counting on us to do our part is helping us maintain our momentum…Thanks!

OHS will be sending another staff member to the Baton Rouge area to help with the animal relief efforts. HSUS asked us to send an experienced animal care professional. Jay Hutchison will depart Portland tomorrow morning for Louisiana. We hope to receive information from Jay on what his experiences are as well.

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Day 5

September 7, 2005

(From OHS Volunteer René Pizzo) Today we got an early start for a 6 am briefing, then the hour drive into New Orleans to the staging area. We were assigned the Uptown area. 

Yesterday’s rescues were much easier. Today we are finding the houses much more securely locked up, so we have had some challenging entries. We also found that some of the animals were gone already.  People were allowed to return to their homes in that area until 6 pm today to gather belongings, secure their home, clean – so we hoped they had collected their pets and just forgot to call the animal hotline to leave a message that the animal was no longer in the house.

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In spite of the difficulties and nearly every home having barred windows and doors, we were able to rescue 15 cats, 3 dogs, 2 birds, a hamster, and a ferret.  Most of the cats were difficult to find and would hide when we approached, so we would take the time to search all the likely cubbyholes they might be hiding. Sometimes our report would say there were two cats, and we would find three, so we made sure we found everyone before leaving and re-securing the house.

The birds were easy since they were in their cage, as was the hamster. The ferret had been let loose in the back yard, but a neighbor said if you called “Here, Ferret”, he would come. Casey tried called out and sure enough the cute little guy came out from under the house, walked over to Casey, and rolled over for a belly rub.

A poor, timid, pit bull mix inadvertently locked herself in a bathroom some time during the past week. She tried chewing a hole through the sheet rock, and she had bitten on the water connection to the toilet, causing water to spray continuously in a sprinkler pattern.  She was afraid of us at first, but once she was out of the house, she was a happy girl jumping up on us and wriggling her body with joy.

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Military and police were swarming the city doing house-to-house searches looking for people who had not yet evacuated. They also had the gruesome task of searching for the deceased. We saw them constantly throughout the day on the ground as well as in the air where the helicopter crews flew patterns over the city.

After we have a full load of animals in the air-conditioned Louisiana SPCA truck, we take them to Jefferson Feed Store where there is a veterinary triage center set up. Vets and/or vet techs check the animals over and rehydrate and feed them since so many haven’t had food or clean water for a while. Then they are loaded up again for the hour-long drive to our emergency animal shelter in Gonzales.

We saw an emotional reuniting of the owner of the feed store with his 3 dogs and iguana.  His house was in the flood zone and he thought they had all drowned.  When he saw his dogs, he broke down crying.

At the emergency animal shelter (Lamar Dixon Expo Center), we again unload the animals and the FEMA V-MAT (Veterinary Medical Assistance Team) checks the animals again. Some of the animals have more serious injuries. A horse was brought in that looked like he had fallen in a ditch, and one of our other teams had a dog with facial and leg injuries. The animals get the care they need from the vets, then get their pictures taken for ID, paperwork completed, and horror of horrors for some, a bath. Any animals who made contact with the flood waters has to be decontaminated because of the toxic soup in the water from fuels, chemicals, and dead things.

The animals then go to separate areas. The shelter is set up in the Expo center. Horses have one end of it. There were 69 horses yesterday. Exotic animals have their own area, so there are birds, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, iguanas, and at least one pig in that area.  Cats have their own area, as do dogs. It is a cacophony of barking, hounds baying, horses neighing, and cats meowing. They settle down for the night, thank goodness, unless I am so tired at the end of the day, I sleep through it. Our tents are set up in the grassy area nearby. We have long days and short nights, but we know that with over a thousand calls into the animal hotline, we have lots more to do.

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Day 4

September 6, 2005

(From Officer Tyler) Day 4 was very long. I got up at 3 am Portland time, 5 am Louisiana (Central) time. My intention was to go for a run before our briefing at 7 am.

As it turned out, I didn’t get my run (too much preparation to do for the day; and briefing was more like 7:30 am). It is a huge effort to organize a multitude of animal welfare folks (including humane agents, shelter workers, vet techs, and animal control officers) from all over the nation. We did not “convoy up” to leave the staging area until nearly 9 am. By that time, it was already hot.

Our convoy, consisting of all manner of vehicles from OHS’s white Investigations pickups with canopies to New Jersey’s high-tech looking black humane agent SUVs complete with GPS units  traveled down the emergency vehicle lane on the freeway heading for New Orleans. Through National Guard and police checkpoints, on and on (it is nearly an hour’s drive), until we finally arrived at the destroyed city.

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The scene was like a science fiction movie: soldiers armed with automatic rifles roaming the streets in groups, law enforcement vehicles of all sorts (including ours) everywhere, lights flashing; stark military helicopters flying frequently overhead. Downed branches and whole trees are everywhere. Power lines hang low overhead or completely downed and blocking some streets. We drove past houses with roofs blown off and windows broken while some houses appeared untouched. Billboards were torn up by the winds, their crumpled metal legs bent into giant spider creatures.

When we got to the final staging area inside the city, it was very hot. There was a nauseating smell of death that greeted us as we stepped out of our vehicles and into the sweltering day. We were divided into our teams and given a list of addresses where there were known companion animals left by their owners fleeing the hurricane wind and rising waters. My group consisted of Randy, Casey, René (all from OHS), and two great Louisiana SPCA officers, Loretta and Laura. These women were cool, deliberate, and professional in their approach to the job.

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As it turned out, we were to be burglars! That is, we would be breaking into the pet owners’ houses, with their permissions, to rescue their pets. Team member René, as a Portland firefighter, had lots of experience in getting into unoccupied, locked houses.She instructed us to gently pry but if all else fails, kicking a door open was acceptable. She was very good at sizing up the best entry point. We also got to witness Randy’s glass pane removal expertise….and creative ladder use.

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The wonderful ladder OHS brought came in very handy to climb up to a second-story bedroom left exposed when one whole wall was blown off by Katrina’s winds. Two cats were found in another portion of the house.

Of all the places we entered or walked by, my favorite was a third-floor apartment of a house that had messages glued to each of the many steps leading upstairs: “charity”, “honesty”, “insight”.….etc. The apartment itself was filled with colorful Mari Gras costumes, masks, and hundreds of strands of the shiny Mardi Gras beads.

All day we were accompanied by members of the press/television stations. They rode with us and in separate cars. They took many photos and lots of footage for TV reports. So watch for coverage on the news!

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We had 100 percent success in our rescue efforts. We recovered 19 cats, two of which were caught on the street when they came to see what we were doing at a house. All the cats were lovely, some scared, and all beloved by their families, who were forced to leave them behind.

At the end of the day, nearly 6 pm, we again met at the parking lot staging area where we had started. We transported all the cats to a large pet store in another part of the city, where all the other teams brought their rescued cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, birds, and one pot-bellied pig. The animals were seen by a vet or vet tech, and then loaded back into vehicles for the ride back to the large staging area’s “animal shelter”.

It’s almost 11 pm as I submit this. Unbelievable—at the moment I can’t hear any dogs barking! They must all be exhausted, as we all are. We hunkered down in our tents and vehicles to have a bit of rest before heading out again tomorrow.

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Day 3

September 5, 2005

(From Lt. Covey) After getting a few short hours of sleep, we were in the parking lot sorting our gear and getting ready for one more long day of driving. We decided to repack the trucks in a configuration that would allow quick deployment if necessary when we finally arrived in the New Orleans area. As we headed out into the sunrise for the final push, we were thinking about the 42 hours of driving behind us and the 10 or 12 more to go.

Day 1 & 2

September 3, 2005

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