ALL CATS KATRINA PET RESCUE UPDATE, SEPT.16,2005

All Cats Katrina Pet Rescue Update, Sept. 16, 2005
(c) 2005 Janice Price

Buddy, carrying his stuffed bone with the broken squeaker, wanders past the computer. His ears register the sound of new e-mail notification, and he wanders over to check the computer. He calls, excitedly, “Percy, come quick! It’s here. Jan just received another update on the All Cats Crew in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area.”

Before he finishes, Percy has leaped down from on top of the refrigerator, raced into the living room and leaped onto Jan’s secretarial chair. “It’s about time!” Percy grumbles, as he scans the message. “How can we update people when we don’t receive updates?”

Merci joins them, standing on tiptoe to read the message on the screen. “Calm down, Percy. Remember the All Cats Crew is busy rescuing animals – mainly cats and dogs, either left in homes when people fled the storm, or stranded when the homes were flooded or destroyed. If the animals are not rescued soon, they will die. So the Crew doesn’t have time to chitchat.”

Percy’s deft paws copy and paste the message into a Word document. He runs a spelling and grammar check, adds a title, and ….

“Wow, you’re good at this,” Buddy says, in awe of Percy’s agility on the keyboard. “I used to be able to type that fast, but then I grew up and my paws got so large I can’t hit the correct keys unless I take my time.”

Percy smiles. “That’s why I’m Secretary of the Funny Farm Writing Club.” In no time at all, he has the update posted to the Club’s journal.

“I don’t know about you,” Merci says with a grin, “but it sure feels good to be able to do something to help those poor animals along the Gulf Coast.”

“Yes,” Percy adds. “We aren’t well-known writers, so we don’t have a lot of readers on our site yet, but sharing our journal with All Cats temporarily is the least we can contribute to the relief effort.”

Buddy sighs. “We could contribute a whole lot more if we could just figure out where Jan hides her credit cards!”

Percy,
Secretary to the FFWC

All Creatures Are Truly Special, Inc. http://www.allcatsinc.org

We have delivered four tractor trailer loads of dog and cat food to New Orleans and Mississippi--wherever needed. FEMA has requested our services in Mobile AL, and we have a tractor trailer load ready to go directly to the shelters there.

We're still feeding more than 70 dogs and over 100 cats and kittens that are in safe places until their owners return. These owners have been contacted and know where their animals are.

The feral animals that are almost impossible to catch are being provided food and water in their own, familiar areas. We will not traumatize them further by trying to move them now that their home territories have been drained.

Since our last update, we have rescued another 3000+ dogs and 1800+ cats. 2088 of the dogs are back with their owners. 846 of the cats have been reunited with their people.

We have rescued 82 people with their pets. We also have 15 persons, 18 cats and 23 dogs living in our shelters in Valley. They will be provided with housing next week by the FEMA people. We also have 26 dogs and 30 cats that have been brought to Valley.
Again, since our last report, we have rescued over 100 head of cattle by getting them to dry land. A feed store donated food for them.

108 people have sent emails to Barry Harbin asking us to check their homes, entering by any means needed, to care for their animals. We have checked each location and reported back to the people who contacted us. We have provided food and water for all the animals we found. Most of the people are returning to their homes and animals next week.

You all have asked what else we need help with:

We always need a lot of money to purchase gasoline to keep all of these vital vehicles going! We are still the only animal rescue people operating boats. No one but us is helping the animals still surrounded by water. If we don't have gasoline, we won't be able to continue.

We have also rescued 36 horses, which will be turned over to the equine rescue groups. We have built temporary holding pens until the groups get to them. Money for building material is always needed.

We still need money to get that tractor trailer in to Mobile because it is sitting there ready to go--just need fuel. It also contains smaller cages for rescuing small dogs and cats.

Thank you all so very, very much for your help. Please try to continue your support as long and as much as you can. As you can tell, we urgently need financial support to continue helping all the animals which still need us.

You may donate in several ways:

1. Via PayPal using the special Katrina Crew link on our website.

2. Via Western Union to either Carolyn Keeton in Valley, AL or Barry Harbin in Albertville, AL. Be sure to send the Western Union confirmation number to Carolyn by calling her at -

3. By check/money order sent to Carolyn Keeton and made out to All C.A.T.S., Inc., and addressed to 4907 23rd Boulevard, Valley AL 36854.

4. To donate food or gas cards or any other items, contact Carolyn or Barry at the phone/email address described in No. 2 above.