Field Notes | The Humane Society of the United States

	Field Notes

Nov. 13, 2008

Marion, Ind.


	HSUS field responder readies dog for transport. © The HSUS

Members of The HSUS Animal Rescue team have traveled to a shelter in Marion, Ind., to transport approximately 70 cats and dogs to other humane organizations in the region. Our assistance was requested by the Marion shelter, which is about to close its doors and had nowhere to take the animals who were being housed there.

HSUS Indiana State Director Anne Sterling began reaching out to our partner shelters and humane organizations in the area to find placement for these deserving animals.

These dogs and cats will travel in comfort to their temporary homes in The HSUS's custom-built animal transport vehicle. Once at their destinations, the animals will be checked by veterinarians and assessed for adoption. The future now looks bright for these once wayward animals.

If you're interested in adopting one of these animals in need, please contact Pet Refuge in Mishawaka, Ind.; Wayside Waifs in Kansas City, Mo.; Bloomington Animal Care & Control in Bloomington, Ind.; PAWS Chicago in Chicago, Ill.; or Animal Rescue League of Iowa in Des Moines, Iowa.

Oct. 22, 2008

Hardinsburg, Ky.

This week The HSUS Animal Rescue Team rescued nearly 70 animals from squalid conditions at a hoarding situation in Hardinsburg, Ky.


	Rescuers attempt to reach a caged dog.© Turner/The HSUS

Our Animal Rescue team was called in by Kentucky State Director Pam Rogers. We came to the aid of the Breckenridge County Animal Control to provide expertise, equipment and funding.

When the team arrived on Monday, our first order of business was to set up an emergency shelter at the local fairgrounds that would house all of the rescued animals. Once we had completed that task our team could focus on rescuing these animals from the living nightmare they had been forced to endure most of their lives.

Although I have seen many hoarders over the years, the classic effects of this situation never fail to horrify me. Hoarders are so out of touch with reality that they take in more animals than they can care for, which inevitably leads to pain and suffering for the animals involved.

This particular hoarder had been collecting dogs for years. She had amassed so many animals that she failed to provide them with veterinary care, proper nutrition or even the most basic socialization.


Terrier mix awaits rescue in Kentucky. © Turner/The HSUS

The dogs who we rescued were suffering from medical ailments stemming from long-term neglect. Most had extreme hair loss, parasite infestation or malnutrition. Some had obviously never experienced the warmth and kindness of human touch.

Some dogs were kept in an abandoned house, others in trailers throughout the property and many simply roamed loose. Conditions inside the abandoned house were among the most decrepit. The ceiling and floor of the house were caving in, and years of feces had hardened underfoot to create patches of uneven flooring several feet high in places. Many animals had been trapped in this house of horrors since birth—never breathing fresh air or running in the grass.

Rescuing these animals proved to be a difficult feat. Our team stretched its resources to the limits, and eventually called in the fire department to dismantle portions of the house in order to access three dogs trapped in tunnels they had burrowed underneath the floorboards. We went to great lengths to ensure that no animal was left behind.

At the end of the day, I walked through the emergency shelter with the images of the dogs' hellish lives still fresh in my mind. As I strolled the peaceful, quiet aisles those images began to fade, and I could finally imagine their world without suffering.

Oct. 9, 2008

The Fight Against Puppy Mills Continues

Our exhausted Animal Rescue team rested last night after raiding an unprecedented three puppy mills in the past week-and-a-half. The third raid, which was executed yesterday in Fairbanks, Ind. was set into motion by Indiana State Director Anne Sterling.

Sterling worked with local law enforcement officials for weeks to orchestrate this complicated mission. Her work paved the way for the rescue team to come in and save nearly 70 animals from a life of cruelty and neglect.


	Poodles at the Indiana puppy mill await rescue.© The HSUS/Crump

Local law enforcement was able to persuade the property owner to voluntarily surrender 52 dogs, 10 horses, four goats and one goat. All of these animals were in dire need of immediate medical care.

Nearly all of the dogs were rail thin and suffering from extreme skin conditions and open, infected sores. We found these dogs crowded crammed side-by-side into tiny pens.

From Poodles and Rat Terriers to Boxers and Doberman Pinschers—all of the dogs shared similar characteristics of puppy mill dogs. They were starving for both nourishment and human affection, but now they are on their way to starting happy new lives.

When planning for a puppy mill raid we initially expect to rescue mostly dogs, but in many cases we come upon abused animals of many different species. Today it was the horses we found on the property that really captured our hearts.

We took 10 horses off the property that suffered from a myriad of crippling injuries. One horse was missing an eye, two ponies were completely blind and several suffered from extreme lameness or broken legs. The friendship between one of the blind ponies and a lame mare was especially touching.

When we brought the two horses into their new stall at the emergency shelter it was obvious that the blind pony was disoriented, but hungry and thirsty.

The lame mare promptly calmed her stall-mate and guided her to the trough of fresh hay so that she could eat her fill. These horses had been neglected by the mill owner for so long that they had begun relying on each other to get by. I am comforted by the knowledge that these horses will now receive the care they have long been missing.


A volunteer carries three puppies rescued from the facility.© The HSUS/Crump

All 67 animals that we rescued today are now resting comfortably at the Sullivan County 4H Fairgrounds. Our team is working with humane organizations in the region to find them placement.

Many of the dogs will head to the Humane Society of Missouri Thursday to begin their new lives as pampered family pets.

During this rescue mission we were joined by Kathleen Summers, deputy director of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign (SPMC).

She provided crucial support and insight on behalf of the SPMC. The SPMC and Emergency Services have worked together increasingly in the past few months—and will continue to do so in our ramped up efforts to eradicate this hideous industry.

Sept. 27, 2008

Confronting Cruelty Across North America


	HSUS' Scott Wilson holds tight to a survivor. ©HSI Canada

Members of our Emergency Services department remain on the ground in Texas along with regional staff and HSUS volunteers seeing to the needs of hundreds of animals rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Unfortunately the widespread epidemic of animal suffering continues to call us into duty, this time in Canada.

We have been called to Montreal to supplement the work of Humane Society International (the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States) in a groundbreaking puppy mill bust. After weeks of collaboration with the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, today we raided an abusive breeding facility and rescued more than 100 dogs living in horrendous conditions.

This is thought to be the largest puppy mill raid in Quebec in more than 10 years, and these are among the most deplorable conditions that we have ever come across at a puppy mill. The dogs, ranging from Chinese Cresteds to Dogs de Bordeaux, were housed in tiny wire cages strewn throughout a dilapidated barn and home located on the property. These cages were stacked to the ceiling in some places, and filled with feces and mud. Ninety percent of the animals we rescued were nothing but skin and bones. Many were so frail that they could barely lift their heads as we carried them out to safety.

Our team found the skeletal remains of several dogs still locked inside their cages. This disturbing sight was a stark illustration of the deadly cycle of the puppy mill industry. These animals are born in their wire prisons, breed there—and ultimately die there if no one intervenes. Sadly, our help came too late for the mound of incinerated dogs that we found outside the home. These could possibly have been animals that were killed after they ceased to produce puppies.

I have lead many puppy mill raids during my career, but this may be the most disturbing facility I have ever set foot on. The scene in the ramshackle barn was especially gruesome. The conditions were so horrific that I am surprised we found any live animals in that structure. The barn was filled with wooden boxes and wire cages about four feet tall with no doors or openings. Several matted dogs were crammed into each filthy enclosure. The only way to get a dog in these cages would be to literally throw them in and seal the top behind them. The design of these enclosures made it almost impossible to get any food or water in to the dogs. I have never seen anything quite like this tangled maze of despair. We had to physically pry these death traps apart just to get the dogs out.

Things were not much better inside the house. We had to search in places that the average person would never dream of keeping a dog. Our team found animals in every nook and cranny of that house. At one point we rounded a corner to find a small closet door. Inside we found several cages of dogs crammed into the dank space. In the midst of these cages we found a plastic storage container sealed with a closed lid. Inside there was a small beagle who had been left there to die. We thought he had already passed away until he took several shallow breaths. He was rushed directly to the shelter for veterinary care, but he did not make it alive. The fact that this dog spent his last days inside a sealed plastic coffin will haunt me for the rest of my life.

The horrors inside the house culminated in the basement, where dogs were kept in a dungeon of wire hutches. The smell of feces and ammonia in this pit nearly overwhelmed our team as we struggled to free the dogs. I immediately noticed that one cage held a tiny Lhasa Apso puppy less than a week old who looked especially weak. As soon as I touched his ice-cold body I knew that he was fading fast. We rushed him back to the emergency shelter for the immediate care he so desperately needed. The shelter's vets have informed me that he has improved slowly over the past day, and is expected to make a full recovery. He is one of several dogs we saved who would not have survived another day of neglect and abuse.


Dogs at a U.S. puppy mill awaiting rescue from cramped cages earlier this year.© Riley/The HSUS

All 110 dogs who were rescued Friday were transported back to the emergency shelter, evaluated by a team of veterinarians and given necessary immediate medical attention. CSPCA's shelter was not equipped to take in such a large influx of additional dogs, so our team worked with CSPCA to convert a training facility into an emergency shelter where all of these rescued animals will be comfortably housed.

It is a true honor to work with CSPCA on this rescue mission. Alanna Devine, acting executive director of the CSPCA, has proven herself to be an especially courageous opponent of animal abuse. This rescue operation would have never happened without the perseverance and compassion of Rebecca Aldworth, director of animal programs for HSI Canada. She brought this case to our attention, and enabled us to come in and rescue these dogs.

I am eternally awed by the dedication of my entire team, many of whom have been in the field for seven weeks. It has been a long, emotionally taxing day, but I know that our work here will open the eyes of countless Canadians to the horrors of the puppy mill industry.

Sept. 19, 2008

Working Together to Save Animals
by Scotlund Haisley

After five days of intensive work at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET), our animal rescue team has been called to the Galveston County Animal Shelter (GCAS) to provide much-needed sheltering and rescue assistance. Galveston County was hit hardest by Hurricane Ike, and many communities are just becoming accessible to rescuers.


Sarah Frederick of HSSET with one of many dogs rescued from the Beaumont area. © The HSUS/Milani

When we arrived at HSSET, the shelter staff was overwhelmed by Ike and struggling to meet the needs of animals in danger after the storm.

The shelter's devoted staff and volunteers put aside the turmoil of their own lives to be there for the animals, but they could not do the job alone.

The HSUS came in to oversee rescue efforts, help with sheltering, and provide the resources to save hundreds of animals affected by the storm. Several members of our team will stay at HSSET until all rescue requests have been answered.

The rest are starting over again in Galveston, building a disaster response action plan from the foundation up. One of the major roadblocks in Galveston is the lack of space.


	An HSUS volunteer holds a puppy awaiting an exam by a veterinarian. © The HSUS/Milani

Because the shelter here is already near its maximum capacity, our team will build an extended emergency shelter on the property.

This new sheltering area will accommodate the rescued animals that we bring in.

Many areas near Galveston were inaccessible until mid-week. The GCAS has a list of rescue requests that they were unable to answer because of dangerous conditions and lack of resources.

A number of these requests are in nearby Bolivar Peninsula, which sustained widespread wind damage and as much as 10 feet of floodwater.

Our team is heading there today to rescue animals who have been trapped for nearly a week.

These rescues are a fight against time, and we are prepared to do everything necessary to get these desperate animals out before it’s too late.

Sept. 18, 2008

After the Waters Recede, Devastation and Hope
by Scotlund Haisley


HSUS rescue staff carry a small dog through the window of a damaged house. © The HSUS/Milani

On Wednesday, many animals our teams found were deteriorating after days without food or water, making us even more determined to bring more animals into the safety of the shelter.

The Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET) shelter is close to capacity once again, and shelter staff and volunteers have converted a large storeroom into a new area for rescued animals. We welcomed the arrival of three veterinarians at HSSET. In addition to vaccinating animals and giving medical exams, they helped the dachshund we rescued Tuesday give birth to six healthy puppies. The timing of our rescue couldn't have been better—these puppies would have been unlikely to survive if the mother gave birth while trapped in a dirty, sweltering house with no food or water.

We also received good news yesterday that we could finally gain access to the devastated community of Sabine Pass. As we drove in, I felt the familiar hope and enthusiasm that grips me before every mission. Our team was eager to rescue animals who had faced the brunt of Ike's fury, with water as high as 20 feet in this beachfront area. But my heart began to sink after just a few minutes in Sabine Pass. There was still water standing in many areas, and debris and mud covered the ground. Venomous snakes slithered across sidewalks, alligators sunned themselves and cattle walked through the streets. Although we were able to save some companion animals, most animals left behind there had drowned as the Gulf of Mexico swallowed the community. The sad situation reminded us of the importance of planning for pets before disasters strike.

From High Ground to Welcoming Arms

While this discovery dampened the team's spirits, we were revived by one particularly heart-wrenching rescue in Sabine Pass. When we first arrived, the National Guard informed us that there were goats trapped at the high school. Once we reached the school, we saw that the goats had escaped the floodwaters by climbing atop a 20-foot brick wall near the entrance.

The waters had receded, but the goats were too terrified to come down from their perch and remained there, despite the lack of food or water. With patience and a gentle touch we coaxed the goats down from the wall where they had taken refuge for nearly a week.


	A woman is reunited with her pet goat after the storm. © The HSUS/Milani

Local residents who witnessed the rescue knew the animals' guardian and contacted her immediately. This woman had lost most of her possessions to Ike, but couldn't bear the thought of losing her pets as well. She thanked our team as she hugged one of the goats and cried softly into her fur. Being able to deliver these animals safely to their loving family was a joyous occasion. No matter how mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted we may be, the experience of reuniting animals with their grieving families allows us to get up every day and do it all over again.

Sept. 17, 2008

A Powerful Mission to Rescue Animals
by Scotlund Haisley

On Tuesday our rescue team split up to answer the increasing number of calls to our shelter's hotline. Most of the calls we've received are in the Beaumont area. We learned that many residents who evacuated the city by bus would not return for days. Even if their neighborhoods were accessible, there are not enough buses to bring them home yet.


	HSUS responder Meredith Shields feeds a chained pitbull. © The HSUS/Von Gontard

With this news making our rescue mission even more pressing, our team members have come together with dramatic results.

Our trailer transporting animals from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET) to the SPCA of Texas arrived in Dallas safely, unloaded the animals, and returned to Beaumont for use in local rescues. On Tuesday we brought in nearly 100 animals from the Beaumont area, including a mother cat with newborn kittens and a very pregnant dachshund who will give birth any day.

We took a hotline call from a concerned neighbor about horses stranded in standing water. I brought along an experienced large animal handler and a horse trailer to answer the call.

When we arrived, the scene was worse than we expected. The 12 horses on the property had been standing in floodwater for some time—they were encrusted with mud and highly agitated. But one horse's appearance truly alarmed us.


A neglected horse gets a much-needed meal. © The HSUS/Milani

The sorrel mare was skeletal. Her dingy coat was stretched tightly over her ribs and her withers stood out from her frame. It was obvious that this horse was starving to death and had been for some time.

Our team was so concerned that we called the local police department to explore cruelty charges. With their support, we loaded up the emaciated mare and brought her back to HSSET.

The mare has quickly become a shelter favorite. After securing her in a large fenced area, we immediately brought her fresh hay. Everyone gathered to watch her devour the food, probably the first she had consumed in days. She ate for an hour without pause, and then drank deeply of the fresh water we provided. Thanks to our intervention, this neglected horse is on her way to recovery.

We received another call from a Red Cross volunteer alerting us to an urgent rescue request from an evacuee, whose dogs had been trapped since Thursday without food or water. The long day was coming to a close, but we pushed on to help these animals.

Into the Field

Upon arrival we found bars on all the doors and windows of the house. I pried the bars and broke a window to gain entry. Inside we found two traumatized, hungry and dehydrated dogs. With patience and persistence we calmed them enough to take them in our arms and carry them out of the house. They will be well cared for at our shelter until their grateful guardian can retrieve them.

Although our rescue efforts here are not yet complete, the number of animals we were able to rescue in just one day is amazing. I see these efforts as a victory for our team and for the 100 animals that we delivered from an uncertain future into safety.

Sept. 16, 2008

Sustenance and Safety for Animals Left Behind

by Scotlund Haisley

Our ongoing rescue and response efforts in Southeast Texas have been extremely complex, with limited resources of fuel, food and communication. But we know that for many animals, we are their best hope for surviving the aftermath of the storm. We've taken calls from evacuated residents who sighed with relief to hear their animals are safe, and we've helped other animals in need along the way.

Before dawn this morning we loaded some 100 animals from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET) into our transport trailer. While the animals made their journey to the SPCA of Texas in Fort McKinney near Dallas, our teams set out once again into ravaged communities to rescue more in need.


Scotlund Haisley with one of many dogs The HSUS's team has helped in Texas. © The HSUS/Milani

Today our search teams are combing Beaumont and Orange City, and we've encountered animals ranging from dogs and cats to rabbits and horses, as well as alligators in the streets. We are bringing animals who need veterinary care back to the HSSET shelter while providing food and water for healthy animals and planning to return to check on them. Their gratitude is evident in the purrs, licks and wagging tails that greet us. The nearby community of Sabine Pass has been unreachable due to deep, fast-flowing water that would be unsafe for our boats to navigate. The HSUS team is working on securing access to this heavily flooded area to assess the needs of animals there.

Tonight, after our second day of search and rescue, I know that we will sleep well even if it is just for a few hours. We will be comforted by the thoughts of the animals we were able to save today, and we’re looking forward to those yet to come.

Sept. 15, 2008

Help Arrives after Ike

Jordan Crump, public information officer for emergency services at The HSUS, is part of our 20-member team of disaster specialists deployed to help the animal victims of Hurricane Ike. This is her account of the group's arrival.

Beaumont, Texas—It has already been a long, arduous journey, and our rescue efforts have just begun. Several team members had been stationed in Louisiana with rescue vehicles since our Hurricane Gustav relief efforts two weeks ago. They came together with others from across the country to form a cadre of specially trained animal rescuers.

Our trip was slowed by airport closings, flight cancellations, highway detours, and difficult driving conditions—but we finally made it to the flood zone. As our teams entered Houston we found deserted streets and military checkpoints at every turn. We had to reroute our convoy several times due to floodwaters on major highways. As we crossed over bridges, we saw below us wide expanses of water-filled streets, sidewalks and yards. The few residents who had ignored evacuation orders and stayed behind were just beginning to emerge from their homes to assess the damage.

The closer we got to the coast, the more devastation we saw. Power lines were snapped, glass was shattered, roofs were laid bare of their shingles, and mountains of debris were everywhere. At first, signs of life dotted the landscape—a diner with hot food or gas stations miraculously left with power, but as we continued to drive the resources became fewer until just one gas station in every 50 miles was open. The lines of cars stretched around whole blocks, waiting for fuel that had suddenly become so scarce.


The HSUS's animal transport vehicle, which can carry up to 200 animals, on the ground in Texas. ©The HSUS/ Milani

As we entered the flood zone we were stopped frequently by law enforcement blockades to keep residents from entering the danger zone.

Our team's credentials allow us to enter with vehicles and gear to rescue animals stranded by the flood. Each team member who goes into the flood zone wears a dry suit to protect them from contaminated water, a top-quality life vest and other crucial protective gear.

This equipment, along with years of training and experience, allows us to rescue animals left in perilous situations. When we arrived at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, the shelter was without power, and its 125 cats and dogs needed homes. Many of the animals—dogs especially—were on edge after riding out the storm. Although the sturdy brick shelter is on high ground, the animals still faced the pelting rain and howling winds of Ike. Several workers stayed behind to comfort the animals as the shelter went dark.

The dedicated staff and volunteers at the shelter are an amazing group. Many of them can’t return to their flooded homes and are living on the premises while caring for these animals. Although their lives are in turmoil, they have banded together to ensure that the shelter’s animals receive proper care.

It is a great honor to be the first group on the ground coming to the aid of these committed animal advocates.

Sept. 11, 2008

Residents in Path of Hurricane Ike Urged to Plan for Pets' Safety

Hurricane Ike is picking up speed and may become a Category 4 hurricane by Saturday - bringing heavy rains and strong winds to residents of the Texas coast. The Humane Society of the United States strongly urges all pet owners in the path of the storm to plan ahead for the safety of their animal companions.

A state of emergency has been issued in Texas, and thousands of residents have already begun to prepare for potential evacuation orders. Ike is expected to make landfall near Freeport, Texas in the early morning hours of September 13. Hurricanes and tropical storms pose significant safety threats, and evacuations are common during these storms.

"Be prepared to take pets with you when evacuation orders are issued," advised Lou Guyton, director of the Southwest Regional Office of The HSUS. "If it isn't safe for you, it isn't safe for them. If you are ordered to take shelter in your home, bring your pets inside with you."

The failure to plan for your pets' safety can lead to tragedy. During Hurricane Katrina residents were forced to abandon dogs, cats and other animals by the tens of thousands. Fortunately, you can take simple steps to ensure that your pets will not be left in a dangerous situation.

The HSUS suggests that all pet owners have an emergency supply kit for their pets, including:

A three-day supply of food and drinking water, as well as bowls, cat litter and a container to be used as a litter box.
Current photos and descriptions of pets.
Up-to-date identification, including an additional tag with the phone number of someone out of the area in the event the pet becomes lost.
Medications, medical records and a first aid kit stored in a waterproof container.
Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely as well as blankets or towels for bedding and warmth. Carriers should be large enough to comfortably house your pet for several hours or even days.

For more information about disaster preparedness, click here.

Sept. 6, 2008

Happy Endings

by Scotlund Haisley

Although Hurricane Gustav has come and gone, the work of The HSUS in Louisiana is not yet complete. Members of our animal rescue team remain on the ground caring for displaced animals—ensuring that they all make their way safely back to the Crescent City.


	An NDART volunteer cares for one of the dogs housed at the Shreveport shelter.© The HSUS

Last week The HSUS was able to evacuate animals belonging to first responders and take them to safety at the emergency shelter in Baton Rouge.

We kept our promise to ensure the safety of these animals during the storm, and we're now taking them back to their relieved guardians.

Our rescue team loaded 31 dogs and three cats onto our specially designed animal transport vehicle to make the journey back to New Orleans on Friday afternoon.

As we pulled into the LASPCA, one of the guardians of these animals—a first responder—was there waiting for the return of her beloved pets.

After almost a week's separation, joy and relief radiated from both her and her animals when they saw eachother. This is the happy ending that we hope for every time our team responds to a rescue mission.

I wish I could be there now to witness these touching reunions, but with several potentially devastating storms on the horizon I am busy planning our next steps. We are currently monitoring Hanna, Ike, and Josephine, and preparing our rescue teams to deploy wherever we are needed. With team members and volunteers across the country ready to respond at a moment’s notice, I know that we will be prepared for whatever comes our way.

Sept. 3, 2008

Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Watch the Slideshow»

by Scotlund Haisley


	An evacuee and his two dogs take a walk around the emergency animal shelter in Shreveport.© The HSUS Watch the slideshow»

Today, after nearly a week of conducting evacuations and caring for animals displaced by Hurricane Gustav, our animal rescue teams are disbanding to prepare for the flurry of tropical storms headed our way. As I look back over this rescue mission I am impressed by the efficiency and control that was shown throughout the past week.

While Gustav proved to be less destructive than expected, the pre-emptive animal evacuations conducted in New Orleans and its surrounding parishes will no doubt be used as a model for preparation in the future. I am honored our team had the opportunity to be a part of this successful, ground-breaking operation.

The many differences between animal welfare preparedness for Katrina and those employed for Gustav really came into focus for me today as I witnessed families leaving the Shreveport shelter along with their animals in tow. These families and others like them will no longer have to make a decision between their own safety and that of their pets.

One family that I spoke to today had to leave their pug Beaux behind when they evacuated before Hurricane Katrina. His family then had to endure weeks of uncertainty and grief before they were finally reunited with their beloved dog. Now, just a few years later, this family’s evacuation experience was revolutionized.

So much has happened in the field of emergency response since Katrina. That storm highlighted the critical need to evacuate pets and their families together, because so many people will not leave without them. Federal, state, and local authorities and legislators took notice.

One of the most significant steps the country has taken on this front is to pass the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act. The law, initiated by The HSUS, requires state and local plans to include provisions for household pets and service animals to qualify for federal emergency funds.

Today, Beaux and his family were able to evacuate as a family and avoid the heartbreak of separation. To me, Beaux and his family represent the new standard of animal disaster preparedness. I felt great joy as I oversaw their journey—watching them all arrive together at the shelter and play together on the lawn with the other evacuees and their pets to finally seeing them all head home together this morning. Beaux’ wagging stub of a tail and the relief and happiness of his family are the best rewards for a job well done preparing for Hurricane Gustav.

Now our rescue team will take a few days to rest and prepare themselves for the next mission. Whatever the disaster, we will always be ready to act as long as animals are in need.

Sept. 2, 2008

Getting Out Together

by Wayne Pacelle

Disasters are never good for animals, and Gustav is leaving a trail of destruction and—as follows—despair and suffering. But it was a new day in terms of preparation for the storm, for people and for animals, thanks in part to the awareness, lessons, and lawmaking that followed in Katrina's wake.

The HSUS had been in the field preparing for days before (you can follow our work here), and I've asked Scotlund Haisley, our senior director for Emergency Services, to give a dispatch.

Read the rest on Wayne's blog»

Sept. 1, 2008

Pet Evacuations Have Saved Lives

by Scotlund Haisley

Communities have been evacuating in the face of dangerous natural disasters for untold generations, but this week's evacuation efforts were unique in their progressive focus on animal evacuation. This is being called by many the most extensive and efficient mass evacuation in U.S. history, and The HSUS is proud to have been a part of it. State and local officials planned years in advance to prevent the extreme loss of animal lives seen during Katrina. And now, almost three years to the day after Katrina bore down upon the Gulf Coast, we are putting these crucial plans to the test—with The HSUS working under the authority of the Louisiana SPCA and LSART, the Louisiana Animal Rescue Team. Lessons learned from Katrina have undoubtedly spurred both state and local officials to include animals in new emergency preparedness plans. Residents are being allowed in most cases to bring their animals along with them to the increasing number of shelters in the area accepting both human and animal evacuees. Whether they are leaving the city by plane, train or automobile—the residents of the Crescent City and its outlying parishes are taking their animals with them in large numbers as they flee the fury of Gustav.

Aug. 31, 2008: The HSUS helped evacuate some 25 pets like Spanky from the New Orleans Evacuation Center who belong to first responders. The responders' pets will be sheltered in Baton Rouge for the duration of the storm.© The HSUS/Kathy Milani

While the increased focus on animal evacuation has been amazing, our team was asked again today to assist animals who had nowhere else to turn. This morning we responded to a call for assistance from Animal Rescue New Orleans animal shelter (ARNO). Once we reached the site our crew loaded up the animals of the ARNO shelter. These animals would have otherwise been left behind in the potentially deadly storm. Thanks to the efforts of our team, all of the ARNO animals are now resting safely in Folsom, La. After we loaded all of the animals from ARNO our team was anxious to head over to the New Orleans airport. Thankfully, we found that virtually all companion animals had been evacuated with their guardians, just as officials had planned. We were told that one cage of birds and one dog had been left behind at the airport, but were subsequently taken to safety.

Our last mission of the day was by far the most moving of this deployment. We were summoned to the New Orleans Evacuation Center for one more last-minute rescue. Our team received orders to transport the very last truckload of animals leaving New Orleans for higher ground. Most of these animals belong to first responders—individuals staying behind to weather the storm and look out for the safety of others. While they are risking their own lives for the greater good, they aren't willing to risk the safety of their companion animals. It is truly an honor to put their minds at ease and promise them that we will deliver their pets to safety. (Watch the video below) While I can’t be certain just how many animals still remain in the city, I do know that the increased focus on pet evacuation has saved countless vulnerable animals from a certain death.

As we wait out the storm, we hope that Gustav spares the Gulf Coast a devastating blow, but know that we will be there to respond to the animals in need whatever the storm brings.

August 31, 2008

Mandatory Evacuation: More Animals Transported to Safety

New Orleans Evacuation Center: The HSUS continues to aid in the evacuation of animals in advance of Hurricane Gustav.

August 31, 2008

The HSUS Aids in Evacuation in Advance of Gustav

As the Gulf Coast braces for the impact of extremely powerful Hurricane Gustav, The Humane Society of the United States has teams fanned out across Louisiana to assist in the effort to get animals out of harm's way.

The HSUS is operating under the authority of the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry through the Louisiana SPCA and Louisiana State Animal Rescue Team (LSART). The HSUS Animal Rescue Team is fully deployed to the region.

Some of the activities over the past 48 hours include:

Assisting in the operation of an evacuation shelter in Shreveport, La. where people and pets will ride out the storm. More than 300 animals are there as of Sunday morning, with hundreds more expected as mandatory evacuation orders go into effect.
Evacuating 83 dogs from the animal shelter in Lake Charles to Caddo Parish's animal shelter.
Evacuating 25 pets from the New Orleans Evacuation Center. Most of these animals belong to first responders. They will be sheltered in Baton Rouge for the duration of the storm.
Assisting with evacuating 56 dogs and 100 cats from Jefferson Parish's animal shelter to the shelter in Panama City, Fla.
Responding to an urgent request today from Animal Rescue New Orleans to evacuate 100 animals from their shelter in New Orleans to Folsom, La.

Over the last few days The HSUS deployed three transport rigs and a team of dozens of trained animal disaster responders, including rescuers and sheltering experts.

HSUS personnel will remain in Louisiana throughout the storm to be available to assist the lead agencies in rescue and recovery efforts. Additional personnel are on standby for immediate deployment after the storm.

"The Humane Society of the United States stands ready to assist the people and animals of the Gulf region as they face Hurricane Gustav," said Scotlund Haisley, HSUS senior director of Emergency Services. "We are grateful to government officials who have included pets in their planning and implementation of evacuation orders. The evacuation is not perfect, but it is a vast improvement over what we saw before Hurricane Katrina."

Haisley also applauded the work of the Louisiana SPCA and their quick response in evacuating their shelter three days in advance of any mandatory evacuation orders. Haisley also praised LSART and other national humane organizations that are participating in the efforts to get as many animals as possible away from areas that will experience high winds and flooding.

"We are very concerned by the accelerated path of the storm, the likely area of impact so close to heavily populated areas, and Gustav's growing size and intensity," said Haisley.

The movement of homeless animals out of animal shelters along the Gulf Coast and into shelters further inland will stress the resources of those facilities. The HSUS urges Americans to consider adopting a dog or cat from your local animal shelter to make room for the homeless animals coming out of the Gulf Coast region.

August 30, 2008

Video: Before Disaster Strikes: Evacuating Animals in New Orleans

The HSUS evacuates more than 200 dogs and cats from the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter before Hurricane Gustav makes landfall.

August 30, 2008, 6:32 p.m.

Jefferson Parish, La.
by Scotlund Haisley


	August 30,2008: Devan Schembri with Chuck (pictured) and Billie, a lab, are leaving New Orleans and heading to Texas ahead of Gustav.©The HSUS/Kathy Milani

As Hurricane Gustav, now a Category 4 storm, continues on a course towards the Gulf Coast, many residents and the animal care community are preparing for the potentially deadly impact. The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA) in New Orleans and a number of other humane organizations in the Gulf Coast region made the decision to evacuate their animals. Others are expected to follow suit as Gustav nears.

Today, evacuees streamed out of New Orleans and surrounding areas. Called in to help, members of our animal rescue team moved in to ensure that the city's most vulnerable residents aren't left behind. Our team is determined to help get as many animals to safety as possible before the storm hits.

After only ten minutes on the ground in Louisiana, we saw responsible guardians evacuating with their pets. At the airport and car rental outlet, residents told me that leaving their pets behind simply wasn't an option. One resident, Devan Schembri, was especially adamant that his pit bull Chuck, who was rescued during Katrina, would not weather another storm alone.

We have brought along the equipment and personnel necessary to make sure that the animals of Gustav do not face the same fate that they did during Hurricane Katrina. All three of our 75-foot animal transport vehicles—one from our headquarters in Washington, D.C., and two from Florida—have arrived in Louisiana today equipped with all of the animal handling and rescue equipment we will need for pre and post-storm rescues.

One of the vehicles drove to the Lake Charles, La., animal control facility to transport the 200 animals there to an emergency animal shelter in Shreveport. The second vehicle was reserved for evacuation assistance in neighboring parishes. I led the remaining transport truck to the Jefferson Parish shelter, where our help was needed to move more than 200 animals in the shelter to the animal control facility of Panama City, Fla.

With the bulk of parish resources directed at people and owned pets, the animals of the Jefferson Parish animal shelter were especially vulnerable. The shelter's Animal Care Specialist Jen Huber called on us to help get the animals to safety. Our team was joined by a small team of volunteers who delayed their own evacuation to ensure the safety of the homeless pets of the Jefferson Parish animal shelter.


	August 30,2008: Kadrell Batiste and Raynell Swan at the New Orleans airport with Snickers and Baby. They are heading to Florida with their pets. ©The HSUS/Jordan Crump

Louise, a young Golden Retriever mix, was the first dog who I loaded onto the truck. At first she seemed uneasy, then seemed to understand we were there to deliver her to safety. Many of the dogs acted exited as they were taken from their cages and lead into our air-conditioned transport vehicles for their long ride to safety. I hate to imagine what would have happened if shelter Director Lee Ann Matherne and Huber had not been looking out for the safety of these animals.

After hours of effort we finally loaded the last cat onto our transport trailer, locked up the doors and watched as it headed off for higher ground. Even though I know we have much work ahead of us I was relieved to see those animals, whose future had looked so uncertain just a few hours before, make their way to safety.

Now our team will head off to other rescue missions in the Crescent City, where most of the restaurants and hotels in New Orleans have already closed their doors. It's hard to predict what will happen next, but I know that we will do everything in our power to help a preparing Gulf Coast get its animals to safety.

August 25, 2008

On a Mission to Stop Puppy Mills

by Scotlund Haisley

Puppy mill owners be warned: The HSUS is taking you on one at a time. We have shut down two puppy mills this summer and have no plans to retreat in our fight to eradicate this insidious industry. The latest mass breeding facility to be shut down by our team is the Whispering Oaks Kennel in Parkersburg, W.Va. With a population of 1,000 dogs, it is one of the largest puppy mill rescue operations ever undertaken in the country.


© The HSUS/Milani

The Task Ahead

The local humane society contacted The HSUS's Eastern Mountain regional director, Ann Church, who set the wheels in motion for this operation.

We were then brought in as the lead agency and assisted the local prosecuting attorney, sheriff and humane society in every stage of planning for this complex case.

Once we learned of the operation's magnitude we called upon the Humane Society of Missouri and United Animal Nations to assist us in accomplishing this heady goal. From logistics and field rescue to sheltering and volunteer management—our team worked together as a cohesive unit to bring these animals out of the darkness of neglect and into the light of hope.

When we entered the facility Saturday morning with local officials I knew that we had an uphill battle ahead of us. Our goal was to get the animals off the property as quickly as possible, and the easiest way to do that was through an owner relinquishment. When it seemed unlikely that the owner would give up all of the dogs, the county prosecutor turned to The HSUS for assistance.


Many of the puppies were just days, or hours old .© The HSUS/Milani

After the HSUS investigations director and I walked the prosecutor through the property—pointing out instances of abuse and neglect—she had the ammunition she needed to convince the owner to relinquish all animals from the mill.

Harsh Reality

After seeing the sheer number of dogs kept at Whispering Oaks I knew that we could waste no time in rescuing these animals from a lifetime of factory production. We had to remove all 1,000 dogs from the property within two days. Timing was crucial, especially for the puppies—many just a few hours old. From cage to cage, we witnessed the same scene: desperate dogs huddled together in near darkness—some with no access to water in the scorching 95-degree heat. I saw one emaciated dachshund disappear completely into his empty water bucket, searching in vain for any available water. This had been the everyday reality for dogs on this property since 1966, but no more.

Team Effort

On the first day our team was able to rescue 300 dogs from the property—leaving 700 to be removed the following day. Throughout the second day it was clear to me that the dogs had begun to sense the compassion of humans—something that they may not have encountered before. Their newly acquired trust allowed us to remove them with increased efficiency. It was truly an astounding moment when the team hit its stride, and we were able to remove the 300 dogs from one area of the compound in just an hour's time.

Our shelter staff recruited local and national volunteers, as well asveterinarians and veterinary technicians to ensure that every animal brought into the shelter was identified, examined, medically treated and comfortable. I am still amazed by the outpouring of support we received during this rescue mission. Several of the veterinarians chose to close their private practices in order to come to our aid. The shelter was teeming with NDART and UAN volunteers who came in from across the country to help these dogs. Media outlets ranging from the local paper to the Washington Post were on hand to document the rescue. The county prosecutor took time out of her schedule to come by and volunteer with her teenaged daughter. Even locals who couldn't volunteer came by in droves to drop off donated items and ask about adopting the newly freed dogs.

And Then There Was One

After all of the dogs were removed from the property, I began searching the emergency shelter for one dog whose rescue had especially moved me. She was a grey Lahsa Apso, about seven years old, who had probably birthed dozens of puppies every year. Just like all puppy mill breeding stock, this dog had been seen as a money-making machine her whole life.


The animals were checked by veterinarians at the emergeny shelter.© The HSUS/Milani

It's likely that her only previous human contact was to be scruffed while her babies were plucked off of her before she was thrown into a lonely cage to start the whole process over again.

She was the last nursing mother I took off the property, and as I approached her she seemed to know that her suffering had ended. She waited patiently as I lifter her out of her cage and placed her on the grass.

It was obvious by her reaction that she had never felt the earth below her paws before, and at first it seemed like she was almost afraid of this new sensation. As she began to take a few tentative steps into freedom, I made her a promise that she would never birth another puppy.

August 4, 2008


	Dogs wait for rescue at overburdened Arkansas sanctuary.© The HSUS/Turner

The Humane Society of the United States Rescues Dogs from Overwhelmed Arkansas Sanctuary

Almyra, Ark. — The Humane Society of the United States has deployed trained animal-welfare experts to assist with removing more than 80 dogs from an overcrowded sanctuary in Almyra, Ark. The facility owner voluntarily surrendered the animals, who were being housed in cramped outdoor kennels with little protection from the elements.

"The sanctuary owner had good intentions when she took in these animals, but over time she got in over her head and was unable to care properly for all of the dogs," said Lou Guyton, director of the Southwest Regional Office of The HSUS. "It is a great relief to know that these dogs will soon be on their way to a humane organization equipped to meet their needs and help them find permanent homes."

The HSUS took on this mission at the request of local officials, and is being assisted by the Stuttgart Police department, the Arkansas County Sheriff's department and Little Rock Animal Services.

The dogs, who were living in dirt and mud, with just tattered tarps for shade, were subsequently transported to a nearby emergency shelter set up by The HSUS. They will be checked by a veterinarian and given any necessary medical care before starting on the next leg of their life-changing journey.

The HSUS reached out to the Dallas-based SPCA of Texas which will be taking most of the dogs back to their shelter in McKinney on Wednesday. Once they arrive at the SPCA shelter the dogs will be evaluated and put up for adoption.

Today marks a new beginning for these deserving animals. The dogs will now have the opportunity to become the cherished family pets they were always meant to be.


	Dogs were living in filth before being rescued from a hoarder. © The HSUS

July 24, 2008

Helping Rescue Dogs from Ohio Hoarding Situation

LISBON, Ohio—The Humane Society of the United States has deployed members of its Animal Rescue team to assist in the removal of approximately 130 dogs from a hoarding situation in Lisbon, Ohio. These dogs were housed in highly unsanitary conditions with little or no access to fresh food or water, in violation of Ohio animal cruelty laws.


Ohio State Director Dean Vickers rescues dog during hoarding case. © The HSUS

"Unfortunately, like all hoarding cases that we respond to, this individual amassed so many animals that she could no longer care for them properly," said Dean Vickers, Ohio state director for The HSUS. "These dogs endured deplorable conditions. I am hopeful that this day will mark a new beginning for all of these animals."

The HSUS was called in to assist the Columbiana County Sherriff's Office, the Columbiana County Humane Society and several other humane organizations on this rescue mission. When The HSUS entered the property we found approximately 130 Manchester and Rat terriers. The dogs were living in the property owner's house, inside trailers and in cramped wire kennels spread throughout the site – many living in piles of their own feces and amongst a significant rodent infestation.

Members of the HSUS team swiftly removed all dogs from the residence and transported them to a nearby emergency shelter. They are now being medically evaluated, treated and settled in while they await their next destination.

Thankfully the hoarder has surrendered ownership of most of the dogs. They will now be taken in by humane organizations and evaluated for adoption or placed in foster care. Because of the dedicated efforts of the HSUS team, local officials and volunteers these animals now have the opportunity to become the dogs they were always meant to be.

In the past year The HSUS has responded to dozens of hoarding and cruelty situations nationwide.

July 14, 2008


	HSUS rescue team member with goat saved from the fires. ©The HSUS

We have deployed staff and volunteers to Oroville, Calif. to respond to the deadly wildfires that continue to rage in the area. These wildfires have destroyed about 100 homes and forced thousands of residents to evacuate in the past three weeks. HSUS staff members have been monitoring the wildfires over the past week and have sent personnel to provide expert assessment of the affected area, support the operation of the emergency animal shelter and determine the need for additional HSUS staff and equipment. Nearly 300 animals are currently being housed in an emergency shelter in Oroville. Residents are steadily coming in to reclaim their animals as they are permitted to return to their homes. Any animals not reclaimed will be sent to local humane organizations and put up for adoption.

Find out more about the animal rescue work being done in California.

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