Absinthe & Cookies (a bit bitter, a bit sweet)

"Best Friends" Volunteer Reports

Best Friends is a wonderful organization and they're doing amazing work trying to save New Orleans pets.

Time running out for our boat in St Bernard Parish

September 9, 2005 : 1:14 PM ET From Paul Berry: We had two teams out on boats on Thursday. Troy Snow has written about his crew in an earlier posting. Ours was similar, so I’ll keep this brief.

Our team was me and Dr. Debbie Rykoff DVM. Also aboard and helping out was a crew from the Salt Lake Tribune. Leah Hogsten took photos for the Trib and gave these to us. (Thanks, Leah.)

The thing I want to say is simply that there are thousands upon thousands of animals stuck out here, on car roofs, on porches, cats on roofs of houses. We saw no other animal rescue orgs anywhere. I know they’re all doing good work on the peripheries … but, oh man … you see and hear these fluff pieces on TV of people being reunited with their pets, and you look around out here on the boats at this vast, endless wasteland of toxic water and animals hanging on, 11 days after the hurricane, and their time is running out.

The only other boat we saw yesterday was an airboat from Fish & Game. They were scouting the ground behind. Rumors are they’re beginning to shoot the animals today. I believe these stories are now true. That’s what’s going to be happening.

These animals only have days at most, and are clinging to life. They are the forgotten ones. They’re emaciated, starved, dehydrated. Literally “water water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” Dr. Debbie revives them in the boat as they start to lose consciousness. Gives them fluids. All those we took yesterday have survived.

Keep us in your prayers,

Paul.

There's a message thread with information on how to help here.

Posted by Ithildin at September 9, 2005 3:36 PM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE