Edwin says "Thank You"

In the early morning hours of Thursday, July 22, Doll Stanley along with the rest of the Project Hope staff and with help from Lisa Martin, began loading a truck with 57 dogs and 12 kittens for another transport to Every Creature Counts (ECC) in Denver. Doll and Lisa would shoulder the responsibility of safely transporting these animals to Denver, but the additional help in loading everyone up was welcomed.

This transfer of the animals to our adoption partners in Denver couldn’t happen soon enough. The spring and summer months have hit Mississippi shelters hard with record numbers of animals being abandoned and surrendered.

Despite the heat and a few glitches with the truck, the trip to Denver went well. Upon arrival, Every Creature Counts staff was waiting to help off-load. Many of the animals from this trip were in adoption centers this past weekend and ECC reports that several have already been placed into loving homes.

These transports are always special, but this one was made even more special because of several notable animals and their stories that were aboard this transport:

Sarah Louise found her way to Project Hope just two short months ago. Her face was horribly disfigured – all the skin had been eaten away by demodectic mange. Coal, the nearly hairless, starving puppy rescued on a dirt road near Union, MS. Queen, rescued and cared for by our friend and colleague Debbie Young. Will was one of nine dogs transferred from the Bolivar Cleveland Animal Shelter in cleveland, MS. Scores of dogs from this shelter have been adopted through these efforts. Edwin was rescued by a friend and volunteer Billy Halfacre. Edwin suffered a mangled front leg that had to be amputated. Ottie, Miss Priss, and Blue knew only deprivation in the clutches of the hoarder who keep them. The world of compassion they now know wasn’t even conceivable a few months ago.

Our work is a team effort and we want to thank everyone who helped us with not only these animals, but all the animals we’ve had a hand in rescuing over the years.

Doll Stanley has been rescuing animals in Mississippi since 1992.

On July 10, 2010, Debbie Young, a friend of IDA-Project Hope, and three volunteers went to a Mississippi residence we had inspected on July 4. Debbie had discovered that one of our fellow rescuers was actually a hoarder. She’d tried the gentle approach to convince the individual that the animals she was keeping were in need of intervention. Animals were everywhere – at her residence, the residence of her former husband, and at his office. She seemed content to keep them in horrid conditions. She was respected by many of her colleagues and had managed to shield her scandalous neglect of animals from everyone.

Debbie and I learned that dogs this “rescuer” had taken in after hurricanes Katrina and Rita were still at a boarding facility. I encountered some of them when we boarded dogs from another hoarder.

There were no plans for the adoption of these dogs and several needed immediate attention. One had a huge growth on his side, and a blind Border Collie ran continuous circles in his tormentingly narrow run. His companion had become ill and died a few months earlier. This so-called rescuer had been notified that he was ill and had not acted. An elderly crippled dog suffered the winter on the cold concrete of the run where she was confined.

Debbie got a call from Mississippi Animal Rescue League (MARL) after a deputy reported that animals at the hoarder’s residence were being neglected. MARL asked Debbie to look into the allegations, as she had known the resident for some time. Debbie was horrified and emotionally devastated when she saw the putrid, filthy conditions. Most were in cages laden with feces and soaked with urine.

Debbie advised that great embarrassment and legal ramifications could be avoided if the woman we’d known as a friend would release the majority of the animals for adoption, care for those remaining as they should be cared for, and allow home inspections.

Debbie contacted the organization with which the woman was affiliated. The director was shocked that the individual she’d entrusted with animals was unequivocally a hoarder. The organization sent a rescue team to retrieve the animals.

Nearly 100 have been freed from their nightmarish conditions, and there are still more to rescue. We thank MARL, another group that wishes to remain anonymous, and everyone involved in unveiling this tragic situation and stepping up with a resolution to rehabilitate and place every animal who has any hope of adoption. For those who suffered and were humanely released from their misery, we can only say how very vigilant we all need to be when entrusting animals to anyone’s care.

The hoarder has been advised that charges will not be filed if she immediately seeks therapy, agrees to inspections of the sites where the animals were held, and does not increase the number of animals in her care.

This blog was contributed by Doll Stanely, Director for In Defense of Animals / Project Hope.

Milton was left behind when his “guardian” moved out of his life. I know the area he came from well. I know that there are caring people that provided food for him once they realized he was at risk, but except for sustaining him, there was no remedy for his homelessness. Frightened and hopeless, Milton had already been chased off several times by property owners who didn’t want him hanging around.

I took Milton to Dr. Abernathy for an exam, bath, shave, and assessment. He was scared and defensive at the clinic and had to be sedated for the exam and shave.

Once back at the Sanctuary, his mood greatly improved. It was as if seeing the other happy dogs made him feel a hope he’d not had in a while.

In no time at all Milton pranced, literally skipped, and definitely smiled. He wouldn’t allow us to touch him, but would climb up and sleep on my legs when he thought I’d slipped off into dreamland. This precious happy little fellow was blossoming.

Yesterday I noticed Milton’s right ear was troubling him. He was due for another shave, and he probably needed a dental exam. As any of these procedures would require sedation, it only made sense to sedate him to ease his concerns.

This morning I picked little Milton up from his overnight vet visit – I could hear his terrified cries from the kennel area. As I’m welcome in most areas of the clinic I went to aid the staff member handling him and to help ease his fear. Milton had chewed the leash bound to him in half and was just starting to realize he could flee – which he then did – becoming wedged behind some crates. I placed his crate near the ones he’d wedged himself behind and put my hand on his shoulders. He was terrified and uttered a weak growl. I gave him a minute and then gently eased him around and aimed him towards the open crate. He went in and quickly settled down.

Back at the Sanctuary, as Milton’s little feet touched the ground he began to skip. He went to check out his favorite hangouts and then joined the grazers. For the rest of the day Milton was my shadow.

Hard to believe he was referred to as vicious, even dangerous this morning. I spoke up like any good guardian would and said he was just misunderstood. I know the concerns for his behavior were real, but it was a stab to this loving guardian’s heart.

I know there’s a world of suffering out there, but here in this little haven of hope there is safety and security for animals who have suffered traumas, like Milton, that we can only try to understand.

This blog was contributed by Doll Stanely, Director for In Defense of Animals / Project Hope.

The woman involved in this case is known in Mississippi for her rescue work. One nearby town pays her a fee to accept their unwanted dogs. In reality, she was not set up to take in and care for large numbers of dogs. Most of the dogs suffered from advanced mange and malnutrition. And as expected most have tested positive for heartworms, and many are unsocial.

This was the third recent so-called “sanctuary” or “rescue” to be closed in Mississippi in just the past few weeks. The lesson of the story is to carefully check out any such people or places before relinquishing animals. Sometimes, these places don’t merit the term “sanctuary” or “rescue.”

But there is a happy ending and new beginning.

Midnight lived at Project Hope for more than 3 years. He’s been treasured by staff and volunteers and his jovial personality and sweet demeanor has won the hearts of every dog he’s lived with over the years.

Last Tuesday, March 9th, Doll drove Midnight to New Orleans for his flight to Chicago where his new guardian whisked him home to meet his new family. Kathy and her 3 sons and 3 dogs adopted Midnight. Kathy, a friend and once roommate, of our IDA’s Connie Newhall, learned of our sanctuary through Connie and decided she was ready to adopt another dog. She likes her all male dog family and when she asked about adopting one of our dogs, Midnight came right to mind. Midnight loves boy dogs – he loves the camaraderie. Midnight’s trademark is how he walks us around his enclosure with one of our hands gently in his mouth.

We will miss our Midnight, but will always be thankful for knowing him and never giving up hope that he’d one day have his own family.

IDA's Matt Rossell rallying the crowd.

Yesterday protesters from IDA and the Sea Lion Defense Brigade confronted wildlife officials responsible for the lethal removal of the protected sea lions, to voice concerns and ask questions about a plan that is misguided, has not met the criteria set forth in Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, fails to accurately identify specific sea lions as required by law, and will do nothing to resolve issues that endanger salmon populations.

Fishing quotas for salmon on the Columbia River this year were raised to 16 percent from last year’s 13 percent, while sea lions at the Bonneville Dam are being killed for eating what will likely be only about one percent of the 2010 spring run. These wildlife agencies are not making sound, biology-based decisions regarding salmon recovery. And the agencies’ track record has been abysmal, with multiple incidents of malfunctioning traps and seven sea lions who have died unintentionally in state custody.

Unfortunately this situation is not unusual. Backyard breeders set up shop all over Mississippi along well-traveled roads. In Jackson, there are several breeders who’ve set up shop in parking lots along the edge of County Line Road – one of the most heavily traveled roads in Jackson. None of these breeders are required to have a business license or permit. The businesses along the road, whose parking lots these breeders use, have complained about this for years. Amazingly, a local church recently wanted to hold a fundraising yard sale in a parking lot along County Line Road, the same parking lot some of these breeders use, and was denied a permit by the city.

Debbie has been battling these breeders for years and in this instance contacted Doll at Project Hope the local NBC affiliate, WLBT, for help. Doll and WLBT confronted the breeders – please see the newsclip below. Fed up with what seems to be preferential treatment these breeders receive, Debbie and Doll are working on a local ordinance that.

Linda and her dogs live in a house which is missing the entire north side, exposing every room in the house to the elements. The house is so dilapidated that Linda spends all her time on the porch wrapped in blankets to shield herself from the cold and rain. Considering the state of things, the dogs, all terriers and terrier mixes, were in relative good health.

With the direness of the situation Doll decided they had to begin moving the dogs. Since Project Hope was at capacity, the dogs would have to be boarded. Dr. Roberts and Doll loaded up 19 dogs on that initial trip. Doll made a second trip to Linda’s a few days later – this time removing 10 puppies and 7 adults. The Cleveland/Bolivar County Animal Shelter stepped up to take these dogs. They were already planning a transport and the rescue group they were working with offered to take this group of dogs.

On Thursday, February 4, Doll went back to remove the dogs that remained. The dogs previously removed had all been spayed/neutered and this group would be spayed/neutered the next morning by Mississippi Spay And Neuter (MS SPAN) using their “Big Fix” mobile clinic. MS SPAN is an organization that provides low-cost spay/neuter across the state.

This bring us up to today, where Chele and Doll are doing a transport to Every Creature Counts (ECC) in Denver. ECC has generously offered to take the remaining dogs from this case. Doll and Chele left Project Hope for Denver earlier today with a whooping 76 animals, including 68 dogs and 8 cats.

Today’s tour was very disheartening. The entire facility had gotten much worse since the last time we toured. Clearly the jail inmates who were tasked with cleaning the facility had not been doing so. I actually left unable to speak with my nose running, eyes burning, and throat swelling and irritated. The stench, thick with ammonia, permeated the entire shelter and irritated my sinuses and throat.

Overcrowded, dilapidated cages lined the walls of the rooms. Sick animals were intermingled with healthy animals. Pens held too many juveniles and puppies together. Nearly every cage held dogs with hot spots, mange or a myriad of other untreated illnesses or wounds. The cattery shared this small room and the deafening sound of dogs barking bounced off every wall.

Outside, loose dogs chewed on paws, legs, hips, and backs dotted with hot spots. Dogs were haphazardly placed in runs with many cowering in fear of their cage-mates. The uncovered runs held too many dogs and not enough shelters, leaving the most terrified dogs standing or lying in the mud, muck and feces of the run floor.

During the tour the Director plead her case for the sacrifice of her time, energy, and money for the thirteen years she’d been there. So many own the responsibility for this failed “no kill” shelter. Complaints to the city had fallen on deaf ears and community members had fostered the situation with lack of interest and support. The Director clearly gave everything of herself, as did her husband for what they believed was a noble effort, but warehousing animals with no hope of a better life is simply unacceptable.

The Director, burdened beneath the weight of a tough, thankless mission and now with public scrutiny bearing down on her, surrendered her position to the City Attorney.

We turned our attention to trying to help the animals who were languishing in the shelter. We met in the mayor’s office and hatched a plan. We contacted the Mississippi Animal Response Team and several local vets to come in and help. New volunteers from the community came in as well.

When animal loving people come together, share their resources, and give unselfishly we can move mountains. Sadly it sometimes takes a crisis for caring folks to realize their potential.