IDA Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Cats’

Photo Credit : WSPA-IFAW-T.Stargardter

Nearly six weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, IDA continues our work to help animals in Haiti. IDA supports the animal disaster relief efforts though a coalition of NGOs. ARCH, as the coalition is called, has assembled a team of veterinarians, vet techs and animal disaster relief responders, and is engaging with the Haitian veterinary community as well to help animals every day. So far, over 2,300 animals including 500 dogs and cats and hundreds of other animals – mainly cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken, horses and donkeys – have been treated for their injuries and ailments. More resources have also been sent into Haiti to help the team on the ground every day. This includes a fully fitted mobile veterinary clinic that has just been brought into Port-au-Prince after much hard work and negotiations. Further reinforcements such as medical supplies and animal care personnel has enhanced the already existing international relief team.

With the mobile clinic reaching into the affected areas, people are lining up with their animals. The team from the ground reports: “Now that we’ve got the mobile clinic, we can have two lines of people waiting: one outside for dogs, aggressive animals and animals from farms, and another one inside for cats and wounded animals.”

Photo Credit : WSPA-IFAW-T.Stargardter

Ten year old Kenny brought his dog Vito, who had an infection. “It has been sick for a long time, but I don’t know any vets and don’t have any money to take it to one”, said Kenny. We gave the dog antibiotics and vitamins, and we’ll come back next week to check its progress.

At IDA, we are here for the animals and to make a difference for those who are often forgotten in natural disasters.

Support IDA’s Animal Disaster Relief Fund.

Learn more about IDA’s work in Haiti. For more information about how you can help IDA help animals affected by disasters, please contact us at disasterrelief@idausa.org.

Helping build a healthier future for Haiti's animals

The ARCH team continues to treat animals as part of the relief phase. Despite initial thoughts that there would be low numbers of animals to treat, the team has been very busy everyday. Over the weekend, many animals were treated and cared for in the earthquake zone. The team also travelled out to many rural areas, outside of Port-au-Prince, where they treated more animals such as goats, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats over the weekend. So far, over 400 dogs and cats and 1500 livestock – mainly cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken, horses and donkeys were treated for their injuries and ailments.

IDA’s Connie Durkee sends us another update from her journey into Haiti with the ARCH team to rescue animals in this devastated area:

We are welcomed into every tent city we go to. The people are grateful for the help. We treat the animals with Ivermectin for internal parasites and skin problems (mange) and give them a Vitamin injection to give them a boost. In some cases we are giving injections of antibiotics. We also treat minor lacerations and injuries. Skin problems and very skinny dogs are the most prevalent. Every day we would treat anywhere from 10-65 animals.We show the Haitians how to apply flea powder and the gel for mange. A crowd of people always gathers every time we arrive at a location. It’s heartwarming to see their smiles and hear their ‘thank you’s’. We are glad to show them how to properly handle their animals and they are very grateful.

We are a role model for them. People literally come out of the woodwork with their pets for us to treat. Dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, goats, etc… Smiles on their faces. Amazing after what they’ve been through. The human/animal bond is unbreakable!

One dog we treated, named Dick, had obvious neurological problems since the earthquake. He was found buried in the rubble 24 hours after the earthquake laying next to his 7 year old guardian, who had been killed. He was obviously traumatized. We gave Dick an injection of Dexamethazone for his injuries and made arrangements to return in a few days to repeat it. The guardians were so happy. They loved their little friend and we were glad we could help.

One day we went to the Bolivian UN station to treat dogs that were living on their base. They were dogs that lived on the base when they arrived and had befriended them. They requested spay/neuter assistance with of the dogs and we told them that we hoped to offer that option soon. They were grateful for our help.

During my time on the ground in Haiti, a young boy named Joseph befriended us and came to our camp every day. His family lived on the street and they didn’t even have a tent. We would feed him and give him anything we could that would help him and his family. He would clean our camp and joke around with us. He did a great Michael Jackson impersonation.

IDA's Connie Durkee and her new friend sharing a meal in Haiti.

On Thursday, January 14, Best Friends contacted Project Hope to ask for help for a woman in Lexington, MS. The woman reported that she had about 30 dogs that she could no longer feed or care for. Project Hope’s Director, Doll contacted a vet friend, Dr. Roberts, who has helped Project Hope on many occasions. Dr. Roberts knew the woman, who we’ll call Linda, and Friday, he and Doll went to assess the needs of the dogs.

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.

Actress and Animal Activist Elaine Hendrix being presented with the 2009 Guardian Award by IDA President Dr. Elliot Katz

February 1 was an historic day in West Hollywood. Very apropos that it landed on the 1^st of the month, for this is the very first day, in the very first city, for the very first time, that the very first law was put into motion, banning the sale of animals from puppy mills and kitten mills within the limits of West Hollywood, California. It is the very first time in history that a community and its leaders said, “ENOUGH!”, prohibiting pet shops from profiting from the sale of  sick and abused dogs and cats bred in puppy mills and, yes, even kitten mills. This is a day the tides shifted.  Not only for the animals, but for humankind as a compassionate and humane kind.
I was there with In Defense of Animals for this monumental moment..Dozens of dedicated pro-animal activists, and other organizations from all over the nation, had dedicated weeks to protesting pet stores that sold dogs and cats. The spirits of every single person standing up in the name of injustice were there. And the silent voices of every single animal who have suffered at the hands of abusers were there. It was powerful and humbling in one full, glorious moment.
Hundreds of people wrote letters, dozens of people showed up in support, a handful of key leaders spoke, but it was five city council members that truly made the difference.  It was their uncontested, UNANIMOUS vote that has changed the game for thousands of tortured and millions of homeless animals.
This isn’t the first time West Hollywood has shown true leadership. Among numerous human rights laws that have been overwhelmingly passed, West Hollywood has been animal-friendly on several other issues like the banning of de-clawing cats and officially changing their government language to include the term “Guardian” in place of “pets.”  No city is perfect, but this one sure does come giddily close in my opinion.
There are so many people who have worked tirelessly on making this law a reality.  Of the few I personally know, I’d like to mention Ed Buck, a rescuer of golden retrievers and activist, who was instrumental in bringing this item to the attention of the West Hollywood City Council.  Carole Davis and Carol Sax with Social Compassion in Legislation who have diligently worked in West Hollywood specifically on this issue, IDA’s own Bill Dyer, Elle Wittelsbach, Pam Holt, Elizabeth Oreck, Jennifer Krause, Gavin Polone, Ben Harding, Kim Sill, Lori Golden, Bill Crowe, Judie Mancuso, Gary Kaskel, Wayne Pacelle and so many others.
Please forgive me if I left you off this list, and notify me for the future. Certainly there are many more issues we’re facing, and I want to applaud your efforts. In the meantime, take a deep breath and cross this one off the list.  We did it!  Congratulations and keep up the amazing work!

This blog was contributed by Elaine Hendrix, Actress, Animal Activist & IDA Board Member.