One of the lucky fellas.

On Tuesday, October 5 Dr. Bushby and his team of veterinary students and technicians from Mississippi State University (MSU) rolled into Hope Animal Sanctuary (HAS) with their mobile veterinary clinic for another busy spay/neuter day. On this day the team from MSU would alter six cats and twenty dogs, most of whom were from HAS, although MSU was able to help the Cleveland, Ms. animal shelter by including seven of their dogs. They also neutered a kitten who was brought in by HAS volunteer Billy Halfacre – a kitten he’d found abandoned.

The MSU team has been coming to Hope Animal Sanctuary once a month for the past couple of years. However, Dr. Bushby just informed us that the team would now come every three weeks instead, because of our extremely high animal save rate.

We are truly grateful to Dr. Bushby and his team from MSU. Without their help and support we wouldn’t be able to save nearly as many animals as we do.

It is a reference to the very core of Katrina. The frame is built from wooden boards I salvaged from a dilapidated building in New Orleans and then wrapped in distressed linen. I created an oxidized copper background and affixed a tattered American flag I retrieved from the flood waters of the ninth ward. I then layered the flag with news clippings and pigment mixed with actual Katrina flood water. The flag, like the region itself, is still distressed and rough around the edges but waving proudly. This flag is a survivor.

But what truly lives in my heart can be found in the lower right hand section. This sign represents one gut-wrenching rescue my team performed in the ninth ward.  It was 3 a.m. on September 12^th – nearly two weeks after the storm, and our rescue vehicle was flagged over by an NOPD officer. I thought he might ask for our credentials or force us to turn back to the emergency shelter, but instead he begged us to go into the most devastated area in the city in search of his dogs.  While he was sworn to protect the public during this time of disaster, we were the only people who could help reunite his family.

As I neared the address scribbled on the scrap of paper, the dirty water rose to my chest. When our team finally found his house our hearts sank – it was obvious that water had nearly submerged the entire structure at one point. As we broke down the door we braced ourselves for a grim scene.  Sadly, we found the remains of two dogs floating inside the home. I began searching for a third body when to my surprise I saw a large Shepherd mix balancing precariously on the two-inch ledge of a sealed window. He had obviously been perched there above the water for some time.  A wash of pure joy spread over his face when this canine survivor saw our team and the salvation we represented. Reuniting this dog with his human guardians was a proud moment that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Through these elements this painting represents both the past, present and hopeful future of a truly remarkable place and the people and animals who survived when the levees broke.

When we look back at Hurricane Katrina, I hope we will remember this German Shepherd and those who never gave up hope that someone would come for them. There are still countless animals out there who need our help. Please think of them and support our IDA Rescue Team today.

At that time I was the Executive Director of the Washington Animal Rescue League. As soon as Katrina hit the Gulf Coast I assembled a rescue team, and was one of the first responders on the ground. I knew we were entering uncharted territory when we passed the first city checkpoint and a crowd of desperate-looking people charged our vehicle and threw their keys through our open windows. The keys were wrapped in paper with the people’s names, telephone numbers, addresses and the description of the animals who were trapped in their homes. When I saw the horde of individuals on their knees, tears streaming down their faces, begging us to rescue their animals, I knew this mission would change my life forever.

During our six weeks in New Orleans our team rescued nearly 1,000 animals who had lost all hope of surviving the grim disaster. We scaled dilapidated buildings to pluck emaciated animals from rooftops, pulled cats out of putrid, debris-laden waters and found dogs who had been left to die, stranded for weeks in flooded homes. Each rescue was unique, but every animal shared an initial look of wild desperation, which melted into trust and gratitude once we held them tightly in our arms of compassion.

Our team was the first inside these houses for days or weeks after the storm. We were the only lifeline for people clinging to the hope that their companions would be found alive. It was heartbreaking to tell someone who had lost everything that their cherished friend didn’t make it, but an honor to deliver the news to others that their animals had survived.

As soon as we plucked one animal from death’s door we were off to respond to another plea for help.  The calls never stopped, our rescue vehicles seemed constantly full, as we  perpetually raced the clock in a desperate fight against time. Inevitably, we were too late to save some – it is these lost souls who push me on a daily basis to continue my life’s work.

In the five years since, animal guardians have made huge strides in efforts to include pets in disaster preparedness. President Bush signed the PETS Act into law in 2006, allowing communities to receive funds for including companion animals in disaster preparedness plans. Communities and individuals are much better prepared to ensure their pets’ safety in the wake of nature’s unpredictable fury.

IDA played a crucial role in the post-Katrina response efforts. We delivered supplies to Gulf Coast emergency shelters and transported hundreds of displaced animals to shelters in the north. Today IDA’s rescue team is poised and ready to save animals from both man-made and natural catastrophes. Click here to support our life-saving efforts.

Workers using Corexit in the Exxon Valdez Spill. Photo Credit : The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council

It’s been over a month since President Obama and the EPA gave BP 24 hours to stop dumping the toxic oil dispersant Corexit into the Gulf of Mexico. The decision was first reported in the Washington Post immediately after Congress heard testimony from BP’s own executives and scientists confirming our worst fears. Not only is this highly toxic chemical relatively ineffective against this type of crude oil, but it was now adding more pollutants to the already poisoned waters.

Numerous independent scientists have come forward to say that Corexit is really only good for public relations. This carcinogenic, mutagenic, and highly toxic chemical does break up the oil into small somewhat transparent ripples and droplets that are more visually acceptable than images of giant black tides drowning wildlife and covering beaches. What the cameras don’t see is the long term damage to delicate ecosystems that are now struggling to escape toxic tides of chemicals. According to environmental engineer Joe Taylor the sulfur and sulfuric acid based dispersant will also deplete oxygen levels under the water, killing plankton and everything above plankton in the food chain. This is not new information. Corexit has been banned for years in the UK because of the long and short-term damage to wildlife and ecosystems. The world was first introduced to Corexit in 1989 when it was used in the Exxon Valdez spill. Images of the workers during that spill spraying the chemical in hazmat suits should have been our first clue something wasn’t quit right with this chemical.

So – why at the time of this decision had BP already sprayed over 600,000 gallons of Corexit on the surface of the Gulf with another 55,000 injected directly into the oil pouring out of the ocean floor? And why, one month later, have they been allowed to dump even more? It is estimated that more than 1.4 million gallons have already been used.

Please act today to remind President Obama that this disaster could have been prevented and that he needs to restore the moratorium on all-offshore drilling in the U.S.

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary/photo credit: Karla Goodson

Throughout my 20 years in the animal protection field I have admired the work of In Defense of Animals, and I’m truly honored to accept the position of President of this esteemed organization. I feel very fortunate to have inherited a solid foundation created by Dr. Elliot Katz, and look forward to building on this platform of excellence in order to expand IDA’s positive impact for animals.

More than two decades ago I realized the common thread in the network of animal cruelty – the cage. The cage represents the imprisonment and mistreatment of the animals of this world. I have focused my career on tearing down these cages in their many forms and uses.

The cage is a fundamentally flawed contraption that causes rapid emotional, social and physical decline of its inhabitants. In my experience any animal confined to a cage goes through three phases of decline; typically starting with high anxiety, leading to depression, and resulting in psychological turmoil. Putting an animal in a cage is a violation of that creature’s innate right to live naturally and without suffering. This type of confinement also forces animals to eat, sleep and defecate in a space often only a few times the size of their body. This causes human and animal health problems and can ultimately lead to death in some species.

I conceptualized and built a revolutionary cageless animal shelter that set global humane standards. I lobbied for the adoption of guardian language to change people’s ideas concerning our relationships with animals. I lead the rescue of tens of thousands of animals from puppy mills, dog and cock fighting, hoarding cases, equine farming and countless other cruel instances of confinement and mistreatment. I have liberated hundreds of thousands of animals from the confines of cages and the grip of man-made cruelty.

Throughout the centuries, humans have used cages to take non-human animals out of their natural habitats and confine them for enjoyment or financial gain. This phenomenon flows through many forms of animal cruelty. Unnatural confinement is central to puppy mills, vivisection, the dog-meat trade in South Korea, zoos, circuses, aquaria, the exotic bird trade, fur farms, and most of the other exploitative industries IDA fights against.

Puppy mills are one of the most obvious incarnations of this imprisonment. Breeding dogs are often confined to small wire cages for their entire lives, forced to live in horrific conditions while producing litter after litter. These dogs are treated more like a cash crop than living beings capable of pain, loneliness and fear. They live in feces-caked enclosures without proper veterinary care and often only feel the touch of a human hand when they are being forced to breed or their puppies are being taken from them. In this miserable existence they become one with their cages – many have never felt solid ground beneath their feet – only the hard grate of their metal enclosures. One of the most disturbing examples of this abuse I have seen was a Pekingese I rescued from a puppy mill in Arkansas. His severely matted hair had grown around the bars of his tiny cage. I actually had to cut him out of that dank prison to free him.

Another nightmarish example of the cage’s cruel impact is vivisection. Animals are held in laboratories across the country and forced to undergo unimaginable suffering in the name of science. These innocent primates, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, and other animals cower in the corners of their cages as rough gloved hands reach in to inflict torture. Animals in laboratories are commonly dissected, infected, gassed, burned and blinded. I don’t think that we can fully comprehend the terror of such an existence. For these animals every human interaction is filled with confusion and suffering.

The confinement of birds is perhaps the most fundamentally disturbing use of the cage. Birds are gifted with the incredible ability to soar through the air, envied by all other creatures.  Humans, on a whim, fueled by their desire for an exotic, luxurious pet, take these winged creatures from their rainforest and jungle habitats and force them to live in unnatural confines without proper enrichment. An exotic bird who would naturally fly uninhibited through the treetops is forced to live in a cage often only several times his size. This bird, born to be part of an intricate, social flock, is often forced to live in solitary misery. Some species of parrots can live close to 90 years, but inadequate care and constant confinement dramatically decrease the life expectancy of birds kept as pets.  Until humans cease the imprisonment of these regal creatures they will continue to suffer and die behind the bars of their gilt cages.

These are only three of many examples of the cruelty of confinement. But the cage itself  is not the driving force of the cruelty – it is the humans who stand to profit from the suffering. To make a significant positive impact for these victimized animals we must change the mindset of those who profit from their misery. I remain confident that we are in a position to drastically reduce animal suffering. The need to end animal suffering is great everywhere, but the power of compassion is equal to that need.

In my position as president of IDA I plan to continue that crusade to bring animals out of the darkness of caged confinement and into the safety of a more natural and fulfilling life. We can win only if we band together in a unified circle of compassion, not wavering until we realize our vision of a humane society. IDA has the tools necessary to fight this battle, but we need you every step of the way to ensure victory. I call on you as guardians of the sentient beings of this planet to do your part and continue to support IDA in our work to protect the rights, habitat and welfare of animals. On behalf of the animals who benefit from your acts of kindness, thank you.

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.

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.