Your Comments..
ANY comments with profanity will be deleted as soon as I find them, and your IP address will be banned. If you can't make your point without cursing, you don't have any business posting.
dear all,
i finally picked these 2 great dogs up at BARC on weds., sept. 21--their 3-wk. anniversary of being at BARC. many thanx to kelly cripe for her ongoing negotiations with BARC to create a foster program for the katrina refugee dogs. kelly herself took the other 4 small katrina refugees from BARC. what was terribly upsetting was seeing the other BARC dogs in their tiny runs who were also sweet, but had the misfortune of simply being houston strays, so there was no rescue, no hold on euthanasia for them. it's absolutely heart-breaking! everyone must spay & neuter to prevent animals suffering that never asked to be born.
these 2 big boys are so wonderful! the large black lab is so docile & sweet; his smaller gold friend is pretty hyper but also sweet, with gold/green eyes. they really like each other, but don't as yet get along with our 3 dogs.
it's my privilege to be a foster mommy to these boys, & i wish i had room to take more.
--Posted by: sally hoffecker at September 22, 2005 11:03 PM
Ladies -- please be discreet about getting the dog from BARC. Barbara works hard and well with rescue (we don't want her to lose her job!) -- was it the dog with the LA tag and is the other still there because I'm concerned that it should have stayed with its bud in case it was also a pet that had lost its collar. Heather - are you trying to find the owner and do you know where and who is keeping a database of dogs/owners?
Kelly Peters -- WOW -- thanks for sharing that info and letting us know there's an organization that's helping.
Lisa -- what a great page you've made and your ongoing efforts to help the animals is absolutely awesome and wonderful. You're helping save many lives and the rescue community in Houston is so grateful for all you do.
Elise
--Posted by: Elise at September 5, 2005 2:32 PM
Sally- rest assured, there are several people who are working with BARC to get the dogs out. Kelly Cripe, a tireless worker for animals, says the dogs will be held indefinitely. After the holiday, when BARC opens to process animals, she will request they be released to rescue so they can be fostered. I'll keep you all up to date!
--Posted by: lforonda at September 4, 2005 11:16 PM
what's happened with the 2 guys in the photos? did anyone succeed in rescuing them from BARC? i live in west houston near katy & can temporarily take one or two refugee dogs, to live with the 3 we already have. a few years ago, the chronicle had a story about BARC putting 2 retrievers WITH TAGS to sleep within a couple days of picking them up. if anyone needs me to, i'll go to BARC with them to help "liberate the prisoners."
sally hoffecker
281/384-4913 cell
--Posted by: sally hoffecker at September 4, 2005 10:35 PM
Jill,
I have also tried to get a dog out of BARC and told I couldnt have him because I wasn't a) the original owner, or b) the person who dropped him off at the shelter. I waited for the male employee who wouldnt work with me to leave and spoke to Barbara and began to beg her for the dog. She took me to the back and practically snuck this dog out with me. I did have to pay the $85.00 adoption fee. Keep trying to plead with different people until you find someone who's willing to work with you. You could also tell them you are the original owner if lying means it will save these dogs lives. Please let me know what happens.
--Posted by: Heather at September 4, 2005 12:37 AM
Kelly,
I agree with Ginger, being so far away and unable to help is more than frustrating. To be able to return a loved pet to someone who has lost eveything, or to let these people know their pets have found new/foster homes would be a wonderful gift. People can than sponser or send funds as we know this will be an ongoing situation. Do you have a website set up?
--Posted by: Jayne King at September 2, 2005 1:51 PM
Ladies,
Please let us here at UBH (United Behavioral Health) know if we can help in anyway. We have several Hurricane Katrina Recovery Committees in place. One of which is a pet committee, our motto is "No evacuee family will have to surrender their four legged family members unless ABSOLUTELY necessary". We are willing to foster, or transport animals to Sea Dog Inn in League City who will board evacuee pets for unlimited time for no cost. Please do not hesitate to contact us to assist. Work number: 713-599-5735 direct. Also I am at least willing to help transport families to see boarded pets. They may have lost everything material but we refuse to let them lose their four legged family members.
Thanks for all you are doing!
Sincerely,
Kelly E. Peters
United Behavioral Health
--Posted by: Kelly at September 2, 2005 12:41 PM
Hi Ginger,
I spoke with Lisa and Kelly and Kelly will contact BARC to see what information they will give her. I am waiting to hear back from Kelly. If I need to go back and get them I will.
I also had a call about two dogs that came here from New Orleans with their owners but the owners cannot keep them due to losing everything and staying with friends now. I am picking them up today in Katy as well. I am hoping to hear from Kelly before then - I gave her my cell number. I have hope that one of us will get these two LA dogs out of there soon!
--Posted by: Jill at September 2, 2005 11:01 AM
Jill, you are a Saint! I have always found many "shelters" would rather put animals down than give them to a rescuer. Very weird mentality.
If they don't give them to you threaten publicity and make good on it. Take a list of media contacts with phone numbers and tell them, quite loudly, that you are going to let the media know what is happening to the animal hurricane survivors.
Get some people to go with you as witnesses, and if you're really lucky, maybe Lisa Foronda can make an inquiry call to them.
I have contacted some animal shelters in the area to donate to but I am first asking if they will be putting down hurricane survivors rather than reaching out to the public for foster homes. So far, no one has responded. I know they are busy, but it also makes me think that the animals who survived the hurricane will find most "shelters" their dead end, literally.
Good luck, please let us know what happens!
gingerj@sti.net
--Posted by: Ginger Julian at September 2, 2005 12:40 AM
I found the address and went to BARC around 6pm this evening. The sign said closed at 5:30 but the door was unlocked so I went in even though the parking lot was empty. I stood there for a bit and a man walked by in the back and saw me. He came out and at first wanted me to leave and come back tomorrow but I asked if he could please just check to see if they were there and OK. He took their pictures from me and went to the back. He came back and had their cage number written on my pictures of them. He said they are in the same cage together just as they came in. Said the brown (looks more yellow in photo) dog is the one that had the LA tags. He said one of the dogs had been attacked but could not elaborate. I asked if I could take them and he told me no. He said to come back tomorrow but I would not be allowed to take them then either. When I asked how long they would hold them he counted on his fingers from yesterday's date and said very frankly, Monday. I explained the situation, I was from a rescue group the dog we think survived a hurricane etc. He kept telling me to come back tomorrow. He said if they have tags they keep them for 10 days but I don't trust them at all.
I need some guidance. If I go back tomorrow and they will not give them to me what should I do?
--Posted by: Jill at September 1, 2005 8:24 PM
Elise - you are IT girl!!! I had left a message with Barbara at BARC today to hang on to those babies.. but did not hear back. Now we need to get word out to all the evacuees in Houston that we have someones 2 dogs!!
Bless You
Sandhe
--Posted by: Sandhe Givens at September 1, 2005 7:03 PM
BARC is - you can read more at their website http://www.houstontx.gov/health/BARC/
--Posted by: lforonda at September 1, 2005 7:00 PM
Where is this place??? BARC???
--Posted by: Jill at September 1, 2005 5:42 PM
Elise-
If you can house the dogs, please head over to BARC take them in...
--Posted by: lforonda at September 1, 2005 4:41 PM
I think the least we can do is hold on to any with tags until vets can be contacted to trace down owners or until a database is established to reunite the animals with their families. These dogs or any animals with Louisiana identification should have first consideration.
That said -- I will house the 2 you have posted if that will save their situation.
God bless all those trying to help.
Please contact me through email.
Thank you.
Elise Flanders
www.boerboelrescue.com
--Posted by: Elise at September 1, 2005 4:03 PM
I agree with Ginger why are the dog's being "killed" so quickly? I already have 2 dogs or I would take them in a heartbeat. BARC needs to just cool their jets a minute and give these animals and their owners a chance, they have only been there 2 days. I sincerely hope if somebody at BARC is ever lost or on a hospital ventilator that someone does not come along after 2 days and say "sorry, been here to long taking up space, I'll just unplug you now."
--Posted by: Terri at September 1, 2005 2:28 PM
I can't believe these two dogs survived Hur. Katrina only to then be facing execution from a "shelter." Is anyone putting out the word that these animals need to be fostered till they can be reunited with their owners or adopted?
I would take them myself if there was a way to get them out to California.
It is very frustrating for many of us to want to help out but be so far away. We have donated to the large animal organizations that are sending in rescue crews, but again, what is the good if the rescue animals are only saved and then put down in shelters?
--Posted by: Ginger Julian at September 1, 2005 12:39 PM
Instapunk has a unique suggestion for aiding the hurricane victims via blogging. Since today is blogaid day, go to their site and comment or send them an email: punk at instapunk.com.
--Posted by: Pat Hotz at September 1, 2005 12:23 PM
