A week later, Melissa was on a plane to Texas to help arrange transports of dogs and cats out of the shelter to rescue groups in other states who wanted to save the lives of these dogs. She was assisted by a small group of dedicated volunteers who had met only days before on the internet, working with her long distance by phone and computer to set up rescue destinations for the animals.
But transport arrangements take time, and on Monday the volunteers were faced with the possibility that pets would be euthanized that night because a transport truck could not be arranged until later in the week.
That's when the Barkington stepped in. The manager of the kennel, Roberto De Echavarri, answered "yes" on very short notice when Chris Beck called him from Massachusetts searching for temporary housing for over 30 dogs and cats from shelter. "I'll take them all," he said, "at no charge."
Within 15 minutes, Melissa and Steven Hensley, a volunteer from Dallas, were in their vehicles driving dogs and cats up the road to the Barkington, where they were just bowled over by the hospitality shown these pets by Robert and his professional upon arrival.
Staff members met the dogs at the door and smoothly moved animals into the kennel where they were bathed, vaccinated for bortedella, treated for the fleas rampant at the Galveston Shelter, and made comfortable in spacious dog runs.
Then came dinner, from an extra 240 pounds of dog food purchased specially to accomodate these hurricane refugees. Staff kindly loaned the ad hoc group of transport volunteers much-needed crates to speed up the shuttle process, as well assorted supplies much appreciated by members of this shoestring operation.
The next day, the dogs were introduced to the outdoor yards and frisbee playtime supervised by the Barkington staff. Cats and kittens had a chance to relax in peace and quiet in kitty apartments away from all the barking.
On Friday evening the dogs and cats at the Barkington will move on to foster homes in Arkansas sponsored by the Saline County Humane Society, and from there they will eventually be adopted into loving permanent homes. In the meantime, they are having the time of their lives in their temporary digs!
