I just got this email...

************
Hurricane Katrina has left many people homeless. When they are able to return they will be looking for shelter for their families. Many of these shelters will not allow them to take their animals. There is an organization called E.A.R.S. http://www.uan.org/ears/index.htmlthat
helps families keep their animals. They are begging for temporary homes in this area. If you can take care of someone's treasured family pet until they get settled again please contact Betsy Fleming at elizabeth.fleming1@jsc.nasa.gov

Please give her a brief description of what you can handle such as cat, dog, ferret, caged rodents, etc.
Thank you in advance for helping ease some of the stress these families are going through. You don't know how much this means to them to know their fur babies are okay while they reconstruct their lives.

Our group is already rcvg messages from persons displaced by Katrina.
They evacuated to Houston with their dogs and are now homeless. These people need to find either temporary or permanent homes for their beloved pets so that they can concentrate on rebuilding their lives.
Please let me know if you can help in any way.

Thanks!
*******************

Editing to add in another link that has just been brought to my attention:
Noah's Wish assists w/ locating animals that have been left behind as well...

http://www.noahs-wish.org/index.htm

Does it have to be somewhere close Tammy? I would love to help, but we are in Colorado, but anything I can do I will. Housing for people or pets.

Tammy, I'm in Austin. Don't hesitate to call if I can help.

i am looking for somewhere to do my fundraiser for school and i think this would be the place, isa id on the other board i wanted to do something to help animals who were put in shelters while the humans were evacuating.. like sending collars and leashes, toys food, and stuff. I was going to try to find a shelter.. but this could be a good place, we want to help these animals get through this to the best of thier ability.. i am making an appointment with the principal for thursday or firday. PM me if you think this would be a good place for our fundraising to go!

i also know some families that would probably foster.. i know we aren't in the area.. if there is shipping then i know a few families, i don't know about them traveling though,

I have sent Elizabeth an email about out of state fosters...I will let everyone know if I hear anything back.

I have sent Elizabeth an email about out of state fosters...I will let everyone know if I hear anything back.


Thank you! Sorry everyone, I'm not sure any details yet either.

Mommyof2, I think it'd be a GREAT fundraiser to try and raise $ or items/food/collars, etc for the animals that have been misplaced. :)

Andrew! I didn't recognize you since you changed names!

I would love to help and I am a cross over. I can and do foster cats and kittens. I would be clueless on birds. Could probably figure out rodents. I have supplies for cats/kittens and could take some with basically no notice.

Well that would be wonderful, but I'm in Kansas. What I will say here and also email Betsy Fleming is, if a long term foster arises (i.e., it will be some time before the family can take the pet back), maybe my distance won't matter quite as much. The other thing I can offer is, if someone close by could foster but would need help with buying crates, foods, litter boxes, litter, etc., in order to foster, I will help.

Susan

Andrew! I didn't recognize you since you changed names!
Tammy, I decided it was time to put Moonpie to rest. Let me know if I can help. If need be I can day trip to Houston on the weekend to pick up a foster, and bring a crate.

Wholly crap that was fast.......here is her response.

"We don't know what we are looking at yet but we may need fosters from all over. Standby for more information!

Thanks for offering to help."

Sounds like they may need anyone's help.........I have wrote her back as to where I am located and which animals I could take in for temp. fostering. Hopefully, she will let me know where she needs animals placed when she knows more. I am sure right now they are totally overwhelmed.

Mommyof2, I think it'd be a GREAT fundraiser to try and raise $ or items/food/collars, etc for the animals that have been misplaced[/QUOTE]

ok i will email the principal to set a meeting.. oh yea and check with my mom first.. and send an email to the center.. thanks for the help!!

who should i contact?? who is in charge of the rescue?

Hey Andrew! If they really do end up needing long distance help, perhaps we'll get to meet, if you want to help with a transport from TX to KS. I also know Kirsten (lovefor4labs) wants to help; maybe we get a transport with some to me and some on to Kirsten. Her DH has been very good about meeting up in KS on I-70 to pick up fosters!

Susan

Hey Andrew! If they really do end up needing long distance help, perhaps we'll get to meet, if you want to help with a transport from TX to KS. I also know Kirsten (lovefor4labs) wants to help; maybe we get a transport with some to me and some on to Kirsten. Her DH has been very good about meeting up in KS on I-70 to pick up fosters!

Susan

I'll help w/ a transport if I can as well! :)

I would be happy to help with any TX to KS transfers if needed. I have family that way, so would be happy to make the trip if needed.

Hey Andrew! If they really do end up needing long distance help, perhaps we'll get to meet, if you want to help with a transport from TX to KS. I also know Kirsten (lovefor4labs) wants to help; maybe we get a transport with some to me and some on to Kirsten. Her DH has been very good about meeting up in KS on I-70 to pick up fosters!

Susan
Susan, I'm game. I have a wire crate and ramp, and can make Fort Worth and back in a day.

This is amazing to me, the power of this board to connect people. If I hear from Betsy Fleming about needing long distance help, I'll let everyone know. I type that and I'm smiling that we can come together to help, but then the reality sinks in. I KNOW Tammy, Pam, Andrew, Kirsten, and I are "good people" and would take excellent care of any animals entrusted to us for transport or foster. But how in the world is someone who doesn't know any of us supposed to feel? Can you imagine the leap of faith it would take to send your beloved pet off with strangers? It's overwhelming. :(

Susan

I live down in South Florida but if there is any way I can help the offer is on the table. From what I read they are looking for foster families in the area but if the need arises please contact me as I will take in a dog.

Also, considering I am kind of far away, if there is anything I can do like donate money to a family who is going to take in a foster to use for food, vet, etc. please let me know.

I can't even fathom what these hurricane victems are going through....

Stacey

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a176/staceybcauthen/DSCN2993.jpg
Tayo, 3 years old & Bella, 11 weeks old

I'll help w/ a transport if I can as well! :)

I would love to help too!

This is the response I received after offering to foster if they needed, even tho I am far away they just may need all the help they can get. If anyone is interested I am posting her email to me below:




Thank you for your e-mail and your interest in assisting with our disaster relief efforts. We have set up an online registration system for people who have not yet trained as an EARS volunteer that you can use to indicate your interests. Just go to the link below and fill out your contact information and any applicable fields. This way, we'll be sure to contact you if your assistance is needed. Go here:
http://ga4.org/uan/events/ears_katrina_convergent



You're also welcome to visit UAN's message board to talk with other individuals concerned about the animals' wellbeing in the aftermath of the hurricane:
http://uan.infopop.cc/groupee

And, be sure to check the Action Report page for updates on the status of our response:

http://www.uan.org/ears/action_report.html

We will update this page with wish list items, should supplies need to be donated.



We have a few EARS volunteer training workshops scheduled for the remainder of this year. The 2005 schedule and the online registration are available online at www.uan.org, and the 2006 schedule will be posted in the fall. Be sure to sign up to receive our e-newsletters so we can stay in touch.

Please contact UAN headquarters if you have any further questions. They can be reached at (916) 429-2457 or info@uan.org. Thanks again for your interest in helping!

Sincerely,

Betsy Fleming

EARS Texas Coordinator

United Animal Nations

http://www.uan.org

I received the same email and completed the registration/sign up. It was user friendly and did not take long. It did automatically sign me up to attend a training session and I saw no way to decline that. Based on Betsy's email, I think the form is being used to collect and store data on people who have offered to help and what they are offering to do, without becoming an EAR member. The training is for those seeking to be an EAR volunteer. Regardless, they now have contact info for me if they need a foster as far away as I am.

Susan

I received the same email and completed the registration/sign up. It was user friendly and did not take long. It did automatically sign me up to attend a training session and I saw no way to decline that. Based on Betsy's email, I think the form is being used to collect and store data on people who have offered to help and what they are offering to do, without becoming an EAR member. The training is for those seeking to be an EAR volunteer. Regardless, they now have contact info for me if they need a foster as far away as I am.

Susan

Yep, I just did the same as you...super easy. So now I guess we wait and continue to check back to see if they need our assistance whether it be supplies, transport, fostercare, etc. What an undertaking...I can't even imagine where they start. If you hear anything that I miss, please let me know. I know I am a darn far way from Texas, but you never know.
Tina

Tina, exactly. Who knows. I bet we're needed in theory, but not in reality because of where we are. I'm not going to miss an opporutnity to help, however, because I assumed I wouldn't be asked! I'll PM you contact info for me in case I miss something on the board or otherwise.

Susan

I filled it out as well. We are all pretty far away, but you never know!

I'm looking for a donation link, and I can't find it. (I've been a little clueless lately, so if I'm missing an obvious link, please have sympathy... :) )

Anyone have a direct link for donation?

Kirsten, awesome. Who knows. We just might get a mini caravan going from TX to KS and then spread out to CO and Fargo (boscopeco). With people already offering to help transport from TX towards me, maybe we will be able to help.

Mickey'sMommy, I think you have numerous choices. If you go above to boscopeco's post with the email from EAR, there is a link. It might take you to a how to become a volunteer page, but I think I recall a button on that page to go to donations instead. EAR is Emergency Animal Rescue and is a national organization. You could go to the other sticky on this board if you want to see if you can help our own board members. Then, I am certain the American Red Cross is accepting donations, as well as other orgs.

Susan

I would like to help if you need anyone from Michigan. I am willing to foster or transport.

Forgot to say, I also completed the UAN volunteer form. May see if I can get to the San Antonio training next month.

Does the form have space for transport only?

Pam,

On the form I completed, one of the sections was to indicate what kinds of help you were offering. If I recall correctly, transportation was a choice, so someone just offering that kind of help would select it only. If you click on the link and look at the form, you'll find it is easy to advance through it and then close out if you decide you don't want to complete it.

Meanwhile, here is part of an email I received today from EARS:

At UAN headquarters, we have already received more than 20 frantic calls and e-mails, like the one from Jodie shown at right, from evacuees from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi who can't get home to check on the animals they left behind.

United Animal Nations' Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) has been on high alert since Katrina first began threatening over the weekend, making contact with emergency management officials in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana, offering EARS' free animal disaster relief and sheltering services.

We were just notified this morning that we are being activated to respond to Louisiana, with our first goal to assist with the rescue of a reported 175 animals who are at a Metairie animal hospital, which is now flooding. Our National Director is headed to Houston, where she will drive straight through to assess the needs and begin our deployment.

And just 36 hours after alerting our entire EARS disaster volunteer force - now more than 2,300 strong - we have more than 400 volunteers, from 44 US states and a Canadian province, who have notified us of their willingness and ability to respond when our team is called in. Among those who have responded already are...

Skilled professionals: 6 animal control officers,
3 chemical capture specialists, 12 large animal rescuers, 27 veterinary technicians, 8 veterinarians, 15 wildlife rehabilitators and 9 animal shelter directors.

Land/Equipment Offers: 6 people have offered land in the area to serve as an EARS staging area; 15 will provide transportation; 16 horse trailers have been offered along with 2 mobile veterinary clinics, 48 trucks and 20 RVs.


Foster homes: 50 people have offered to foster cats; 85 to foster dogs; 18 are willing to foster horses and 34 people have offered to foster other species.

Some board members are included in that foster homes head count!

Susan

i might be able to foste a small dog

Im in NY But I would love to help. I could foster a dog and I have a friend who would foster 2 small dogs.

A couple of people have posted they might be or are able to foster a dog. I think it's wonderful. I have no idea if any animals will be sent to private homes vs. to a rescue or shelter. I also do not know what the plans are for transporting animals, but it makes sense efforts would be made to stay in the general region if possible. For those who said you might be able to foster, if you want to do that, you probably need to sign up using the link in boscopeco's post. Or, you might see if your local shelter needs you to foster one of its dogs, to make room at the shelter for hurricane victims. I also know in the Rescue section Hallesmom posted about a Tennessee shelter that has dogs that are extremely urgent. The shelter is structurally unsound and the Katrina storm system has now made the shelter uninhabitable or very dangerous; the dogs HAVE to GO ... NOW. Maybe if you are closer to Tenn., you could help with one of those dogs. While they were not in the Katrina Hurricane, they are urgent because of that same storm system.

Susan

We're in WA but would help in anyway we can.

This thread warms my heart. Ya'll are awesome! :)

Did anyone else get this from 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com?
I signed up to foster yesterday...
I didn't read through this entire thread, so I'm sorry if someone already posted this! -Sarah


Dear Friends,

In the past few days, we have received so many emails from people who would like to provide a temporary foster home to a pet left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. We have offered to put together a database of foster homes for the ASPCA disaster teams and other organizations working on the front lines, and they have accepted our offer.

If you live outside of the region affected by the hurricane, you are still welcome and encouraged to sign up. Please know, though, that you will be expected to provide a way to transport the pet(s) to you. If you are asked to travel to the region to pick up your foster pet(s), you will be responsible for all travel costs, arrangements, and accommodations during your trip.

Thank you so very much for your generosity in the face of this horrible tragedy! Go to the sign-up page now. http://savinglives.1-800-save-a-pet.com/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1260&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&JServSessionIdr010=10uh8jyv72.app7a



Abbie Moore
Executive Director
1-800-Save-A-Pet.com

Yes, I did see the SavethePets email. It makes sense that they need people to plan on getting the animals; they don't have the time or the resources to mess with transports. Several on this board indicated they could move fosters towards me if I am asked to take any. I can meet the folks in TX or OK and bring them on in. So, with that support system, I signed up with Pets and had already signed up with UAN. If the CO board member who has volunteered gets called upon, she and I plan for me to get the dogs from TX or OK and I'll meet her in western KS or eastern CO. We have a Fargo person too; we haven't worked out how far she could come towards us, but we'll see what we can do if she is called upon.

I think most of the rescues invovled in this are hopeful to keep dogs local OR else send them in relatively large numbers to established rescues and shelters. Sending one or two here and there will not be nearly as effective, but if I can help, I will!

Susan

Here is the text of an email I received from UAN. Susan

We know you're waiting anxiously to hear more news about any deployment of United Animal Nations' Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS). More than 1,300 people have offered to assist with an EARS response in a variety of ways: from performing rescues, providing veterinary care or sheltering animals, to assisting with transport, foster care, supply and equipment donation and much, much more. We are overwhelmed with your generosity and just as eager as you are to see your offers put to use to help the animals.

Here's where things stand tonight...


HOUSTON, TEXAS: A temporary shelter run by the Houston SPCA and staffed by EARS volunteers is expected to receive 500 animal refugees in just a few hours, and hundreds more are expected over the next days and weeks. We are deploying a team of ten EARS volunteers from Northern California tonight, who are taking with them supplies from our headquarters to help establish the emergency shelter. Texas-based trained EARS volunteers have also been activated to respond to the Houston effort.


JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI: UAN is coordinating response efforts with several other organizations that have arrived here and are providing animal disaster relief - including the ASPCA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Colorado-based Code 3 Associates, the Humane Society of the United States, American Humane and Best Friends Animal Society. Decisions are being made this evening about how best to deploy these resources and where EARS will be staging inside the disaster zone.


LOUISIANA: We talked with authorities in the state today who expressed need for our coordination and resources. We await word tomorrow morning about their specific needs for EARS services.


SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Here at UAN headquarters, we are receiving hundreds of calls each day from evacuees and others who are missing their animals. We developed a coordinated approach to managing these rescue requests with other animal disaster relief organizations which will ensure that they are put in the hands of whatever team deploys in any region.
This is clearly a disaster like no other. Our teams are doing all they can to help.

This will be a long response - weeks and perhaps even months - in possibly multiple locations across the Southeast. We will be deploying some volunteers now, and will need more volunteers in the coming weeks.

One of the ways you can help is by saving your energy for later, when the situation will be more stable but we will still need volunteers to help. You can keep apprised of the latest status of our effort by visiting our Action Report, which is updated at least once daily by 9:00 a.m. PST.

We will contact you if your assistance is needed. We concentrating hard right now to coordinate logistics, so we hope you will assist us and enable us to stay on task by waiting to be contacted.

In the meantime, the thing we need you to do the most is to update your personal information. We truly appreciate your interest in helping the animals. It's not easy to wait to be contacted and we know it, especially when you watch news reports and can see that animals need help... but UAN prides itself on running an organized effort that is coordinated through emergency authorities.

We've already started to make a difference. We know you're available and concerned about the animals, and we will be keeping you updated about our efforts.

Thank you!

Yes, I got that email too. I have also volunteered through our local Humane Society. Am standing by as well as donating stuff to the Houston SPCA.

I'd be willing to foster a dog. We are on the west coast but more than happy to foster.

Andrew that is great you are volunteering with your shelter and helping with supplies. I sometimes foster for the KS Humane Society, so far no word that it is going to help with Katrina specifically. I also think though, across the country, people should consider the domino effect. If they help shelters and rescues with what they have now, this can free up resources for Katrina survivors. I don't much care if I help indirectly by helping to create a domino effect, or mixed directly/indirectly with financial contributions, or directly by fostering a survivor. I just want to help.

Hey, I just had an idea. You said you are helping with supplies. Do you mean you are contributing needed items to your shelter? If you are buying and donating needed supplies, may I send you some money and you go shopping for me? Seriously. I would rather do that if you are willing to go spend the money than to buy some things here and pay shipping on top of that. I just did this with Tammy and Kathy to help with food and expenses for some LA refugees being helped by Tammy's sister's church. I think the church said it could shelter about 30 and already it has over 200 people!! Tammy and Kathy were going to Sam's to buy food and other essentials. I could not believe how good it felt to finally make some small contribution that directly helped Katrina survivors. Anyway, I would be delighted to do the same through you IF that is what you meant: that you are buying supplies and donating them. (I'm trying to stress I don't want to incovenience you, just quasi tag along to the store with you if that is what you are doing.)

Just let me know. Oh, and you would have to trust me with your full name and address in a PM so that I could make out the check and mail it! :)

Susan

I'm going to fill out the ears info also. I live in Kentucky, but I could foster a dog or cat. I can't help with transports due to an old car prone to breakdowns, but I can provide a loving foster home!

Julia, that's great. If you get contacted to foster, you will probably be expected to get the animal or personally arrange for its transport. If that happens, you might let this board know and I belive the acme board has some threads for transports. There could be help out there to get the animal to you, but that help would need to be found on our end so to speak; the resuces teams in the middle of this won't be able to put transports together. You might want to check the Rescue section too and see Nicole's thread:

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/showthread.php?t=51357

Susan

They are begging for temporary homes in this area. If you can take care of someone's treasured family pet until they get settled again please contact Betsy Fleming at elizabeth.fleming1@jsc.nasa.gov

Thanks, I wrote to her and gave her the link to our list.
http://www.thelabradorclub.com/rescue/katrina/katrina2.html

Marcia

Willing to foster a dog, I know I in Florida but will do my part to help as well as well as my 3 labbies!