My husband, Johann and I went to Slidell this weekend to volunteer with Noah's Wish. Their operation is massive and very impressive. The city has given them a large warehouse and additional property to house cats, dogs, birds, rabbits and even some reptiles - 2 snakes, 1 iguana and 1 bearded dragon.
Johann and I, of course, volunteered to help with the big dogs. There were about 150 in back of the shelter. Our weekend consisited of walking the dogs, cleaning cages, giving loves, setting up more tents and crates as more dogs came in and helping out wherever needed.
We worked from 7:30 in the morning (6:30 sunday morning) to about 8:30 in the evening. It was exhausting, dirty and very, very hot, but I couldn't have felt better at the end of every day. I've never been so hot and dirty and felt my muscles ache so badly without feeling like complaining or slowing down at all.
The big dogs were wonderful - lots of pit bulls, a couple rottweilers - one very sweet girl and a HUGE male who acted tough, but was a big pussy cat. I fell in love with a St. Bernard/Chow mix who was so calm and docile I just wanted to love on him all day. They also had several hounds, german shorthair pointer, GSDs, golden retrievers, labs and lots of beautiful mixes.
On Saturday we got to help set up some pens and care for a bunch of geese, turkeys, chickens and ducks that were picked up at an abandoned house. We were put in charge of caring for them because Johann used to raise geese, turkeys and chickens and we have had ducks before so we had some experience in this area.
On Sunday, I got to help groom a couple of dogs, too. There was always something that needed to be done. There was truck after truck of donated supplies so they are not hurting right now for pet food, bowls, crates, etc, but they are expecting to be there through October at least so I'm sure it won't hold out for all that time. They really need fencing, tents, tools, work gloves, and personal items for the volunteers who are coming from all over the country to help - most of them giving up their vacation time from work to do this - and some who are retired who will stay there as long as they are needed.
They are sleeping in the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) federal building - camping out in office cubicles or under tables in sleeping bags and on air mattresses so any creature comforts they can get are appreciated. There are few stores open in Slidell and many do not have cars so personal items are hard to come by for long stays. On Saturday, Teri Crisp (the founder of Noah's Wish) had arranged for a Baskin Robbins mobile trailer to come hand out ice cream for the volunteers and you would have thought each volunteer had won the lottery with the excitement that caused!!
The money raised by BPO will definitely come in handy for purchasing emergency supplies as they are needed - such as the fencing and tents unless these are donated. Also, as time goes on and the excitement and motivation to donate for this cause is replaced by other current events, they will need to use these funds to purchase items that are needed, but used up. They will stay there until all animals are either reclaimed, fostered or adopted. They do not euthanize any animals simply because they have no place to go. They will keep working until they can place all animals.
I'll have pictures for you soon - if they turn out - I dropped my disposable camera several times while I was being pulled around by the big dogs!!
Jeanne
