Humane Society of Louisiana Emergency Shelter

GUSTAV RELIEF UPDATE 9/5/2008
As we've been reporting, our animals and staff members successfully rode out the storm at our Tylertown facility. We did have some minor damage, but no injuries, though one of our portable buildings was destroyed. We did receive word from our volunteer Acadia chapter coordinator, Janet Lyons, that property damage to her animal housing areas was more significant. Kennels and perimeter fencing were destroyed and the roof of her dog housing area was torn off by hurricane force winds; in addition to her other animals, Janet is presently caring for 1 nursing mom, her litter of 3 puppies, 6 additional puppies and 13 cats, who were rescued from a local shelter; officials there would have been unable to evacuate them before Gustav.

We continue to field calls from our contacts and review reports from around the region. We are concerned that we have been receiving an increasing number of reports about animals and shelters in need, throughout the disaster zone, and many areas are still without power. As repairs are underway at our site, our mission will be to offer urgently needed help to the animals of Louisiana, wherever it is most needed. Please check in to our site for updates on needs for supplies and volunteers in our region. Of course CONTRIBUTIONS are urgently needed to help us respond to this disaster.

To those of you who have already helped us during our initial response to Gustav, we deeply appreciate your support! Here is an update on our current situation and needs:

VOLUNTEERS
We are reviewing requests for volunteers from around the region on an ongoing basis and will post opportunities on our site. For those of you wanting to come and assist, you can be assured that there will be a need for help, particularly from the very initial reports about areas west of New Orleans, where Gustav came ashore. Assistance with our own shelter animals is also needed as our small staff is in emergency response mode. We anticipate a great need for help distributing supplies, assistance, and other support to agencies and groups in our area, using our Tylertown site as a base.

Our immediate needs are in Tylertown, MS:
1. Construction Projects - Individual and Small Group Projects
2. Animal Transport - Vans, Drivers and Crew
3. Supply Transport - Vans/SUV, Drivers and Crew
4. Hands-on Animal Care

Our Tylertown facility is in a rural location with minimal housing. We welcome self-sufficient campers to stay on-site or accommodations are available in nearby towns.

We are also coordinating with other animal groups who need volunteers at their locations around Louisiana.

Please email Info@HumaneLA.org or call Jenn at 601-876-2781 for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering, please review our Current Volunteer Needs and complete the Volunteer Profile Form at the bottom of our Volunteer page and someone will contact you.

PET ADOPTIONS/HANDS-ON ASSISTANCE
We almost certainly will need the support of rescue groups and sanctuaries wanting to assist by taking animals from our area into your program. Also, individuals wanting to help by adopting or fostering an animal may fill out an application on our web site at www.HumaneLA.org. Most of the rescue groups from southern Louisiana have adoption sites at www.Petfinder.com. Anyone adopting from these groups will surely be assisting, by providing them with more space to assist animals impacted by Gustav. If you are looking for a specific type of animal, please indicate that on your adoption application.

SUPPLIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS
HSL will be collecting and distributing supplies for groups and individuals in the areas impacted by Hurricane Gustav; we will publicize specific needs on our WISH LIST site as we receive them, but at present, we are welcoming the donation of supplies and equipment listed on our web site.

Monetary gifts are particularly needed, as contributions can be used to address specific emergency needs as they arise, such as: veterinary expenses, animal transport costs, direct aid to rescue organizations, volunteer program costs, equipment, shelter operating costs and more. DONATIONS can be made by clicking here or by calling 1-888-6-HUMANE. If you would prefer to send a check, please note that none of our staff will be able to pick up mail sent in New Orleans for at least a week. To send donations to our New Orleans address, please send to: Humane Society of Louisiana, PO Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174. If you would prefer to send a donation that will get to us right away, please send any check directly to our former Board member, Linda Dell at her Akron, OH address. Please send to:

Humane Society of Louisiana
c/o Linda Dell
45 S. Balch Street
Akron, OH 44302

Ms. Dell has agreed to immediately deposit any contributions into our bank account, so that we will be able to easily access the funds.

Please note that during hurricane Katrina, animal relief agencies sadly reported that SO much of the animal food, which was generously donated for local relief, was lost. A lack of storage space too often resulted in it being damaged by the elements or rodents. While donations of food will certainly be needed, the best way to help feed our animals is to make a monetary contribution, so that supplies may be purchased as needed. Unlike during Hurricane Katrina, our Tylertown facility only briefly lost electricity, and we expect that nearby stores will be back in operation soon. We plan to purchase supplies as we need them, thereby eliminating waste and extending our resources as far as possible.

In the event that you are only able to donate food---canned food and cat litter would be the best choices, as they can better sustain poor conditions where they may be stored. Gift cards for Petsmart, Walmart and Petco are also a great choice for helping us feed local animals in need, as they can be used to donate specific supplies.

Supplies can be sent to: Humane Society of Louisiana/Gustav Relief Effort, 115 Obed Magee Road, Tylertown Mississippi, 39667.

If you need to discuss volunteering the donation of supplies and/or equipment with us please contact Jennifer Rowan at 1-601-876-2781 or by contacting us a Info@HumaneLA.org. If you cannot get back in touch with us quickly enough at the shelter, please contact us at 1-888-6-HUMANE.

PLEASE BE PATIENT IF WE CANNOT RESPOND TO YOU AS QUICKLY AS WE MIGHT LIKE!
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News update from the website:

JANUARY 5, 2007

TORNADO HITS HUMANE SOCIETY SHELTER SITE!
ANIMALS AND WORKERS ESCAPE INJURY

As if coping with the aftermath of one disaster weren't enough,
a tornado caused serious damage to the Humane Society of
Louisiana's makeshift shelter site, in the early morning hours
of January 5, 2007. The group had evacuated its animals from
New Orleans to the property in August 2005.

"Luckily, none of our workers or animals were injured," said
Animal Services Director, Johnna Harris, who was still assessing
the damage at last report.

The group originally fled to the property to escape Katrina's
wrath. They purchased the undeveloped lot and house as an
emergency hurricane evacuation site, just months before the
killer storm. After its shelter building in New Orleans was
destroyed in the hurricane, HSL launched a massive, grassroots
animal rescue effort from the property, then nicknamed
"Camp Katrina." Since that time, they have since been struggling
to keep their programs in operation.

The tornado hit the Tylertown compound at 2am, destroying and
toppling outdoor kennels, dog play yards and one small portable
building. Thousands of dollars worth of supplies and premium
pet food were also ruined.

More than a dozen of the dogs affected were rescued during the
aftermath of Katrina. One mother dog, who was recently abandoned
with her puppies at the site, successfully protected her pups,
as their kennel and the puppy play yards were destroyed around
them. Miraculously, one pit bull, Houston, originally thought
lost, was found alive, after his dog house was found completely
shredded. The indoor cat housing area did not appear to have
suffered major damage.

Tax deductible donations to help the organization can be made
online at www.HumaneLA.org, by calling 1-888-6-HUMANE and/or
by sending a check made payable to the Humane Society of
Louisiana to PO Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174.

It is expected that recovery from the tornado alone will exceed
tens of thousands of dollars, even if insurance fully compensates
the agency for roof damage to its primary building. Outer
buildings, fencing, kennels, dog houses and supplies will all
need to be replaced. Animals will also need to be housed in paid
boarding facilities, until initial repairs can be made, and there
will be labor costs for clean-up and rebuilding. Before the
tornado, building costs to help the agency recover post-Katrina
had already been estimated to exceed $300,000.00.

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The Humane Society of Louisiana is 100% dependent on your
donations.

As a nonprofit charity, we receive no government funding.
We're not an affiliate of any other national or local group;
we're not associated with any other SPCA or humane society.
The Humane Society of Louisiana is a 501(c)3 charitable
organization.

Gifts are deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Our Federal Tax ID # is 58-1795272.

CONTACT ADDRESSES*

Humane Society of Louisiana
PO Box 740321
New Orleans, LA 70174
info@humanela.org
Tylertown shelter: (601) 876-2781
General Information: 1 (888) 6 HUMANE

Happy Tails Adoption Center
4021 Jefferson Highway
Jefferson, LA 70121
During business hours: (901) 268-4575

If you would kindly like to make arrangements to donate animal
food or supplies, please contact us.

Humane Society of Louisiana Thrift Store has been permanently
closed, due to damage and circumstances related to Hurricane
Katrina.

We sincerely thank all of our former donors and shoppers for
their support.

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Older Notes 2005:

Volunteers are urgently needed at our Tylertown shelter.
The contact there is Jeff Dorson. He is on site and can be
reached at 601-876-2781. It may be easier to reach him early
in the morning or late in the evening.

I'm sure you're already aware of her, but a volunteer named
Jane Garrison is working with rescuers in New Orleans, who
are going to houses, where animals still may be in need of
rescue. Owners called and asked for pets to be rescued weeks
ago, and incredibly, some are still being found alive. I
helped trap a cat yesterday, who had been caught inside a
hospital since Katrina. Because rescuers have been leaving
food around the area, he was not even underweight, just dirty
and scared.

To contact Jane Garrison, please call her at (removed contact -
she is no longer active in pet rescue per phone call to her 4/07)

HAVE SPECIAL SKILLS? (contact us at humanela@gmail.com)
We need:
Veterinarians
Vet techs
Contractors
Animal Control Professionals
Electricians
Plumbers