Disaster Archive:

Plains States Flooding

July 4, 2007 - 1:00 p.m. Central Time

In anticipation of a busy summer and fall, Animal Resources has been gearing up to offer our services to communities affected by natural disasters. We expected that in the months ahead it would be hurricanes and wildland fires keeping our Staff and Volunteers busy. Instead, our first disaster has turned out to be a flood that has affected the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

As more communities have become submerged in flood water throughout the Plains states in the past several weeks, the animal needs have increased. In an effort to do our part to help, Animal Resources is providing assistance to the Washington County SPCA in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. They currently need help caring for the animals that were in their shelter prior to rising flood waters forcing them to evacuate.

Approximately 200 animals had to be moved, some going into local foster homes, and 109, as of late yesterday afternoon, being housed at a temporary shelter the SPCA Staff and Volunteers set up at the fairgrounds in nearby Dewey, Oklahoma.

This is the second time that the Washington County SPCA has had to evacuate in the past month. The last evacuation taught the Staff and Volunteers a lot. Fortunately, the shelter did not flood so they were able to move back in after a couple days. When they started evacuating again last Saturday, they were able to get all the animals out, along with valuable supplies and documentation. We applaud the Staff and Volunteers for all their hard work and we feel very fortunate to be working with such a wonderful group of individuals dedicated to helping animals.

Sheri Thompson, Disaster Operations Assistant Director, met with representatives of the Washington County SPCA on Monday, July 2, at the temporary shelter, to determine how Animal Resources could best assist them. The SPCA Staff and Board of Directors were grateful for the extensive experience and manpower that Animal Resources could offer, as they are expecting more animals to be in need of temporary sheltering in the days ahead. On-site today are 11 Animal Resources team members from various locations throughout the United States and Canada who will help with various aspects of caring for the animals, which primarily includes cats and dogs, plus two horses. Additional Animal Resources Volunteers are scheduled to help throughout the week and longer if necessary.

The animals have settled into the temporary shelter. The weather is not unbearable and, with the help of multiple fans and a misting system, they are staying fairly cool. So far, there has been just one dog that needed to be taken to a local veterinarian to be treated for pneumonia. We anticipate we will start to see more medical problems, primarily due to animals drinking contaminated flood water. Animals who have been exposed to flood waters are decontaminated when they arrive.

We had a 4-week-old kitten arrive just after midnight last night. A family found her in a ditch. She is being bottle fed and has taken up residence in our Mobile Command Post.

At this time Animal Resources is not certain what specific supplies and equipment the SPCA will need in order to care for the animals for the short or long term. Since their own shelter did flood, help will eventually be needed in getting the facility cleaned so the animals can be moved back in. We know there will be essential items too damaged to be salvaged which will need to be replaced. As these specific needs become known, we will provide this information for those who want to help the Washington County SPCA recover from this devastating flood.

Animal Resources has been working in cooperation with Washington County Emergency Management and other local government agencies to ensure the animals' needs are addressed in this disaster. At this morning’s briefing, Animal Resources was recognized for the important role we are playing and everyone agreed that our help is definitely needed. Oklahoma Senator John Ford was especially pleased that animal needs were being addressed too, as he recognizes the importance of not ignoring the relationship that people have with their pets.

We will also be working with the Red Cross to get information out to the affected areas to let residents know what services are available for their animals. Our team is grateful to the Red Cross and the East Cross United Methodist Church for providing us with a place to stay, as well as feeding us. The Salvation Army has also been generous in providing meals.

One of the subjects discussed with great interest at this morning’s briefing was what had happened to a herd of buffalo that resided in one of the flooded areas. We learned they were able to escape over their 8 foot high fence when the water rose above this depth. They have now moved to an elevated railroad track nearby and all members of the herd are accounted for. Efforts are underway to get them relocated to somewhere safe.

The Staff and Volunteers at Animal Resources are hoping that the predictions for a busy hurricane and fire season do not materialize, but if they do, we will be available to help. If your community is one of those at risk due to a hurricane or wildland fire, Animal Resources would welcome the opportunity to work with local emergency management and any animal welfare organizations to take the steps now to be better prepared. We can be reached at Info@AnimalResources.org to discuss specifically how we can help.

Additional updates on the flood will be posted in the days ahead as Animal Resources continues to work along side the Washington County SPCA Staff and Volunteers to help those animals that have been affected.

July 7, 2007 - 10:00 a.m. Central Time

The Animal Resources team has been in Dewey, Oklahoma for six days now. During this time we have worked closely with the Washington County SPCA Staff and Volunteers to get the temporary evacuation shelter located at the fairgrounds organized and running smoothly. It has been exciting to see the cooperative efforts of both organizations and how this new partnership has benefited the 139 animals in our care.

The fairgrounds will be the temporary home for the SPCA for a while longer. Yesterday morning, we were able to drive right up to the front gate of the shelter for the first time. You could see how high the water got. The waterline on the outside of the building stopped at about 4 feet. This morning, Anita Stepp, Executive Director for the SPCA, was able to go inside the building for the first time to assess the damage and take pictures. Below is one of the pictures of a flooded hallway. To see more pictures of the damage caused by the flooding, visit the SPCA’s website at www.wcspca.org.

After the insurance company does their assessment, it will be possible to get inside and start cleaning. Animal Resources will be providing manpower to accomplish the big task that lies ahead that will enable the animals to return to the shelter.

In the meantime, the animals are doing fine at the temporary shelter. The misting system and the industrial fans are keeping animals and people cooled off. Frozen bottles of water are being placed in the cat’s cages for them to lay up against and stay cool. In between cleaning and feeding, Volunteers are able to give the dogs baths and get them out for walks and play time.

The health of the animals is good, for the most part. Our concern, though, is that we will start to see an increase in medical problems due to animals drinking and being in the flood water. This is something we have experienced in past floods.

The dogs are being tested for heart worm and so far two have tested positive. We anticipate finding more that are positive.

Floods do not create the types of injuries to animals that we see in hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. The most serious injury we have seen so far is a dog whose eye was injured and he is under veterinary care.

The Boulder, Colorado Humane Society has worked for sometime to take adult dogs and puppies from the Washington County SPCA for adoption. Last night, 19 adoptable canines were loaded into a horse trailer and transported to Colorado. This has freed up space in the shelter for additional animals that are anticipated to arrive in the days ahead. Additional transports with other animal organizations that we have worked with in the past are being planned. We are also working with breed-specific rescue groups to place some of the other dogs. Right now, we have an elderly Dalmatian and a German Shepherd who are ready for new homes.

Today, we are going to be sending Volunteers out into the community to go door-to-door in the areas with the worst flooding, to determine what peoples' needs are for their animals. We know many will need pet food as well as other essential supplies to care for their animals. As assessments are made, we will be supplying people with what they need.

Our Wish List changes throughout each day, so if you would like to help the animals being affected by this disaster, the best way to do so is to make a monetary donation. That way we can purchase what we need, when we need it, in the quantity we need.

At this point, it is hard to say for sure how much longer we will remain mobilized in Bartlesville. Our estimate is through next weekend. Fortunately, since we arrived we have seen no rain. Should the rain return, though, it may result in more flooding. This area is still saturated and it would not take much rain for the Caney River to once again come out of its banks.

Our team of 19 trained volunteers on site has been doing an amazing job. Watching them work, you would think they do this everyday. The compassion they show for the animals, the comfort they offer to the victims, their diligence in getting the work done in hot conditions, their attention to detail, the support they give to one another, and their ability to turn chaos into order are to be commended. Anita Stepp, Executive Director for the SPCA, told me yesterday, "I don’t know what we would have done if Animal Resources had not come to our aid."

Animal Resources wants to be able to provide the same kind of assistance we are providing to the animals and people of Bartlesville to other communities. If your community does not have a disaster plan for animals and realizes it is time to change this, we would love to talk with you. Please e-mail us at Info@AnimalResources.org and we can discuss what your specific needs might be in a disaster and what role Animal Resources can play.

July 9, 2007 - 10:00 a.m. Central Time

Field Report Submitted By Sheri Thompson - Disaster Operations Assistant Director

Now that residents are being allowed to return to their homes for the first time, over the weekend I was part of a team assigned to find out what people needed for their animals in one of the areas worst hit by the flooding. With me were Animal Resources team members Doug Freeman, Tina Lindebaum, and Geneva Broomfield.

To better serve people, we worked in cooperation with the Salvation Army. As they handed out meals to people, we asked about any animal needs individuals had. One disaster victim needed food for five dogs and a cat. She also asked if we could look at one of their female dogs who was in the backyard. The woman seemed quite concerned. She stated the two year old dog had appeared to be fine the day before, but after a new flea and tick collar was put around her neck, her condition changed drastically by morning.  

Doug and I followed the woman to the backyard, where we met Baby Girl, a medium sized furry black dog. When we spotted the dog laying in the mud and wet grass it became obvious immediately that she was in extremely bad shape. We suspected she had been in poor health prior to the flood but having been left behind in the backyard for six days, had to have made her condition worse.

In spite of her thick fur, you could still see how emaciated she was. When I ran my hand over her I felt just about every bone. Her spine and hip bones were especially obvious, protruding sharply from her small frame. As I continued to touch her, her rigid body was trembling and she repeatedly jerked her head around to her left side. She made no effort to stand, which was probably why she was covered in urine. Further observations revealed she was unable to open her mouth. During the time we were assessing her condition, she just stared blankly and never seemed to acknowledge our presence.

Given the seriousness of her condition we told the owner we should get Baby Girl to a veterinarian immediately. We felt that the dog had little chance of surviving for more than a day or two if she did not get some help. With her not being able to open her month she could not pant or drink, and given the high temperatures in this area, this would have meant certain death.

We took Baby Girl to the Dewey Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Charles Stites’ initial examination determined she suffers from Mitral Valve Failure, a severe form of heart murmur. This condition causes poor circulation and a lack of blood flow to the organs and body tissues. It can cause problems with absorbing nutrients from food and was most likely the primary cause of her emaciation, which was made worse by a poor diet. What was originally thought might be a broken jaw, turned out to be caused from the emaciation and poor circulation, causing her jaw muscles to atrophy, leaving her unable to voluntarily open her mouth. Her already weakened body and strained heart made her more susceptible to a toxic reaction to the flea and tick collar, showing neurological symptoms such as unresponsiveness, stiffness and jerky movements.

Dr. Stites immediately started Baby Girl on IV fluids to help re-hydrate her, and valium to help relax her rigid muscles. We saw an immediate difference in her when she began to relax. We left Baby Girl in the care of Dr. Stites so her condition could continue to be closely monitored. As our team drove back to the shelter, we all agreed that July 7, 2007 was indeed a lucky day for Baby Girl. With supportive care and a good quality diet, Dr. Stites is hopeful she will recover, but states her recovery may take up to several months.

Animal Resources has made the commitment to pull Baby Girl through this and when the owner made the decision to sign her over to us, we were relieved. We will be looking to find a special home for Baby Girl where she will receive the care and love she deserves.

On Sunday afternoon, we had our youngest canine evacuee arrive.  He was brought to us by Bartlesville Animal Control Officer Rita Harvey.  The four week old puppy had a broken tail and an open wound crawling with maggots.  When you touched the puppy he would cry out in pain.  Dr. Stites met us at his clinic again and the puppy was doing a lot better after getting some pain medication, antibiotics, and a bath to remove the maggots and eggs.  Caney, the name we gave to the puppy, will need to have his tail docked in several weeks.  Thanks to Volunteer Tawnie Larson, Caney is in a foster home where he is recovering nicely and is being very spoiled.

The four week old kitten we got in the first night we were set up at the temporary shelter is doing really well after a couple days of not feeling good.  His name is Dewey and he resides in our command bus where he gets lots of attention and plenty of people to feed him that next bottle.   

Yesterday, we were able to get into the Washington County SPCA shelter for the first time to start cleaning out the facility.  The linoleum floors were slick due to the remnants of mud and a thin layer of water as we surveyed the damage and came up with a plan to tackle this enormous project.  In 94 degree heat, our nine member team of Animal Resources Volunteers began hauling desks, chairs, file cabinets, bookcases, tables, refrigerators, and an assortment of other saturated items out of the main shelter building for two hours.  We also tackled the room used for grooming, finding few items that could be saved. The things that could be saved were put in a separate pile so they could later be washed and disinfected.  The growing pile of items that were no longer useable was set aside so they can be hauled off to the landfill.  Cleanup efforts will continue throughout the week. 

As of this morning we have 81 dogs, 44 cats, and 2 horses in our care at the temporary shelter set up at the Washington County Fairgrounds.  There have been a number of animals reclaimed as new animals arrive, which has kept our total animal count right around 130.  At this morning's briefing at the Emergency Operations Center, we learned that the weather forecast is for more rain over the next three days, with some concern about the amount of rain that might fall on Wednesday.  If more flooding does occur we anticipate seeing our numbers increase.  It is our hope, though, that the worst of this flooding is behind us all.  At this point, we anticipate remaining in Bartlesville through the upcoming weekend.

 If you would like to help us in our on ongoing efforts to help the animals in this disaster and in future disasters, your financial assistance would be greatly appreciated.

July 11, 2007 - 6:00 p.m. Central Time

Yesterday was another busy day at the shelter. It started out with Bartlesville Animal Control Office Bob Paris bringing to the temporary shelter a Rottweiler and her 4 nursing puppies, pulled out from under the porch of a house that had been abandoned. There were two other puppies but the Animal Control Officer was unable to get them when they scattered beyond his reach. We sent a team to search for the remaining puppies and were able to locate what we thought were the last two.  We were surprised when we discovered a third puppy. This puppy disappeared into an area under the house that was not accessible, though. We took the mother out later to see if she could lure the puppy out of hiding, but we have yet to locate the last puppy. Meanwhile, the underweight mother is eating well and better able to take care of her babies.

Last night, 25 puppies and adult dogs were transported to the Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado. The Washington County SPCA periodically sends animals to this organization, who has great success placing them. Being able to send this many animals has created more room at the temporary shelter, which will help lighten the work load for the SPCA staff when we leave. Another group of animals will be going to the Boulder, Colorado Humane Society within a week.

We are also working to get a group of adoptable animals transferred to the Animal Rescue and Foster Program in Greensboro, North Carolina, who has helped placed animals available for adoption from other disasters. Their website is www.arfpnc.com. They have always done an outstanding job of finding homes for animals that are often more difficult to place. One of the dogs they will be taking is the sweet little girl with mange. We are thrilled she will be able to fully recover and live a quality life.

Over the last couple of days, we have been involved in getting hay for horses and cattle. When we were at the Red Cross Service Center distributing flyers yesterday, we met a couple who had lost all their hay, as well as one of their cows and her calf. They still had 26 dairy cows to feed, no food left, and no money to purchase any hay. Our Team Leader, Barb Hartman, made a lot of calls before she was even able to locate someone who had any round bales of hay available to buy. The first load was delivered late yesterday and the owners of the cows were extremely grateful. More hay will be delivered to them later to get them through until they are in a position to be able to buy the hay themselves. We also got hay delivered to a woman with 10 horses. She, too, lost all her hay and could not afford to buy more.

Baby Girl, the malnourished dog we rescued over the weekend, is slowly improving. Today, she was able to stand for the first time, and then cautiously walked out side to go to the bathroom. Everyone was very excited. On Friday, Baby Girl will be driven to the St. Louis area where the nonprofit group SNUGGLE will place her in foster care, thanks to their founder and Animal Resources Team Leader, Sharon Maag. Baby Girl will remain there until she gets stronger and then a new home will be found.

Four other dogs headed to Missouri today in the company of Animal Resources Volunteers Lynn Beckmeyer and Pam Siemer. Two dachshunds, who were surrendered by their owner due to the flood, will be going to the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center, thanks to Animal Resources Team Leader, Theresa Williams. We repeatedly tried to get the dogs' owner to put the dogs in a foster home, but he made up his mind to give them up. A Boston Terrier who had been at the SPCA prior to the flood will also be calling St. Louis home now, too. Additionally, two dachshund mix puppies will be placed through the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center.

Joe, the dog with the injured eye, is having it removed today. The surgery is being done by Dr. Chad  Lewis at the VCAA Owasso Animal Medical Center in Owasso, Oklahoma. In our next update, we will include information on how he is doing.

Animal Resources will be on-site through Friday. After we leave, we will continue to remain in contact with Anita Stepp, the Executive Director of the Washington County SPCA, providing whatever assistance we can to them as they continue to recover. Before we leave Bartlesville, we will be meeting with Kary Cox, Director of Washington County Emergency Management, to discuss putting in place a Memorandum of Understanding so that Animal Resources can be a resource to this county during any future disasters.

Thoughts and observations from Animal Resources Volunteer Pam Siemer, who has been on site with us since Tuesday, July 3.

Despite rainy weather yesterday, there was no more flooding as predicted. At the temporary animal shelter, feeding, watering, and cleaning up after the animals went on as usual. The 18 dogs in the quarantine area, for which I am responsible, have come to rely on hugs, kisses, and treats each morning and afternoon. All of them are much more relaxed and content than they were a week ago when Animal Resources arrived. Each of them now eagerly awaits their forever home.

One of the highlights yesterday was when a family came in and were reunited with their dog. The kids were especially excited to see the sweet pitbull, Eddie, that all of us who have been taking care of him, have fallen in love with. Eddie seemed very relieved that his family had found him and he will be even more excited when they are finally able to come back for him and take him home.

Several very young puppies have come into the shelter. When you see their little dazed faces and anxious eyes, you can’t help but want to take them all home. It is a relief to know that Animal Resources will work with the Washington County SPCA to make sure they all get great homes.

This was my first disaster and I can’t believe how much I have learned. Being here in Bartlesville has given the animals that needed a temporary home a safe place to stay and for those who need a new home, a chance for a new beginning. This is what has made the long days and hard work so worthwhile. Reflecting on the past 10 days, as I prepare to head home today, gives me a greater appreciation for my family and furry friends awaiting my return. This disaster has shown me how quickly a person’s life can be torn apart and how tough it can be to recover. The friends I have made, both human and four-legged, will always remain in my heart and their unexpected arrival into my life makes me feel like my family has grown.

July 12, 2007 - 6:00 p.m. Central Time

The rain that had been predicted for Wednesday finally arrived early this morning. We awoke to thunder and lightning and a parking lot with patches of standing water. Our first priority of the day was to get to WalMart and buy a dog house for a black lab we had met several days ago. The dog lived in a residential area that had flooded. We had talked with the owner about housing Sam at the temporary shelter, but they insisted he was fine tied up in their backyard. Sam had a dog house, but it was not large enough for him and the lid and bottom did not fit together very well.

When we arrived at Sam’s house, he was still tied up and large portions of the backyard that were within his reach had growing puddles of water. We quickly got the dog house set up and filled it with clean towels. No one was home and there was no sign that Sam had been fed, so we filled up a big bowl with food and placed it in the dog house. After acquainting Sam with his new house, we gave him hugs and left for the shelter. We felt better that he had a place to get out of the rain, but we wished we could have done more. Thankfully, the rain stopped before noon and we knew Sam was out of danger for now.

The two horses that have been residing at the shelter went home yesterday. We all enjoyed taking turns spending time with them. They especially enjoyed when we were able to brush them and remove ticks. The ticks have been horrible and we have pulled many off of most of the dogs and cats. What has surprised us is that the mosquitoes have not been as bad as we expected. And we have been especially grateful not to have seen a single snake since we arrived. This has not been the case in past floods we have responded to.

Several of the mornings when we have arrived at the shelter, we have found box turtles strolling though the shelter. They have provided the dogs with entertainment. When one of the turtles was foolish enough to make his way into a dog run, we were grateful that the dog ended up being more afraid of the turtle than the turtle was of him. We rescued the turtle and took him back into the woods, where we hope he will stay.

Tomorrow will be our last day in Bartlesville. As we prepare to wrap things up, we are working to get as many cats and dogs placed into new homes as we can. These are primarily animals that were in the shelter prior to the flood. The more animals we can help the Washington County SPCA adopt, the better we will all feel. Today, we selected the 5 dogs and 7 cats that will be going to Greensboro, North Carolina. All the cats were tested for feline leukemia and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) and we were pleased that not one tested positive.

One of the dogs going to North Carolina is the mange dog who we have now named Molly. She got bathed and treated today and she looked beautiful. You could also see the relief on her face, especially while she was cuddled in the arms of Animal Resources Volunteer, Jerry Elfrank.

The Washington County SPCA is not yet ready to reopen, but the Board of Directors and Staff are working hard to get the facility completely cleaned and disinfected so that the animals can return. A professional cleaning service is being used because of the health risks. The SPCA is located next to an auto salvage yard, so all kinds of harmful liquids floated in on the flood water and were deposited in the soil. The septic system also backed up, adding to the dangers. One of the buildings with dog runs in it was being pressure washed today and a second building will be tackled tomorrow. Hopefully, all the animals will be moved back into the shelter before the end of July.

Our final update from Bartlesville will be posted tomorrow.

Follow up from Animal Resources Volunteer Tina Lindebaum on Winchester, the German Shepherd, who now calls California home.

Winchester made it to California, thanks to Animal Resources Volunteers Dennis Pickersgill, Doug Freeman, and John Burns, who traveled together for 24 hours on the Animal Resources Command Bus from Bartlesville, Oklahoma to California. Winchester has turned out to be even sweeter and more loving then I remember him being while I was in Bartlesville. I kept him overnight and he sat outside on the grass with me while we had a neighborhood watch meeting at my house.  He couldn't get enough love and he'd roll over so I could scratch his tummy.  Everyone thought I had had him for years, not hours.

When given commands to sit or lay down he immediately responded.  It turns out Winchester loves kids and the kids love him, and he did beautifully with my dogs.  He was very curious about my cat, though, which my cat didn't appreciate.  To be on the safe side, I kept him away from Marley so Winchester didn't get swatted in the face.  Winchester wanted to sleep on the bed, but settled down and slept really well all night on the floor next to the bed.

We thought we saw him show food aggression while he was at the temporary shelter, but since I have had him he has had nothing but the best manners. I was hand feeding Winchester and my two dogs some treats and he behaved the best.  He politely took one treat and when it fell on the ground, there was no growling or fighting for it.  When I later fed him, I continued to pet him to see what his reaction would be and he never objected.

I hate to part with Winchester, but after talking to Teresa at Coastal Shepherd Rescue, I know they'll screen his new owner very well and he will have a great home.  They don't adopt to anyone who is simply going to have him as an outside dog.  He really is special and I am so pleased to see how much he's blossomed just in the few hours of being in a home.

Thanks Dennis, Doug, and John for bringing Winchester to me.  I had some anxiety about the logistics of getting him to where he needed to be, but everything worked out great.

July 14, 2007 - 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time

The Animal Resources team pulled out of Bartlesville, Oklahoma on Friday, July 13 after being on-site for 12 days. We notified Dr. Scott Mason, the Disaster Preparedness Task Force Chairman with the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), to let him know we had wrapped up our operations. During this disaster, we have been in regular contact with Dr. Mason and each time we have talked with him, he has voiced his appreciation for the outstanding job Animal Resources has done.

We always leave a disaster with mixed emotions and this one was no different. The strongest of those emotions is the feeling of accomplishment that stems from helping animals and people, which is pretty hard to match. Everyone on the team had countless opportunities to make a difference during this disaster and all those on the receiving end were extremely grateful to Animal Resources and the extraordinary people who make it possible for us to do what we do.

In total, Animal Resources helped care for close to 300 animals. Out of this group, we were able to arrange to get 43 animals adopted or placed in foster care. These were all animals who had been in the shelter prior to the flood or ones who had been surrendered by their owners afterwards.  Besides going to other cities in Oklahoma, these animals went to California, Minnesota, Missouri, and North Carolina.

The animals that we have mentioned in previous updates are all doing great. This includes Baby Girl who is now at her foster home in St. Peters, Missouri. She was seen at the Harvester Animal Clinic by Dr. Thomas Dierker yesterday, and when told the condition she was in when we found her, he too is pleased with the progress she has made in just one week. Baby Girl is still going to need some TLC as well as a life long special diet that will help her to remain as healthy as possible.

Sandy Martin, the Canine Coordinator for SNUGGLE, who assessed Baby Girl in her new temporary home, said she believes she is a pure bred Euraiser which is a cross between a Chow, Samoyed, and Keeshond. As Baby Girl’s personality starts to bloom she is turning out to be an extremely affectionate dog who loves being around people, which is a strong characteristic of Euraisers. At this point Baby Girl does not seem real happy being around other dogs, though. What may explain this is the deep gash on her shoulder and the teeth marks in her neck, which Dr. Dierker feels are the result of being attacked by another dog recently.  Thanks again to Sharon Maag and SNUGGLE for their help with Baby Girl. To learn more about SNUGGLE, visit their website at www.snuggle-petrescue.com.

The Miniature Pincher that rode on the command bus with Winchester, the German Shepherd, plus Animal Resources volunteers John Burns, Doug Freeman, and Dennis Pickersgill, back to California, was spayed on Thursday and is now ready for a new home. Thanks to All Pet Headquarters for helping us to place her.

Two of the three Dachshunds and the Boston Terrier who volunteers Lynn Beckmeyer and Pam Siemer transported to the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center near St. Louis, Missouri, have new permanent homes. And, the three Dachshund-mix puppies that were transported there this past Friday have a growing list of people who want to adopt them once they are assessed by a veterinarian.

The 12 animals going to the Animal Rescue and Foster Program in Greensboro, North Carolina, will be traveling on Tuesday of next week.  Thanks to Animal Resources volunteers Sharon Gray and Jennifer Hart, plus Mike Nobles from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who offered to drive the animals to the rendezvous point in Nashville, Tennessee.

Joe, the white dog who needed to have his left eye removed, is doing great. Joe will be ready for a new home after a few more days of recovery.  We want to thank Dr. Chad Lewis at the VCA Owasso Animal Medical Center for performing the surgery and to Animal Resources volunteer Teresa Myers for all she did to give Joe a second chance.

Sally Jo is another dog that worked her way into the hearts of all of us who got to know her. She caught our attention shortly after we arrived at the temporary shelter because of an abnormality with her left front leg.  It was also her sweet personality that made it impossible not to stop and pet her when you passed her run. We did learn from the SPCA staff that Sally Jo had the problem with her leg when she arrived at the shelter in February. Therefore, the problem with her leg was not due to a recent trauma, so there was no immediate concern that necessitated getting her to a veterinarian, but we still kept a close eye on her.

When it came time to pull out on Friday, we took Sally Jo with us. Our volunteers, Teresa Myers and Colleen Smith, arranged for Sally Jo to go to the VCA Woodland East Animal Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Brad Howard agreed to look at Sally Jo’s leg to determine what the problem was and what could be done, if anything, to correct it.  

When we met with Dr. Howard, we were immediately pleased with the genuine interest he showed in Sally Jo. And we were touched by how Sally Jo responded to him. During the entire time that Dr. Howard examined Sally Jo’s leg, she sat very calmly, almost to the point of becoming so relaxed she was about ready to fall asleep. We all felt she could sense that what we were all doing in that exam room was intended to help her.

After looking at x-rays that were taken of her leg, Dr. Howard felt Sally Jo’s elbow had been dislocated when she was young and she never received medical attention to fix it. As she grew, her elbow fused together to create the abnormality.  This spunky youngster does not let her leg slow he down.  She is able to put weight on it and is even able to run, but with a limp.

We left Sally Jo with Dr. Howard so he can consult with another veterinarian to determine what the best treatment solution will be. It may be that the leg is left as it is or surgery may be the answer. In the meantime, Sally Jo is in need of a permanent home. Teresa Myers and Colleen Smith will be working with us to find Sally Jo a new family. We want to thank Dr. Howard, too, for his willingness to help Sally Jo. We know without a doubt she is in excellent hands.

There is always a long list of people to thank after each disaster who help us in our efforts and this time there are a lot of people to include.

First, we would like to thank the Animal Resources volunteers who repeatedly proved their commitment to animals while working with the cats and dogs, plus two horses, at the Washington County Fairgrounds. This group includes Angela Backus, Lynn Beckmeyer, John Burns, Lisa Downs, Jerry Elfrank, Doug Freemen, Barb Hartman, Tawnie Larson, Tina Lindebaum, Teresa Myers, Dennis Pickersgill, Pam Siemer, Colleen Smith, and Chris Sullivan.  The trained volunteers on-site put in a total of 1,372.25 hours, not including their travel time.

It was indeed a pleasure to work with each volunteer. And it was such a joy to see how well everyone worked together, always remaining focused on our number one objective, which is to help the animals through this tough time.

There were also the Animal Resources volunteers who couldn’t be on-site but helped from home with such important things as scheduling volunteers, setting up animal transports, arranging for foster and permanent homes, and locating supplies that we needed. This group includes Shelly Dunn, Sharon Gray, Jennifer Hart, Vicky Herbert, Sharon Maag, Dave Melot, Susan Randolph, Dean Richman, Kelsey Roberts, Bev Westerman, Kelly Goodenow, and Theresa Williams. The trained volunteers off-site put in a total of approximately 88 hours.

We would especially like to thank Dean Richman for doing a fantastic job of getting the new Animal Resources website up and posting our updates from the field. This was a great way for us to stay connected with everyone who wanted to be kept informed about our activities in Bartlesville.

A special thank you also goes to our volunteer, Chris Sullivan, who traveled from Vermont, putting the book she is writing on hold for a week in order to help out. The working title of the book is Finding My Way Home: An Incredible Tale of Love, Loss, Hope, and Triumph. It’s the story of a very special dog named Cinnamon who Chris’ brother fell in love with while serving in the military in Afghanistan.  The book tells the story of the incredible journey and the people along the way who helped Cinnamon get to the United States. Chris’ book will be out in the fall and we will be posting information on our website announcing its availability. And we would like to thank Chris for deciding to donate a portion of the proceeds from the book to Animal Resources so we can continue to help other deserving animals. 

During this disaster, we got to know some other amazing volunteers from the communities surrounding Bartlesville. We’d like to especially thank Geneva Broomfield for her interest in helping Animal Resources in our future efforts to save animals affected by disasters. All of the spontaneous volunteers were a big help and in total they logged in approximately 328 hours at the temporary shelter.

We would like to express our appreciation to the East Cross United Methodist Church and the Red Cross for providing the team with a comfortable place to stay for our entire time in Bartlesville. A group of women from the church fixed us "down on the farm" breakfasts and dinners each day, which meant we did not lose weight on this disaster. We were further spoiled by having the luxury of showers and a washer and dryer to use everyday. What a novelty it was to have clean clothes to put on every morning.

Staying at the church and spending time with people from the Red Cross gave us additional opportunities to connect with the human victims who had animal needs, too. Once again it was wonderful to see how concerned the Red Cross volunteers were about the animals affected by the flood. When we work in cooperation with Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and other human relief organizations, everyone, people and animals included, get the assistance they need.

We would also like to thank the Salvation Army for providing lunches most everyday, as well as local resident Lynne Shaw, who had pizza delivered to us for lunch last week. Our volunteer, Tawnie Larson, also delivered lunch to us last Saturday, which was donated by Brian Crawford, the owner of the Flying Roll Chicken Dinner House in Tulsa.

The animals ate well, too, in this disaster, both in the shelter and in the community, thanks to all the people who dropped off cans and bags of cat and dog food. All the food we handed out in the flooded neighborhoods was greatly appreciated and people repeatedly told us how grateful they were for all the help. We’d also like to thank Larry Cain for making available grass hay and delivering it to the people who needed it in order to be able to feed their cattle and horses.

There was a growing assortment of supplies donated that included such things as fans, newspapers, hand sanitizer, extension cords, garbage bags, zip ties, and more that people donated. We would like to thank everyone who gave and especially the Oklahoma Alliance for Animals and Clova Abrahamson at the Oklahoma Humane Federation. Our Volunteer, Tawnie Larson, also collected a lot of the needed supplies through her business clients at GoGo Pets, as well as other contacts she had in the Tulsa area.

We would also like to thank veterinarian Joel Manley, who treated some of the first animals that needed medical attention. Dr. Charles Stites was also a big help with Baby Girl and Caney, the black puppy with the broken tail and maggots. Caney is still in his foster home in Tulsa doing well. He has put on weight and has some ability to lift his tail. It now looks like they will be able to save part of his tail. Caney is scheduled to be seen by the veterinarian next Tuesday to further assess his tail and to verify whether he might have mange.

During this disaster we developed a great relationship with the officials in Washington County. We would like to thank Kary Cox, Director of Washington County Emergency Management, for the outstanding job he did of coordinating this disaster response. It was a pleasure to work with him and we appreciate his support for the work Animal Resources did. We also want to thank Bartlesville Assistant Fire Chief Bobby Tallchief for helping to ensure the temporary shelter was safe and for making available a fire truck to hose down the SPCA’s shelter. Senator John Ford deserves a big thanks, too, for his concern for the animals and people.

Lastly, we would like to thank the Washington County SPCA Staff, Volunteers, and Board of Directors for what they do everyday to help animals. It was an honor to work along side each and every one of them. We learned a great deal from one another, which will only lead to all of us being able to do more for animals in the future. We will remain in contact with Executive Director Anita Stepp to see what else Animal Resources can do to help as they continue to recover.

As a follow up to this disaster, Animal Resources will be conducting one of our trainings in Oklahoma. If you would be interested in finding out more about this training, please e-mail us at Info@AnimalResources.org