Galveston area: shelter needs help evacuating 300 cats -need TRANSPORT

[lindisfarne]

Can anyone within a few hours of Galveston help with evacuating cats?

There is a woman one mile from the coast in Galveston who runs a cat shelter and as of 10:30 pm Wed night (when I talked to her) had no way of evacuating them. She has 300 cats and 7 dogs, which if not evacuated, will not stand a chance with a predicted 50 storm surge from Hurricane Rita.

Does anyone have any contact with buses charter companies or shipping companies (the area the cats were transported in would have to have some degree of air conditioning, given how hot it is in TX)? The animals would go from Galveston to somewhere such as College Station, TX or possibly San Antonio, TX (that is still being worked out). If you can confirm help of this sort, please leave a message at the petfinder forum listed below (there's a number in the first message of that thread you can call).

If anyone can help out with a church gymnasium, some kind of building where the cats could be kept in the kennels while they waited out the storm, please go to this forum and leave a message:
http://forums.petfinder-network.com/viewtopic.php?t=76730

This is very last minute - they'd need to be transported Thur Sept 22 (I found out about it last minute).

Thank you.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Hmm, I don't know but I will say some prayers and see what I

can find out. Thanks for the info. God Bless.

[expatriot]

2. I just emailed the HSUS Disaster Center the original link.

Hopefully they will be able to get some help to her.

[lindisfarne]

3. Thanks for forwarding that to HSUS. Call the number listed in the link

above - the 858 number - call if you can essentially solve the
transport or shelter at new destination issue.  If you can
help drive some of the animals in an SUV, truck, van, horse
trailer, etc., call as well.  

Here's that link in plain text:
http://forums.petfinder-network.com/viewtopic.php?t=76730

[WestHoustonDem]

4. That's the shelter Lisa's foster kitties are from!

Is the shelter you're talking about Whiskerville? If so, we've got 3 of the kitties here and are trying to decide when to leave since all of the freeways are parking lots. I think we're going to wait until they figure out how to open the inbound lanes to outbound traffic.

[Lisa0825]

5. Yes, that is Wydell atWhiskerville, but it is in Texas City, not Galveston

I can't remember what i said in the post i had that went poof..... anyway, I have three foster kitties from Whiskerville here with me at WestHoustonDem's house, including one very pregnant momma. Wydell was determined to stay as of this morning, but I am sure the increased possibility of a direct hit finally changed her mind. I hope she and the kitties get out OK.

If you want to see more about her organization, check out www.whiskerville.org

[PDittie]

6. That's the ticket

Once TxDOT pulls their head out of their ass and does that, no problem. Should happen by noon, but if it doesn't, I'm heading out anyway (to Dallas via Hempstead Hwy -- not 290 -- and Hwy 6 to College Station and Waco (just as we went to Crawford) and I-35e, northward, to Big D.

Y'all could do this and then go south on I-35, which would likely be clear sailing.

In any event, consider a circuitous route to your final destination. It's better than running out of gas or overheating on a blocked freeway.

[WestHoustonDem]

8. Unfortunately 290 and Hwy6 run together for quite a ways

I guess there's no way around that?

[ehrnst]

11. contraflow routes now open

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x20561#20563

[WolverineDG]

9. come to laredo!!

with everyone headed north, take 59 to laredo. hotels are booking up, but if you want, i will check around & see if i can get an opening for you.

dg

[ehrnst]

10. Pet friendly hotels in Laredo

http://www.bestpetfriendlyhotels.net/hotels_pet/hotels_us/hotels_texas/hotels_laredo/

[ehrnst]

7. Crossposted on houston's craigslist pets

[ehrnst]

12. Please pray for them - it's too late to get the animals out.

Many people tried. Let's just hope against hope that the shelter holds.
:cry:

[expatriot]

13. NOOOOO!!!!!!

Oh my god.

[friesianrider]

14. Oh dear.

Sheesh, I will be praying tonight for these furbabes. Poor little critters. Please all say a prayer tonight and/or send good wishes and vibes their way to keep them and all animals in the hurricane's path safe.

[Lisa0825]

15. Good news is that it's looking better for Galveston County now....

I have not heard from Wydell, but due to te eastern movement of the computer models, chances are that Texas City will suffer only moderate damage. Whiskerville is in a pretty decent building, and I am pretty confident the kitties will be OK. I know Wydell, and she has a huge heart for animals, and especially cats, and I was terrified, not only for the kitties, but also that her heart would just be shattered for not being able to protect them. I am very hopeful that I'll be able to give y'all a good report after the storm.

[expatriot]

16. good news indeed. we are burning a candle tonight for Whiskerville!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4858184

[Lisa0825]

17. I just spoke to Wydell. She said thank you for all your thoughts and

concern. She said she really appreciates it. They are staying in Texas City, and feeling good about the somewhat better forecast for us. She put out a call asking for 2 generators, but hasn't gotten any offers yet. She said that the police offered to escort them in if anyone can drop them off on their way out of the area.

Apparently there have been some rumors on some pet sites that she has refused help. That is not true. She had some offers from shelters to house the cats, but they still didn't have a way to transport them.

In addition to the cats she already has, she is also running around the neighborhood picking up animals that people left behind and taking them in before the storm comes. She's really devoted to saving animals, and she's really a dynamo of a lady!

[ehrnst]

18. She's on CNN with Wolf Blitzen!!!

:bounce:

[Lisa0825]

19. She told me she would be on CNN, but I missed it.

How did she do? What did she say? Did she set the record straight on the rumors about turning down help? She was angry about that when I spoke to her. Rescuing animals is her life's passion, so that kind of accusation really ticked her off.

[expatriot]

20. How is she and how are theanimals? I know our household

(2 humans and 2 cats) have been REALLY pulling for Whiskerville the last two days.

[Lisa0825]

21. on the phone with her now... they are all fine!

They didn't even lose electricity! She's still recommending that people not return to Texas City, because of the danger of getting stuck on the way back like people got stuck getting out. But the city seems to have weathered the storm extremely well. Minor power outages, some trees down, but nothing catastrophic.

I'll probably wait until Monday to go back.

I was actually reading your message when she called me, so I read her what you wrote about your household pulling for them, and she said, "Awww, that's so sweet! It's been amazing how many people have called to wish us well. It's been really great."

[expatriot]

22. great news, indeed

On her website she said that they were out rescuing abandoned animals last night. Did she say how many animals they have at the shelter NOW?

[Lisa0825]

23. No, I didn't ask, but I will probably be seeing her tomorrow or Monday

when I get back home. Yes, she spent the entire time everyone else was evacuating either on the phone trying to get transportation for kitties, or roaming the neighborhoods looking for more. She's like an energizer bunny!