Most recent blog entries

December Recap

jan@100acrewood.net — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 17:30:00 GMT

December 3, 2005

My flight arrived on time at Jackson and I had only a brief wait before Nicole appeared with a cart full of luggage. We exchanged greetings and sat in the baggage claim area while we waited to hear from Danny and Wendy. If it was an hour, it went by quickly. Wendy called Nicole's cell phone to say they were on their way and soon we carted our bags out to the curb to meet them. It was great to see everyone again!

We chatted and got caught up on the drive to Tylertown. Danny and Wendy were tired from the drive from Dallas, but the excitement of returning to Tylertown kept us all going. We were all hungry, and were concerned that we wouldn't make it to camp before dinner, but we didn't see any place along the way where we wanted to risk eating.

As is the tradition, we missed the turn from the highway and had to backtrack to locate the sign for Best Friends Hurricane Relief. Once on the road, though, it was familiar territory. We pulled up to the gate, and the security guard let us drive in.

The first change we noticed was the addition of a gate across the road just past the Cat Barn. While Danny had already decided he was going to park his truck across from the Cat Barn (and sleep in it), he offered to drive the rest of us up to main camp to sign in. He really wanted to fourwheel it through the ankle deep mud puddles in the road!

As we parked then walked into main camp it seemed deserted. There was noone at the volunteer registration table. There was noone walking around. We then heard sounds coming from the Mess Tent and realized we had arrived just in time for dinner!

Ross told us to eat first and sign in after dinner. Everyone greeted us warmly. We learned that our arrival was eagerly awaited due to the diminishing numbers of volunteers. Ross immediately assigned us all to cat areas.

While I was eating, Peggy and Clinic Kerri approached me with a request to reassign me. There was only one veterinarian on site, Dr. Candy, and she needed someone to assist her on rounds, etc. Of course, I agreed to help and notified Ross and the December Team that I would not be joining them in the Cat Barn.

After dinner we all registered. Since it was dark (and cold), Nicole, Wendy, and I decided to sleep in the yurt rather than put up tents. We unloaded our gear then reaquainted ourselves with the camp, the people, and some animals before turning in for the night.

We were home.

Third Tour

jan@100acrewood.net — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 13:18:00 GMT

I can't believe how fast the past two weeks have gone by.

Danny and Wendy left last weekend. Nicole and I really miss them!

There were so few volunteers here last weekend that I extended my stay for another week. I just couldn't leave.

Now, it's time to go home and I still don't want to leave. I cost me $289.00 extra to change my flight, so I don't dare change it again, and I know that Jim and the kids are missing me.

I've been nursing 21 cats with Upper Respiratory Infection. We made a small room in the Cat Barn into a Cat Isolation area, and I've been pretty isolated up there myself. If it weren't for the two-way radio I wouldn't know when to walk back to camp for dinner.

This morning I will train Amy, another Vet Tech, on morning treatments and feeding, then I will hand over my radio and say good-bye to my patients. I so wish I could stay until they were all well... and all in homes.

I'll write more when I get back to California.

Until then...

Blog Call on Katrina rescue effort

jan@100acrewood.net — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 02:50:00 GMT

First "Blog Call" on Katrina rescue effort!

Last night Best Friends participated in the first in a series of "Blog Calls" to discuss the rescue of pets displaced by hurricane Katrina. The idea behind a "Blog Call" is to invite bloggers to talk about issues and help spread the message around on the "net". Featured on the call were Michael Mountain, Paul Berry and Francis Battista from Best Friends, Jane Garrison from Animal Rescue New Orleans and Eric Rice from EricsDogBlog.com. The call was arranged by Joe Trippi, manager of the Howard Dean campaign and internet community building guru. If you have your own blog and would like to participate in the next "Blog Call" on this subject send an email to jordan-at-joetrippi.com.

Feel free to copy and send this around to all your friends! Let's help get the word out that the rescue is still ongoing! The animals still need our help!

And if you haven't yet signed Best Friends petition urging the national groups to release funds collected for the disaster, go now and sign it here:

http://www.bestfriends.org

You can listen to the call here, but you'll need to fast forward through about six minutes of music at the beginning.

http://www.joetrippi.com/files/best-friends-11-30-05.mp3[/url]

Sending packages to Tylertown

jan@100acrewood.net — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 04:13:00 GMT

Would you like to give gifts to some animals at the Hurricane Relief Center?

You can ship packages to:

Best Friends Hurricane Relief Center
St. Francis Animal Sanctuary
97 Obed Magee Rd.
Tylertown, MS 39667

Phone: 435-644-2001, ext. 375

I've created a Wish List for Tylertown cats on Baggle, which lets you see what to buy and then directs you to the product's web site to purchase. Pretty slick!

Follow the December Team online

jan@100acrewood.net — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:56:00 GMT

Cat People

"Cat People" Volunteers return to Tylertown

November 29, 2005 : 1:44 PM

A group of volunteers who met each other at the Best Friends Hurricane Relief Center in October are preparing for a return trip.

Danny Reid, Wendy Hyatt, Nicole Montroy, Kathleen Carter, and Jan Martin met in Tylertown, Mississippi, and kept in touch via email when they returned to their respective homes. When each of them decided to volunteer for another tour of duty, they coordinated their travel arrangements so they could return as an experienced team.

Danny, Wendy, Nicole, and Jan will arrive at the Hurricane Relief Center on December 3rd, with Kathleen joining them on December 5th.

The "December Team" will post cat related updates in the Cat People community of the Best Friends Network. Stay tuned for more!

http://network.bestfriends.org/News/Default.aspx?g=c2f7bd8ced554e959ed4ece55e6b1f6b

Katrina's Animal Rescue

jan@100acrewood.net — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 06:52:00 GMT

PBS will air a video titled "Katrina's Animal Rescue" on "Nature", November 20, 2005.

Check your local PBS listings for airtimes.

The December Team

jan@100acrewood.net — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:10:00 GMT

It's official! Wendy Hyatt, Kathleen Carter, Danny Reid, and I will be a Tylertown team in December.

I'm flying into Jackson, MS, on December 3rd, where Danny and Wendy will retrieve me on their drive in from Dallas, TX. From there we will carpool to Tylertown, MS.

Camp Status

jan@100acrewood.net — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:05:00 GMT

The news from Best Friends:

"Currently at the rescue center, waiting to be reunited with family or to go to foster homes: 166 cats and 216 dogs, along with 2 snakes (very large!), some chickens, fish, and a sugar glider.

New admissions average 20 per day, with the same number going out to foster or being reunited with family. Numbers are expected to increase now that new foster groups are opening up. (Many thanks to all of you.)

Caregivers include 15 Best Friends staff members and 45 volunteers. Many thanks to all who responded to our appeal for volunteers. A really great infusion! More volunteers, including 5 veterinarians, are expected during the week."

It sounds like there is also a new mess tent, with lights and music, and in one photo I noticed what looked like a partially finished yurt.

Tour number three?

jan@100acrewood.net — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 17:04:00 GMT

At the behest of my friend, Danny Reid, I have considered a third tour in Tylertown.

I just now sent off my volunteer form to Best Friends, and hope to be deployed from December 3rd to December 10th.

As with all things that are meant to be, the plans have fallen together nicely so far. I don't anticipate any problems being deployed on those dates, and I look forward to working with my friends again.

How to volunteer

jan@100acrewood.net — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:54:00 GMT

Want to volunteer? Fill out the form at http://www.bestfriends.org/HF/VL.cfm

so that Best Friends can contact you for deployment.

If you've already completed a tour in Tylertown, fill out the required fields and when you get to the bottom of the page in the other notes field, copy and paste this phrase in the box:

returning.tylertown.volunteer