Greetings Everyone!
First, this is not an appeal for money! I just spent the last 21 out of 48 hours working at the Houston SPCA where they are caring for 600 animal victims of Hurricane Katrina and I just want to share some incredible stories of courage!
Second, I'd like to thank the Houston Kennel Club, Flash Paws Agility, the Afghan Hound Club, Houston Area Hound Association, the Shetland Sheepdog Club of Houston, the Irish Setter Club of Houston, the American Spaniel Club, the Texas Coastal Brittany Club, the Fort Bend Kennel Club, the Galveston Bay Saluki Club, the Cypress Kennel Club, the Galveston Kennel Club, and Akita Rescue for helping the Houston SPCA out today. They worked tirelessly in the blazing Texas sun most of today and were a tremendous help! I'd also like to thank Dogwood Dog Training and Sports Center for the donations of crates, kennels, leashes, waders, and everything else on our wish list!
Third: the stories.
The Houston SPCA reunited 25 evacuated pets with their Louisiana owners today! I shed buckets of tears listening to the horror and drama of their stories. Then I cried again as dog after dog pricked up his ears at the mere sight of his owner and/or simply the sound of a familiar voice and then scrambled madly down the hallway to leap into loving arms.
Most of the 600 animals brought to the HSPCA were from the evacuees who literally smuggled them onto the buses from New Orleans to Houston.
One woman and her dog, Angel, swam through debris and snake-infested waters, past human corpses for hours until they reached dry land. The pair went to bus after bus only to be turned away. The woman was not about to go without Angel. She said she finally reached the very last bus in the line and at first the driver said, "No dogs allowed." She said, "Then I'm staying." The driver looked at her for a long moment and said, "Okay, get on with that dog but y'all sit up here in the front."
Another man reunited with his Cocker Spaniel today told a different but equally harrowing story. He put his dog in a black plastic garbage bag and then put him on a mattress. The dog floated on the mattress while the man walked beside him in chest deep water for hours. The pair was helicoptered out and then eventually bussed to Houston. Hidden in the garbage bag and clutched to the man's chest was the Cocker Spaniel. The man told his dog to "Be quiet and don't say anything." Once onboard the chopper, the dog moved inside the bag and accidentally nudged the pilot's elbow. The pilot smiled and said, "I didn't feel a thing. Let's get outa here."
Another woman smuggled her love bird, Lola, inside her bra. She got off the bus in Houston, cupped her breasts and said, "I've got something for you." And, out popped Lola! :>) A pair of ferrets were stuffed in baggy pants pockets. Another bird made the journey in a makeup bag. And hundreds of "pocket rocket" dogs were smuggled into Houston on buses in backpacks, bags, purses and suitcases.
The people who made it to Houston had nothing but the clothes on their backs. No identification, no money, no debit or credit cards. But, they had their beloved pets, their will to live and their courage. Watching the deep bond between these people and their pets warmed my heart and brightened my day and I hope the few stories I shared will make you smile too!
Warmest Regards -
Stacy Fox
www.houstonspca.org
There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is.
-Albert Einstein
