IDA's Project Hope Rescuers Return to Waveland After Hurricane Rita

Thousands of Animals Remain Homeless and Starving, Need for Volunteers Still Urgent

In last week's e-news, we reported that IDA's Project Hope animal relief team had left Waveland, Mississippi to avoid Hurricane Rita and headed for the Harrison County Fairgrounds. Last Wednesday, the group returned to Waveland to find that that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had taken the area over, and that all animal rescue operations had been moved to the old Waveland animal shelter. The Waveland Animal Control Officer has generously provided space in the temporary facility for Project Hope's tables, photos, and computer so they can continue their life-saving work. IDA's Connie Durkee from Portland, Oregon and volunteer Eric Phelps of Norfolk, Virginia have been at the shelter feeding animals, taking dogs for walks and keeping the place clean. Tragically, all of the animals in this shelter died during Hurricane Katrina because they weren't evacuated, but animals in need continue to arrive and require help.

Each Thursday, volunteers from Stray Rescue of St. Louis take dogs and cats rescued by Project Hope back to their shelter in Missouri for fostering and eventual adoption. This week, they transported 16 dogs and 22 cats to safety. The help of Randy Grim and everyone from Stray Rescue has been critical to the team because Project Hope has neither enough room to house these animals right now nor any time to find homes for them.

Later this week, the team is going to Metairie, Louisiana to set up operations. A woman there named Maria Alvarez has been feeding stray animals on several city blocks. She says that those who were strays before Katrina are now mixed in with companion animals who have lost their guardians. The Project Hope team will help feed these animals and hopefully help reunite some with their guardians, or at least find them temporary homes. Cindy Shaw with Citizens for Animal Protection in Houston reports a similar situation in Beaumont, Texas. All the fences have been blown down, and countless starving animals roam loose looking for food and water. Project Hope is prepared to make an emergency delivery to Beaumont to help these animals.

Meanwhile, IDA Office Manager and animal rescue volunteer Anita Carswell of Richmond, California celebrated her birthday searching abandoned houses in New Orleans for animals in need of assistance. On Saturday, September 25th, USA TODAY reported briefly on Anita's rescue of a kitten, which she plans to adopt herself and name "Phoenix." Click here to read the story.