Bay Area Animal Rescue is First on the Ground in Devastated Areas

Project Hope, a Development of Mill Valley’s In Defense of Animals, Rescues Dozens of Abandoned and Lost Animals from Katrina’s Wrath

Project Hope, a venture of Mill Valley’s In Defense of Animals, continues to be on the forefront of animal rescue in and around the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Housed in Grenada Mississippi, Project Hope sanctuary was developed to provide permanent, caring homes to animals rescued from abusive situations in the rural areas of Mississippi.

Although the sanctuary sustained structural damage from the hurricane, after ensuring animal residents were safe and in good hands, Director Doll Stanley (an East Bay - Richmond - native) and Project Hope volunteers immediately headed to the state capital to help set up a massive staging area at the Jackson County fairgrounds for storm evacuees to leave their animals and for placement of lost and displaced animals.

When larger groups came in and took over the staging area, Doll - knowing the situation was far worse further South - prepared to venture into areas affected by the storm and deliver medical assistance and supplies but was halted by the Mississippi Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

"We understood that we would be facing dangerous situations and that precautions needed to be taken, and we appreciate that…" she says, "…but we were sitting in a parking lot with a truckload of supplies, anxiously awaiting permission to go in and rescue the animals who were drowning or dying from thirst and starvation."

Many evacuees who had already lost everything were forced to leave their beloved animals companions – for some their last remaining family members – behind to fend for themselves.

After getting permission to use the highways, the IDA/Project Hope team advanced into southern Mississippi Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday, they were in Kiln in the southwest region of the state. Traveling in a convoy of three vehicles, the group delivered food, water and medical supplies - for distribution to distressed animals - to the local volunteer fire department. The team headed to Lyman, Waveland, Pearlington and other small towns throughout the Southwest region of the Mississippi coast. Although each town was flooded by the storm surge and fallen debris that had not washed out to sea made navigation difficult, the many animals roaming the streets compelled the rescue workers on. The team picked up the displaced dogs and cats and delivered food to the desperately hungry animals they discovered en route.

As the team continued to caravan along the highways, they also continue to round up stray dogs and cats and transport them to the Waveland Animal Shelter, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) staging area in Hattiesburg and to the IDA/Project Hope Sanctuary in Grenada. All animals will be fed, cleaned up and registered as swiftly as possible and listed on www.petfinder.com and www.pets911.com.

The IDA/Project Hope team received a generous donation of supplies for the rescue operation – including food, carriers and crates to house the animals - from PETsMART Charities but remains in desperate need of veterinary supplies including peroxide, antibiotic cream, disinfectant, and flea and tick medication.

In Defense of Animals established the Hurricane Katrina Animal Relief Fund to help finance the rescue. Donations can be made on the organization’s website (www.idausa.org) or by mail: Hurricane Relief, c/o In Defense of Animals, 131 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941.