Ke$ha and Other Local Heroes Work to Help Animal Victims of Flood

It has been a harrowing past few days for all of us in Nashville..

The city declared a State of Emergency, the Red Cross Shelters are full, Fema officials have arrived, some of us are still without power, and we must ration our water. While, at the same time, many, many residents drag the soggy remains of their possesions out of what was once their homes.

There are as of right now, an untold number of lost pets, the city has reported that they are picking up lots of dead pets, and our city Animal Control is past capacity. The Nashville Humane Society has been working with the Red Cross to help with the pets brought to the Red Cross shelters and they have also been spending night and day attempting to rescue animals displaced in the flood.

This morning I paid a visit to Animal Control. Director Judy Ladebauche told me she was simply amazed at how so many Nashvillians have stepped up and brought food and supplies even when their own living circumstances were difficult.

I admit my first reaction to this disaster was the welfare of my own pets...we had what I am certain was a tornado at 6 a.m. on Sunday, then a lightening strike at 4 that afternoon....and we couldn't leave because of flooding...and we were the lucky ones. This view from the backyard....

....... and another from the front yard gives you an idea of the storm issues we had along with over 13 inches of rain.

The news media has mostly focused on the damage to city landmarks such as this Huffington Post photo of the Gaylord hotel. And to have the historic area of the city including the Grand Ole'Opry and the Symphony Center under water is very sad indeed. But nothng is as sad as losing your home, a relative, or your pet...

... I was especially heartened when pop phenom and local girl Kesha showed up at Animal Control with over a thousand pounds of supplies. It is people like Kesha that make Nashville such a special city, not because of her talent, but because of her heart.

Right now there are dogs with uncertain futures like this yellow Lab mix at Animal Control.

Another local hero, the amazing artist, and fellow blogger, Bernie Berlin went to Animal Control to take some of the animals to her farm

known as 'A Place to Bark'. Watch this vid of Bernie at Animal Control today and see some of those displaced canines.http://www.twitvid.com/Z4IEE

By taking on some of these dogs, Bernie is helping Animal Control have space for the dogs who haven't been captured yet

With heroes like these, the situation in Nashville is not as bad as it could have been. But we still need help.You can donate online to the Nashville Humane Society's effort to save these animals and learn more about their flood rescue efforts by going herehttp://www.nashvillehumane.org/

and Bernies' rescue site has several ways to donate including art auctions,http://www.aplacetobark.com/index.html, Nashville has one of the highest pet ownership percentages per capita in the country, which means we have a lot of pet owners and now we have a lot of pets and owners who are displaced by a natural disaster. Please, if you can, be a hero too....thanks.

'Tis Better to Give....

This morning I was collecting items to be picked up by a local charity and decided to share some ideas to help our canine friends this holiday season. Every shelter is beyond capacity right now. Never in modern history have there been more operational pet shelters and yet never has the need been so great to help them.
When I managed a pet boutique I kept a box behind the counter for donations to the local shelter. Every time a customer purchased a new dog bed, bowl, brush, collar, etc. I would ask them to bring in the old one to donate on their next visit to the store. Not only would the customers bring in the old items still in usable condition, but often they would bring in more items as well to donate. Every holiday season I would have a pet food drive and ask each customer to purchase an extra can or bag of food to donate.
I always kept the damaged bags of still good food to send to the shelter as well.
Our neighborhood association has a pet spay neuter program for neighbors who can't afford it or for strays to be fully vetted before going to a new home. This year I have asked them to donate their old crates and other supplies to local rescue groups.
If you don't have a neighborhood association, you can still have a neighborhood pet supply drive. Tell your neighbors to get those old crates out of the garage because rescue groups never have enough. In fact, recently one of our local rescue groups in an effort to rescue puppy mill puppies had to make several trips back and forth because they didn't have enough crates for transport. Borrow a truck and tell them you will pick up the crates and other donated pet items yourself on a designated day. Almost everyone I know has a dog crate they don't need anymore in storage that could be donated.

And shelters need collars and beds and bowls and toys too. Believe me, the dogs and shelter workers will be grateful and won't care that they are used.
I have also had pet food drives at my office jobs. Just email all your co-workers and tell them that on a certain day you are collecting pet food for the shelter.Do you or a friend have a retail business?Offer a discount to customers who bring in pet food donations during the holiday season. Because it benefits charity some community bulletin boards and local radio and T.V. stations may post it for free.
Another idea is to ask your friends to donate money to your favorite rescue in lieu of buying you a present this year....
Some no kill shelters have sponsorship programs. Get together with your friends and sponsor a dog at a no kill shelter.
Or donate your time. If you have never donated your time to a shelter it is both rewarding and unnerving. Unnerving because you are almost overwhelmed when you see how in need the shelters are and how little time can be devoted to each dog. Dogs need walking, grooming, and their cages and kennels cleaned. The work never ends and volunteers are always needed. If you don't live near a shelter, consider offering to walk or groom an ill, elderly or disabled persons dog.
Do you belong to an online group? Suggest that each member donate an item to their local shelter this year. Not everyone is in a position to adopt right now, but don't let the holiday season go by without doing something for rescue.

Share this idea with everyone you know, just think, if everyone in America did one thing for pet rescue this season how much it would help. Can you imagine? Spread the word!
With that thought, Puff tips his Pilgrim's hat to you...

Have a happy Thanksgiving and don't forget to watch the National Dog Show.