NEWS UPDATE: Quarantined Cats and Animal Conditions in Haiti
Maggie Funkhouser
Relief Fund to assist cats in need due to emergency or “special-needs”
situations. ACR believes that no animal should die when life-saving
treatments exist because an individual cannot afford treatment or the
support and funding are not accessible for such occasions. Therefore,
ACR created an Emergency Relief Fund. And thanks to YOU, our
compassionate members, the cats mentioned in the last e-newsletter,
who need to be quarantined because of a possible rabies exposure, have
been saved!
When ACR was originally contacted by a local county shelter, we were
told there were four cats involved, but over the course of rescue, it
became five cats. Again, it all started with a cat taken in by the
shelter who had a wound. The cat was permitted to mingle with other
cats at the shelter, until someone decided the wounded cat may have
gotten rabies. Therefore, all four cats who came in contact with the
wounded cat needed to be quarantined (plus, the wounded cat), or the
shelter was going to put all five cats to sleep.
And thanks to our caring members who contributed to our Emergency
Relief Fund, all five cats were pulled from the shelter and are now
safely in quarantine.
After Quincy was examined by two different veterinarians, it was
determined that his neck wounds are puncture wounds having occurred
less than 6 months ago but it is inconclusive as to whether they are
bite wounds; therefore, he requires quarantine. Quincy is now boarding
at a local veterinary hospital and is being monitored.
Ripley is one of the cats who was exposed to Quincy. Ripley is now
comfortably residing in quarantine at a local foster home.
The other three cats, Onyx, Milo, and Otis, who were also exposed to
Quincy, were transported by ACR from the shelter to our veterinary
hospital, where they received complete vaccinations. These three
kitties were then transported to a foster home in Pennsylvania by a
volunteer, where they too are now resting more comfortably in
quarantine.
Again, ACR believes that no cat should be killed due to lack of
funding or in this case, because of human error and paranoia.
Fortunately for these cats, individual rescuers, veterinary hospitals,
and members like you came together and helped us ensure that these
cats did not become victims of their circumstances…but survivors! All
five cats are required by the Health Department to remain in
quarantine for at least six months. Sufficient funds were raised to
remove these cats from their bad situation and from being put to
sleep, but they will continue to need assistance while in quarantine
until they can be placed into forever homes…so if you wish to help
these kitties, please send a tax-deductible donation to ACR’s
Emergency Relief Fund.
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In the wake of the disaster in Haiti, ACR has joined ARCH (Animal
Relief Coalition for Haiti) created by IFAW and WSPA to mount a
coordinated animal relief response. We have also been in contact with
an animal rescue group in the Dominican Republic. We are trying to
gather funds to send a team to the area to setup MASH-style
sterilization clinics, similar to the one ACR performed in Mexico, to
work with this local rescue to assist the two country’s cat population
and TNR feral cats on the island. Unfortunately, cats are on the
bottom of the rescue priority list and receive little or no
assistance. Again, there is a need in the Dominican Republic and
Haiti, like there was a need in Mexico, and ACR greatly wants to step
in and help both the cats and the people. If you wish to help the cats
of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, please make a tax-deductible
donation to ACR’s Emergency Relief Fund.
Below is an update on the animal situation in Port-au-Prince as
reported by IFAW’s J.C. Bouvier, who is on the ground working with the
ARCH teams:
“Our next stop was at the village where Dik the dog lives on Lilavois
Street in the neighborhood of Bon Repos. His owner Keith was happy to
see us, and our vet was able to asses his condition...when the
building he was in collapsed during the earthquake... rubble must have
fallen on his spine...and while he has no detectable fractures...his
spine was injured...our veterinarian, Dr. Thomas, administered anti-
inflammatory medication and steroids to help Dik heal...his owner
thanked us and we moved on...
We arrived at what once had certainly been an attractive set of four
houses...with wonderful mature plantings...and architecture, but had
clearly been neglected over time and partially destroyed the
earthquake...here we found "Lassie"...she came when called... and
after a moment of scurrying around....showed us all a terrible
embedded wire wound in her neck...The team quickly set up a field
station where "Lassie" was tranquilized, her wound was cleaned and
prepped for stitching...once she was treated, vaccinated and given a
nutritional boost...Dick Green said, "Lassie is one lucky dog, if we
hadn't stopped here...she would have been dead within a week, there
were maggots already in the lesion..."
We finished our work for the day and headed back to our camp...another
long day...but the people whose animals we treat are genuinely
grateful...”
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To make an online contribution, please visit our website www.saveacat.org.
To mail a contribution, please send a check, money order, or credit
card information to:
Alley Cat Rescue
PO Box 585
Mt. Rainier, MD 20712
If you wish to help a particular emergency situation, please indicate
which your contribution is intended to help.
As always, thank you for your continued support and for caring for our
feline friends! Every little bit makes a difference!
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