Good Morning,
I apologize for the delay in getting this report out....but it was a
chaotic weekend. (...I feel like a tv news reporter...)
Saturday, Raisins received 12 ferrets. 6 from Davidson County, Bellevue
near Nashville (a pair and a family of 4). 4 (2 pairs) from Dyer
County, and 1 big old guy from Tipton and 1 little kit from Millington,
here in Memphis.
These ferrets came from the Red Cross system and are not strays - they
are owned ferrets whose owners have lost their homes (and most of their
possessions) due to extreme flooding damage or tornado damage (Dyer).
All of these ferrets were surrenders by their owners and have entered
into our "disaster relief boarding program." I have communicated with
these families and they understand that we are boarding them until they
can assess their situation and make a final decision about their pets.
This is an open-ended verbal agreement. This is the same system we
implemented during the Katrina aftermath.
Our program promises to take in the ferrets, care for them which
includes vet care, if needed. This is an open-ended verbal agreement
between our shelter and the families. There is no cost to the families
for this service. These folks are usually without any money and have no
residence. Sometimes they are without jobs - but this time these people
are all employed. This is to allow the owners time to assess their
situation and decide how to move forward with their lives knowing
their pets are being loved and cared for. We learned with Katrina that
insurance companies are very slow to pay claims, if they pay at all,
and sometimes those claims are paid at a significant reduction in
value. And, sadly, we saw many families on the coast not rebuild
because either the insurance companies refused to pay the claim or paid
20% of the value of the claim, not allowing enough money to rebuild.
And with this disaster, it is primarily a flooding claim and most folks
do not have flood insurance and, more than likely, not be able to
rebuild because they did not have proper insurance. So, what happens
with their pets? Shelters do not allow pets and if they are lucky to
have friends and families offer them a place to stay, sometimes they
cannot bring their pets.
On Sunday, we received 4 more ferrets from northern Shelby County
(Millington and north) and Fayette. Again, owned ferrets whose owners
have lost their homes due to tornado damage or flooding.
The stories being told are both tragic and horrific.......the Bellevue
area outside of Nashville saw 7-9 feet of flooding within a short
period of time. Imagine, water reaching the second floor of your home
within a few hours! Some residents in Tipton were told that they needed
to evacuate their homes immediately by local sheriff department on that
horrible Saturday and, tragically, some left their pets behind and
those pets perished in the flooding that overtook their area. Some dogs
were tied out in their yards and drowned. In Dyer, tornados leveling
hundreds of homes and everything inside including people and their
pets. Locally here in Millington, an entire housing community deemed
toxic and uninhabitable by FEMA. The residents being told by
authorities that most of their possessions cannot be salvaged due to
high levels of bacteria and other contaminants. Of course, homes will
have to be demolished. Most did not have flood insurance.
I have not had much sleep this weekend....such tragic stories. Breaks
my heart, especially the animal victims of these past two weekends of
severe storm disasters.
But there are heroes everywhere.....! Complete strangers helping those
who have lost everything. Giving what little they have to others who
have even less. I have seen people pull horses out of flooded pastures
and offer care and food. People like Brooke helping neighbors clean up
after the flood waters receded so those folks can assess their damage
and salvage what they can -- only to ask, what else can I do to help?
Lending a shoulder to cry on when needed.... friends and families
offering up their homes to those with no places to live. Churches
offering food and assistance.
But with the animal shelters and rescue groups already over capacity
before these past two weekends, the most vulnerable of victims will be
most at risk as there is really no place for many of them to go. Many
rescue groups are taking in the ones they can, stretching themselves
like never before-trying their best to keep them out of the municipal
shelter systems. Unlike Katrina of nearly five years ago, the economy
has overburdened most of the animal rescues already and the added bonus
of the disaster refugees will, most likely, force many rescues to turn
them away and municipal shelters will euthanize many of these poor kids
in their facilities.
As for our new boarders, they will all require vet examinations and
vaccinations....why oh why do people have ferrets and not get them
vaccinated?! Honestly! All but one has never seen a vet and the old
guy will definitely be a candidate for adrenal care of one fashion or
another. ...and, we have no more cages left.
And, sadly, this situation will take even more time from my own shelter
kids, I fear. I have one little silver blaze boy that was surrendered
with his cagemate six weeks ago and I may need to isolate him as he is
loosing weight rapidly. But I will begin soup tonite to see if I can
encourage him to eat more on his own. It could be his little heart just
needs extra loving now and reassurance that he is loved and all will be
okay.
..and, I my biggest fear -- I am not as young and healthy as I was
five years ago following Katrina/Rita. But, we will take it one day
at a time....
Checking In Again,
Maren Doshier
Founder/President
Raisins From Heaven
(...reporting from south of Memphis in little ol'Hernando, MS)
[Posted in FML 6694]
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