My initial reaction upon entering the temporary shelter here in Hendersonville last week was a large gasp. I gasped for two reasons: First the smell and second, once I was able to open my eyes from the urine burn, what was before me. Every single room was piled with debris, trash, old cat litter, broken equipment and more. Ceilings were hanging down, water covered the floors and we saw rats the size of cats.
The EARS team (including EARS North Central Regional Director Diann Wellman, pictured) met with all of the other organization involved to determine the scope of work that lay before us. It seemed an impossible task just looking around. To my surprise, once we entered the actual animal locations, the animals appeared to be in good condition.In the five days we have been here, so many wonderful people from HSUS, the American Humane Association, UAN, PetSmart Charities, several local animal groups and some of the old shelter employees have worked their hardest to transform this dismal facility into a clean, trash-free, functioning animal facility. Everyone's heart is in this 100 percent for the animals, and boy does it show. The animals are quiet, playing with toys, getting treats and walking twice a day. They even have music.
Today our hard work was rewarded. We adopted out 85 dogs and 23 cats! At our debriefing today, I shared one special story about brother and sister dogs who were so excruciatingly shy they cowered to the ground when we tried to take them out because they were born in this facility and had never been out of their cage. But today they got adopted TOGETHER. They are going to live out their lives in a home with eight acres of grass to enjoy.
The dogs and cats got adopted so fast today we could hardly keep up with all the paperwork. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
2 comments:
Just wanted to add that Bonnie, Diann, all the EARS volunteers, everyone from each of the organizations that participated in Operation Move Out and all the local volunteers were amazing! This was my first EARS deployment, and I am in awe of what was accomplished. I am also in awe of the animals. Bless each and every one of them and their new families. May their lives from today forward be filled with love, toys and treats!
Just a note about the brother and sister dogs that were adopted together. If they are the gold and white "teen-agers," short-haired, spayed and neutered pair, I can give you details, as I volunteered for the shelter more than once. That would have been Amah and Chewie, who had been dragged down the street until their bellies and legs were scraped and bleeding. They were 5-6 months old at that time, I guess. They lived in a double pen, 10x20 feet, with 2 other young dogs for friends. They had never been separated until February. They were traumatized by the ones who brought them in, so were taking their time just relaxing, getting "fixed" and ready for a home together. We had not started leash and house training yet. I would be glad to e-mail you a picture of them together; it's precious. The male probably still has scars on his legs from being dragged. I was there when volunteers ran and picked them up and carried them. Would you have said No to them? I know their new family is thankful for their care, and I'm thankful they have their forever home.
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