PetsAcrossUSA

Day 4 started early. We had to get to our destination by 4:00 pm and we had a bit over 500 miles to go. We were on the road at the crack of dawn. We had very little sleep and all of us were very tired, but also full of excitement, since this was our final day, a day which we all worked so hard for.

We were driving through Oregon when we received a call from Patty in WA. She said we would need to stop at a rest stop right before we get into Chehalis. We were to meet our escort- a group of Harley riders who wanted to escort the bus into town. These are the same guys who escorted the Vietnam War Wall when they came to WA. You can imagine how excited we were to hear this.

We arrived at the rest stop early. We had 2 hours to take care of the dogs before heading into town to our final destination. While at the rest stop, many travelers driving by stopped to visit and play with our dogs.

At 5:15 pm we heard the roaring sound of Harleys. The motorcycles pulled in one by one and stopped by the bus. We could feel our heart beat and thoughts choke as they pulled in.

A big bearded man approached us with open arms. That was Teri, the leader of the group, which later we found out was Mona’s new dad. At 5:30 we were ready to head out. With six Harleys in front and four in the back of the bus we got back on the highway. After ten minutes on the highway, we pulled into the new location of the FOLCAS shelter, to be greeted by a crowd of over 200 people, some clapping, some crying, many snapping pictures of the motorcycles and the bus as we drove in. Amongst the crowd there were newspaper reporters, a representative of Best Friends, a local radio station and the Executive Director of the Longview shelter.

The first person we met was Scooter’s new mom. She was very excited about getting her new dog. She did not care that he had bad skin and no hair. “I love him no matter what” she said. All other adopters were waiting in line waiting to meet their new babies.

Adopters were asked to do a quick interview for our documentary. Once done, they were handed their new dog. One adopter was crying and as she spoke to the camera, she said that her dog passed away 5 years ago and she couldn’t get herself to get another dog. That was until she saw Mary’s picture in the newspaper, she added, “I knew that Mary was my new dog”. At that moment the interviewer asked “are you ready to meet your dog?” Little Mary was handed to her new mommy as the crowd broke into tears.

We were standing by the bus when an elderly man approached us. “I am here to get my dog!” We looked at each other “which dog is that?” He climbed into the bus and looked at Rocky, the black Shih Tzu. “This is my dog. I am here to get my dog!” he said while opening the kennel to get Rocky out. Rocky, who was determined to be a biter, especially if you grab him, could care less when the old man picked him up and carried him off the bus.

Once all dogs were given to their new families, we got a chance to finally take a deep breath. The sun was setting, ending a long emotional day.

I just wanted to thank you guys for bringing the dogs here last week. It was great to meet you all & the dogs!

I’m the one who’s fostering the two youngest puppies. They’re doing really well & my husband & I are falling more for them every day! But we are not keeping them!!! I took them to our vet & he gave us Cefadroxil for their skin which is improving all the time. He commented on the “excellent job bandaging” the little girl’s leg too, so whoever did it can be proud!

We didn’t realize that you’d already named them so we started calling them Prima & Tex for obvious reasons, & being the super smart puppies they are, they recognize those names already. I hope Patty finds them the perfect homes.

So all in all, you helped a lot of great dogs & made a lot of people really happy! Thanks again!

Cindy Mohrmann

UPDATE: On the Road to New Homes
August 15, 2007 : 9:29 AM
They’re here! They’re here!

By Georgia Butterfield: Best Friends Network, Washington Community

CHEHALIS, August 13, 2007: Approximately 150 people gathered in a freshly mowed field on the outskirts of Chehalis to welcome the van from Austin carrying precious cargo - 21 dogs that had been pulled from the “kill list” at a Texas shelter.

A party atmosphere prevailed. A local radio station broadcast live from the site. Animal Planet was there with camera and reporters. Local news media was also present. Children ran around, excitedly waiting for the van bringing their new puppy. The only thing missing was a marching band.

Teenagers stood by the edge of the property waving to passing cars who, upon reading the sign, gave a thumbs up, and a toot of the horn.

Friends of Lewis County Animal Shelter (FOLCAS) recently put together the plans for a no-skill shelter and low-cost spay/neuter clinic (Almost Home Adoption Center), to be built on this very site.

Suddenly, we could hear the roar of Harleys. Around the corner, ten members of the Lewis County Abate group, the largest ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education) group in Washington appeared, proudly displaying the American flag and escorting the Texas van onto the property. The leader of the ABATE group, Terry Butler, was one of the lucky adopters. He had chosen a Chihuahua named Mona that was deemed unable because she was too timid. She seemed to warm right up to Terry. (that’s his photo at the top of the page with Mona and his bike.)

Twenty-one dogs were transported to Chehalis, with 12 of them already adopted. Among the “extras”: a litter of Australian Shepherd puppies that had everyone’s attention. A playpen was set up in the field to let the puppies stretch their legs after the long journey. Suddenly the playpen was surrounded by children of all ages. The chances were good that all the puppies would be in homes before nightfall.

The adopters came from Oregon and Washington. They had read about the project in the local Chehalis paper, as well as the Olympian. They were able to select their dogs from the FOLCAS website.

Ernestine Thayer arrived with her daughter to pick up their little Chihuahua Scooter. He had been deemed unadoptable because of his skin condition. Ernestine had already made an appointment with her Veterinarian to start medication for little Scooter.

Julie Brown drove in from Adna ; to pick up Little Bit, another dog deemed too timid by Texas standards. Little Bit was snuggling happily in Julie’s arms as they waited for the final papers.

All the animals brought into Washington had tested negative for heartworms, something the local Veterinarians see very little of. It’s prevalent in the South, however, and a real concern for adopters in that area. However, even a heartworm-positive dog can be treated and saved, stressed Mitzi Gillis, a volunteer on the project.

August 10, 2007 : 10:53 AM

From the Best Friends Network
http://network.bestfriends.org/texas/news/17675.html
Written by Jennifer Hayes

Fate smiled on some Central Texas dogs who are now on their way to homes and rescue in Chehalis, Washington.

By Jennifer Hayes: Best Friends Network

Who would have thought that a chance meeting while rescuing dogs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina could save 25 Texas dogs almost two years later?

That is what has happened after Prima Mosi of P.A.W.S. of Austin (Protection of Animal Welfare Services) traveled to help with the hurricane rescue efforts and met Patty Kaija, President of Friends of the Lewis County Animal Shelter. The two women recently reconnected and now dogs’ lives are being saved thanks to Pets Across USA, an innovative program to transport small Texas dogs and litters of puppies to the West Coast, where there are waiting lists for such canines.

Due to the overwhelming numbers of animals entering the Austin and San Antonio area shelters, according to Mosi, “There are so many, only the best of the best get homes.” Dogs who have minor health or behavioral issues, or are too young, are not even given the chance to be adopted. Those are the animals that Mosi is taking for transport to Washington with Pets Across USA. Mosi states, “We don’t need to wait for a tornado or hurricane. The disaster happens every day. It breaks our hearts when we can’t save them all.”

The local community has rallied in its support for Pets Across USA. Says Mosi, it is the “small donations that are making it happen.” Children have helped by canvassing neighborhoods for donations and giving their own allowances to help fund the transport. Within two days of posting a wish list online, P.A.W.S. received all the supplies necessary for their initial trip, including paper towels, collars and dog beds. Additional donations will either be used for the next transport or will be given to another area rescue in need. Money collected so far has gone toward spay and neuter surgeries, treating minor illnesses such as ringworm or eye infections, and for heartworm tests, which were mandatory for all the dogs in order to prevent bringing positive dogs to an area of the country without that disease. However, financial support is still needed to help pay for the enormous gasoline bill they anticipate.

P.A.W.S. hosted a meet-and-greet the Saturday prior to departure, so that new foster families could meet and claim their temporary canine residents. It was a joyous occasion, with many smiles and wagging tails. A very special cake was donated for the event, highlighting a frosting photo of the bus with the message, “Bon voyage, forever families here we come.” There was live music, a silent auction to raise transport funds, and attendees got to choose the animals they wished to help for the next week.

The bus left Austin at 8:15 this morning and is now carrying its precious cargo to the future site of the Almost Home adoption center in Chehalis, Washington. The bus is scheduled to arrive at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 13, where in addition to a media blitz, many of the people who have already submitted adoption applications and deposits will be waiting to bring home their newest family members.

Eve Burnett is one of the volunteers on board the bus taking care of the dogs along the way. Burnett says, “It means a lot to a lot of people, especially to the dogs.” She knows this first hand after fostering Petunia and Daisy for the past week. Both dogs were pulled from a San Antonio shelter only one day before they were scheduled to be euthanized and Eve personally picked about 30 ticks off of Petunia alone. She knows that they will be going to a better place, where they will be given loving homes. In fact, Daisy has already been adopted and Burnett is sure that Petunia will not be far behind.

The main goal of this transport is to save animals’ lives, but they are also filming the event, to be used in the creation of a documentary. Mosi hopes that distribution of the film will educate the public about pet overpopulation and encourages people in other communities to become proactive on behalf of animals. She says, “We also want to show people that as a community, we can make a difference.”

See another instance where a Transport Saves Lives between Las Angeles and Salt Lake City.

For more information:
• Pets Across USA website
• Friends of Lewis County Animal Shelter
• Photos and descriptions of the dogs being transported
• Chronline.com: Rescuers Applauded for Win-Win Actions for Small-Breed Dogs
• News 8 Austin: Rescue dogs get a second chance in Seattle

How you can help:
• Make a monetary donation to P.A.W.S. of Austin, to help cover the gas and travel costs.
• Additional items, such as wire crates, towels, small collars, leashes, and more can be donated for future trips.
• Offer to foster puppies or small dogs to assist with this program, or to help shelters and rescues in your own areas.
• Adopt shelter or rescue animals, instead of buying from pet stores or breeders, to save animals locally.
• While P.A.W.S. has many people volunteering to help create the documentary, additional expertise is needed, as are funds to help finance the project. If you would like to help or sponsor the film, please contact Prima Mosi at petsacrossusa@yahoo.com.

Doggy Delivery
Small Dogs Coming for Adoption

Amanda Haines
City Government and Health reporter

If it’s true that good things come in small packages, Lewis County is in for a whole lotta good.

A bus loaded with small breed, homeless dogs is headed to Chehalis from Austin, Texas, in the first ever pet exchange through Pets Across USA.

The Friends of the Lewis County Animal Shelter (FOLCAS) has partnered with Protection for Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) of Austin, Texas, to bring the canine cargo to Chehalis, where small dogs are at a premium.

“They have tons of little dogs in Austin - Chihuahuas, dachshunds, Lhasa apsos. They can’t get rid of them,” said Patty Kaija, FOLCAS president. “But in our area, we get plenty of large dogs, though most of the requests are for little dogs. We have a waiting list for the little dogs here.”

Kaija and PAWS’ Executive Director Prima Mosi first realized this regional difference two years ago. The two women met in 2005 while doing pet rescue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. While Mosi was lamenting the alarming number of small dogs being euthanized in Austin, Kaija was lamenting the shortage of small, adoptable dogs in Lewis County and elsewhere in Washington.

Casually, Kaija mentioned that maybe Mosi should send her unwanted dogs to Washington. Eight months ago, Mosi called Kaija with just that proposal.

“After Katrina, everyone wanted to help. We had an unbelievable response and saved more than 1,200 pets,” said Mosi via telephone Thursday. “But, once it was over and everyone went home, they forget that there’s a disaster every day. Thousands of animals are being killed every day. So, we decided to go ahead and create a partnership. The more hands, the more people, the more good you can do.”

PAWS has moved small numbers of pets around Texas to find them homes, but next month’s trip to Lewis County will be the first pet transport to cross state lines.

“We had other cities on the West Coast wanting us to come there. San Diego, Calif., wanted us to come and it would be closer for us to go there, but we didn’t get as much excitement from them as we got from the people in Washington,” Mosi said.

On Aug. 13, the first busload of 25-plus dogs will arrive in Chehalis from the shelter in Austin. Mosi said she will also include litters of newborn puppies since the shelter there has no means of caring for them.

“Newborns under six weeks, with the mother, are put down immediately,” she said. “If there are foster families in Washington who can take the mom and puppies and get them adopted when they’re old enough, you bet they’ll be on the bus.”

The specially-converted bus will be followed on its journey by a crew of documentary filmmakers, who are chronicling the efforts for cable network Animal Planet, said Mosi.

She’s hoping the cross-country attention will result in more awareness of the problems of pet overpopulation nationwide.

“In our community here, pets are looked at as disposable,” she said.

Mosi remembers several disturbing cases in which people have abandoned their pets at shelters before going on vacation, only to get new ones once they got back. In Austin, between 12,000 and 13,000 animals are killed every year, she said.

Lewis County’s shelter kills about 1,000 cats and 100 dogs each year, mostly due to overcrowding.

FOLCAS is working to bring those numbers down by raising money to build the county’s first no-kill shelter. A two-acre lot on Kresky Avenue was purchased in June by Darren Pritt, FOLCAS treasurer, for $225,000. He donated the property to FOLCAS for a combination no-kill animal shelter and medical facility for low-cost spay and neuter services.

The pets from Austin will arrive at this site on Aug. 13. The dogs will be posted online for adoption Aug. 1 (see accompanying story).

Kaija said a celebration is planned to welcome them in.

“(Radio station) Live 95 will have a remote broadcast, there will be veterinarians available, and dog trainers,” she said. “We’re all really excited about this. This is just the first trip of what we hope will be a longtime collaboration.”

Added Mosi, “It’s no problem for us pulling 30 dogs and bringing them to Washington if it means they’ll have families waiting for them. I’m hoping people will see what we’re doing and know that every little bit helps these animals.”

For more information, visit the program Web site at www.petsacrossusa.org.

Pets Across USA is a new innovative rescue program developed by Prima Mosi, Executive Director of PAWS of Austin (Protection of Animal Welfare Services).

We partnered up with shelters and rescue organizations in Texas and across the country in an effort to rescue dogs from kill-shelters in Texas and transport them to no-kill rescue organization on the West Coast where they will find new loving homes.