Journal Entry 1 by sonia23 from Hiram, Georgia USA on Monday, December 18, 2006

I read this book in one day. As a trained disaster response volunteer, this book was valuable and helped me tie up a few emotional loose ends, some related to my volunteer stints with the Humane Society of Louisiana and some related to the overall effort. I was really disillusioned with the national groups because of the delays in responding and all the red tape they seemed to generate. Looking back, I now realize that everyone was in way over their head with a disaster of Katrina and Rita's magnitude. But I would still like to see an accounting for the millions that were raised by the big 3 national groups. It appalls me that the HS of Louisiana is still struggling so hard to stay afloat with very little help coming in from the national level. Heck, they only got 2 paragraphs in the book.

Anyway, The authors present the story from all sides even-handedly. There are important lessons to be gleaned from this book. The stories from the volunteers are heartbreaking, heartwarming and inspiring. I cried with joy and sadness several times while reading the book.

My bookring for this book is finished, but depending on interest I may do another, so let me know if you're interested.

I decided to start with the Australia folks and will be shipping to libertine101 via air mail as soon as I get the book back from my Dad (probably within a week). Participants so far, in shipping order:

libertine101 (Australia)
amberC (Australia)
catsalive (Australia)
dancing-dog (US)
azuki (US)
lovestoreadinmo (US)
Firegirl (US)
sarradee (US)
tchouli (US)
--->back to me. 

Journal Entry 2 by sonia23 from Hiram, Georgia USA on Friday, January 12, 2007

Sent this along to libertine101 via air mail yesterday. 

Journal Entry 3 by libertine101 from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Monday, January 22, 2007

7.30 am : THUMP! I'm half asleep, lying in bed when I hear something landing on my doorstep.
I've heard that noise before....a package has arrived!
I leap out of bed (and I am NOT a morning person!) and rush outside. Yep! Package. :)

Wow...this looks to be a very interesting book.
Thanks for sending and also thank you for the other goodies you packed for me :D Lovely!

I shall get a start on this book today and get this Ring going. :)
 

Journal Entry 4 by libertine101 from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, February 03, 2007

Wow. What an important book this is!! I am so glad you invited me to this bookring. :)

I was expecting a book filled with rescue stories - both happy and sad ones...There were plenty of those. As an Australian, our news reports only showed so much of what was going on, and not a ot of it referred to the animals. Reading this book was a real eye opener.

What makes this book important, however, are the parts about about animal safety and rescue in the face of disasters. I learned a lot and there are somethings I will be putting in place asap. In my neck of the woods (and i have been living here for over 30 years), I have experienced cyclones and earthquakes, so I know that it doesn't just 'happen to other people'. My kittyboys are my family, and if I have to vacuate, they are going with me and I will be prepared.

But there is one very important part of this book that needs noting...It isn't enough to open the eyes of people..to make sure they take their animals with them....Govt's and their agencies must be made to realize that people should not be expected to be separated from their animal family memebers and there should be in place, disaster plans that take this into account. (The most horrifying part of this book, for me, was the one woman who refused to leave without her dog, but was tasered and taken into a boat without her dog. )

I don't know what the policies and practices are here where I live but I will found out now, having read this book.

I have AmberC's address and will be posting this off to her very soon!

 

Journal Entry 5 by libertine101 from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Posted off to amberC this morning. 

Journal Entry 6 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Monday, February 12, 2007

Arrived safely today. I have a couple of other rings before it. 

Journal Entry 7 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Saturday, February 17, 2007

I guess I was expecting and hoping for more rescue stories and less of the history of the many groups involved in rescuing the animals.

At the time, and still, I am amazed at snipers shooting at rescuers and the evacuation helicopters. Living in Darwin cyclones are a threat, and I cannot imagine the same sort of thing happening here in the same situation.

I know that after Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin the packs of dogs roaming the remains of the city were a problem, but a catch program was quickly put into place and now people can take pets with them to some shelters.

Thanks for sharing sonia23. I will be posting the book to catsalive tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 8 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Thanks, amberC. 

Journal Entry 9 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Friday, March 02, 2007

I have my punishment for reading this out of bookring order. I wanted to jump in and read all about the rescued animals only to discover that the book was about the organisations doing the rescuing instead.

It was interesting but I was still disappointed.

My brother & SIL bolted from Darwin after Tracy so the authorities couldn't put their dog Sammy (I'd named her when I was about 5) down - they were putting all animals down as a health risk. I'm not leaving my babies behind, and during the big fires in the Blue Mountains Mum & Dad had their cats ready to shove in their travelling cages at a moment's notice.

Thanks, sonia23. I've PMd dancing-dog & await an address. 

Journal Entry 10 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 05, 2007

Sent to dancing-dog today - surface mail. 

Journal Entry 11 by dancing-dog from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Arrived safe and sound. Browsed the pictures - looks interesting. Will probably read it this weekend. :) 

Journal Entry 12 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The fastest sea mail ever! It must have stowed away on a plane. 

Journal Entry 13 by dancing-dog from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

I thought this was a great book with a lot of valuable information although I didn't care for the way it was organized and I thought the authors tried to hard to address everything for everyone (but I guess I'm being picky - you can hardly fault them for that).

I volunteer weekly at the Memphis Humane Society but am not trained in animal disaster recovery. Nor was anyone associated with MHS at the time of Katrina, so sadly no delegation was sent to New Orleans even though we are only 6 hours away. MHS did send food and supplies and in return received at least 6 displaced dogs. At the time of Katrina I felt bad that I was not able to help more. I am looking into getting more training to become a better volunteer.

I was not surprised when reading about the disorganization and lack of preparedness for the disaster and aftermath ... unfortunately, I have seen this same kind of disorganization among our local animal rescue groups including a lack of cooperation despite trying to achieve the same goals. I think that training and standard procedures are key issues but as the book repeatedly points out, first of all, the safety and welfare of the animals has to become a priority to those in authority. Hopefully Katrina was at least a starting point in getting this idea across.

Thank you sonia23 for sharing this book! I will explore many of the links to websites listed at the back of the book and the book has given me much food for thought.

Have asked azuki for her address and will move this on as soon as I get it. 

Journal Entry 14 by dancing-dog from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, March 28, 2007

mailed to azuki today, media mail

confirmation #0306 1070 0004 9350 6284 

Journal Entry 15 by azuki from Miami, Florida USA on Monday, April 02, 2007

Came back from a weekend trip and my husband was like, a bunch of books for you! - I do have a few rings lined up already but will get to it soon. 

Journal Entry 16 by azuki from Miami, Florida USA on Thursday, May 17, 2007

While I like hearing rescue stories, I feel glad that this book is so much more than that. It introduced me to a lot of animal groups, for those I heard of before, I learn more of their work, and I get to know about new ones I haven't heard of (like Shambala).

It brought me thinking about issues like whether we should allow animals into emergency shelters, and whether self-deployed, inexperienced volunteers do more good or harm. With better understanding I realize that the answer is not as simple as a knee-jerk yes or no.

That said, I was deeply moved by the dog who led the rescuers to his fellow pet bird and fish, and the poor pitbull who tried to chew the water bottles for some water. I also felt disgust about the man who didn't want his dog back before it was neutered, or the murder of a school-roomful of pets. 

Journal Entry 17 by lovestoreadinmo from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Tuesday, May 29, 2007

to be read and then maybe given to friends who also like animals. 

Journal Entry 18 by lovestoreadinmo from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Saturday, June 02, 2007

I am sending this book off Monday to firegirl because it is part of a book ring and is not the type of book I normally read. 

Journal Entry 19 by lovestoreadinmo from St. Louis, Missouri USA on Monday, June 04, 2007

This book is on its way to the next person on the ring.(6/4/07) 

Journal Entry 20 by Firegirl from Annandale, Virginia USA on Monday, June 11, 2007

Book arrived safely today! Just browsing the photos got me all choked up. This has come at the perfect time as I've been slacking in my volunteer work at the pound and I have no doubt this will inspire me to get back into it. Will start on it straight away. 

Journal Entry 21 by Firegirl from Annandale, Virginia USA on Monday, June 18, 2007

Finished this book last night. I agree with a lot of what dancing-dog said. As a shelter volunteer I am also not trained in emergency animal rescue, though I too hope to change that. (I'm hoping a training session comes through my area some time soon!) I also wasn't surprised at the disorganization -- I find myself on much, much smaller scale stressful incidents and see how crazy it can be, I can only imagine how much that insanity can be magnified in a true catastrophe.

This book did remind me to go out and get my cats microchipped, something I have neglected to do on the usual "well, they're indoor cats and never bolt for the door so they'll be fine" concept. Typical human nature to assume something horrific could never happen to me or that I'd surely be able to get my animals out if need be. Definitely a needed reminder.

I wasn't crazy about the layout of the book either and found myself sometimes slogging through descriptions of organization after organization. I was hoping for more rescue stories, though I won't at all discount the importance of the information presented here. It is much, MUCH more than just a book of happy (and sad) stories and has a lot of information that pet lovers should read. And if this book doesn't make you want to volunteer and do what you can to help out, I can't imagine what would. I absolutely agree with the repeated sentiment that nothing can describe the feeling when you make a difference in an animal's life. I am fortunate enough to be rewarded with that due to my volunteer work -- little miracles happen every day there.

Thanks for including me, Sonia23! I'll pass this on to the next in line as soon as I get an address. 

Journal Entry 22 by Firegirl from Annandale, Virginia USA on Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Journal Entry 23 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Monday, July 02, 2007

Arrived safely today, will get read and passed along ASAP. 

Journal Entry 24 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Sunday, July 08, 2007

I also wasn't satisfied with the layout, and was hoping for more actual rescue stories and less history. My husband's family is from New Orleans and we have friends there so it was hard to read about the devastation. We visited about a year after Katrina/Rita and there were many houses with the spray painted markings, across from the b&b we stayed at one said "Please save our dog, he's a good dog" I really, really hope that dog was one of the ones rescued.

I've pm'ed the next on the list and will mail out as soon as I have an address.

07/10/07 Mailed to tchouli e-delivery confirmation 9102010521297233197219
 

Journal Entry 25 by tchouli from Snellville, Georgia USA on Friday, July 13, 2007

arrived today
thanks 

Journal Entry 26 by tchouli from Snellville, Georgia USA on Monday, August 06, 2007

mailed back today to sonia23

thanks for sharing
a happy/sad book 

Journal Entry 27 by sonia23 from Hiram, Georgia USA on Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Yay! "Rescued..." made it home today, and there was a bonus book in the pack from Sarradee! Thanks everyone for taking part in the ring!