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PLEASE READ ENTIRE LETTER


March 1, 2006

Dear Animal Rescue New Orleans Friend:

You may know that I (along with David Meyer and Pia Salk) started Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) on October 1, 2005 as Lamar Dixon was closing. We could not imagine ending the rescue operation when we were still finding so many animals alive in homes and on the streets. So despite arrest threats, we (along with amazing volunteers) continued rescuing animals. The following are some of the incredible victories we saw:

  • From October 1 to the end of the year we rescued over 2,000 animals.
    These were forgotten victims who would have died if ARNO had not stuck around to help. These are animals like Bubbles (photos attached) who was trapped in a bathroom for 7 weeks. When we rescued Bubbles she was too weak to even lift her head or stand. Today, Bubbles is a beautiful, healthy dog!

  • ARNO worked through the list of houses where we knew animals were trapped—until we cleared the entire list of over 5,000 houses.

  • We worked tirelessly to keep pets, who escaped from homes when doors and windows blew open, alive on the streets. Because most of the city was unpopulated (and still is) we set up feeding stations all over the New Orleans area. To date we have 2800 active feeding stations over 650 sq. miles.

  • In January we teamed up with Best Friends to make an even greater impact. Best Friends created Celebration Station to handle sheltering, adoptions and export of animals. ARNO was responsible for trapping and rescuing.

  • In January alone, we trapped 300 dogs, over 200 puppies and 610 cats!

  • We’ve helped reunite hundreds of animals with their families, thanks to our amazing reunion team (9 cats reunited with their people in just the past 2 weeks)!
Needless to say, ARNO has made monumental strides in New Orleans over the past few months.

Sadly, there is a still lot of work to be done. Thousands of animals are still on the streets in search of our feeding stations. Dogs and cats are breeding faster than we can trap them. Some cruel people have retuned to New Orleans and shot or poisoned animals. Now we face a new problem: The boarding up of buildings where animals have found shelter. Plus: The bulldozing of buildings and trailer parks where animals live. Clearly, ARNO is still needed in the New Orleans area.

IMAGINE... What might happen if ARNO stopped helping New Orleans Animals? How many more kittens and puppies would be born? How many animals would starve to death without refilled food/water stations? How many would die locked inside boarded-up homes? How many would perish if bulldozers demolish trailer parks before we can trap them? WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN.


EXCITING NEWS
On February 1, 2006, we held a meeting in New Orleans to find residents to lead ARNO (since no current leaders live in New Orleans). Nearly 200 people showed up! Despite losing homes, vehicles and jobs, they came committed to helping animals. These people are heroes!

On FEBRUARY 15, 2006 Animal Rescue New Orleans will shift to a locally run organization with new resident leadership. While overwhelming tasks lay before them, they plan to continue a food/water program for animals on the streets, rescue dogs/cats, and TNR (trap-neuther-return) feral cat colonies to curb the overpopulation crisis.

The resident-run ARNO is committed to building a future for New Orleans animals—better than the past that preceded the hurricanes.


HOW YOU CAN HELP
Local ARNO coordinators already have to deal with personal stress in the aftermath of the storms. Let’s make running ARNO as easy as possible for them! Please show your support be becoming an OFFICIAL MEMBER OF ARNO.

My goal is to alleviate financial pressure for many months so local leaders can focus on helping animals in need. Will you please send a donation to show the new locally run ARNO that we support them? Just imagine losing everything—your animals (in many cases), your home, your car and your job—and then rescuing homeless animals while rebuilding your own life. It is a daunting task. PLEASE help them help the animals.

Send a donation to:
Animal Rescue New Orleans
1219 Coliseum Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Thank you so much for all of your support.

For the animals,
Jane Garrison, Co-Founder, Animal Rescue New Orleans

PS Please be sure to watch ARNO's progress at
http://www.AnimalRescueNewOrleans.com

Look for an UPDATE with local ARNO leaders’ contact information and volunteer instructions.




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