The issue of abandoned and shelter dogs in Texas has always been a large problem, and flooding from hurricane Harvey has only made things worse.
So says a Surrey-area woman leading an effort to bring dogs from hurricane-hit Houston across the border to Metro Vancouver.
Cindy Archer runs , an organization of volunteers in Canada and Texas who are 鈥減assionate about saving dogs and puppies from high-kill rate shelters located in Texas.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e been in operation for five years,鈥� Archer told the Now-Leader on Wednesday.
鈥淲e do foster care for dogs. We do applications, screen people, and then we ask people to foster dogs until we get them adopted. We arrange all that鈥� I do customs and immigration and bring dogs across the border, it鈥檚 all done properly.鈥�
This week, Archer and others are working to arrange cross-border transportation of dogs from flooded shelters in Houston and other hurricane-struck areas, as early as Sunday (Sept. 3).
鈥淲e鈥檙e working on getting a convoy now, to get the (dogs) up here, hopefully within a week,鈥� explained Archer.
鈥淲hen people fled (the Houston area), some of them just left their dogs behind, and 90 per cent of them will never get reclaimed,鈥� Archer added.
鈥淭he problem is, there鈥檚 no paperwork for the dogs, so we have to get them all into a vet, get them all vaccinated, rabies (shots), microchipped and health certificates and get them on transport. It鈥檚 tough with that (number) of dogs. We鈥檙e hoping to have the first 100 within a week or 10 days, but I鈥檒l know better by the end of the day.鈥�
Black Dog is 鈥渏oint-venturing鈥� with rescue (groups) in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, according to a post on . 鈥�75 dogs will be coming from Texas. They are being euthanized in order to make room for hurricane Harvey dogs. The hurricane Harvey dogs need to stay in their local area in order to be reunited with their owners. There is no more room there 鈥� never was room. Can you foster? The dogs will be going to British Columbia, Washington State, Utah and Oregon.鈥�
With Black Dog鈥檚 help, 17 dogs were transported here from Texas before the hurricane hit last weekend.
鈥淲e knew it was coming,鈥� Archer said. 鈥淭his is a big undertaking. The hurricane, it went from a Stage 1 to a Stage 4. One of the shelters we work with, the dogs were up to their neck in water. They鈥檙e using float planes and jet skis and boats and everything to get them out. It鈥檚 always been problem, which is why we do rescue of out of Texas, and now it鈥檚 a state of emergency with the hurricane. It鈥檚 not just dogs, of course 鈥� it鈥檚 cats, horses, all kinds of animals, but I鈥檝e strictly always been a dog rescue.鈥�
Now, donations are needed to help with the post-hurricane rescue of dogs.
鈥淢any dogs and cats will die or be euthanized without help from fosters,鈥� says a post on . 鈥淲e need to get these pets homes until they are adopted.鈥�
Late Tuesday, Sue Vandervelde, on behalf of Black Dog Rescue, contacted the Now-Leader with an appeal.
鈥淪he (Archer) needs lots and lots of fosters for the Texas hurricane dogs that will be coming here,鈥� Vandervelde wrote. 鈥淪he needs donations of food (cat and dog food) blankets, crates, leashes, collars, Walmart or gas gift cards for transport. She is arranging to start transport as soon as the roads clear in Houston. The dogs鈥� and cats鈥� homes are gone and they will die without us. Many dogs are tied up and deserted.鈥�
Donations can be made on the website to Blackdogrescue19@hotmail.com, Vandervelde added.
Also, donations can be dropped off at in Cloverdale, at 17525 56th Ave.
鈥淲e need hands across the nation,鈥� Vandervelde added. 鈥淲e will send a bus back full of supplies for all rescues and (families) that need food for their pets.鈥�
