A temporary emergency shelter for animals displaced by the ongoing floods has been set up at 2838 Sunset Drive, one mile west of Interstate 55.

According to Hope Animal Sanctuary Director Doll Stanley, the In Defense of Animals (IDA) Disaster Response Team began accepting animals yesterday at the warehouse located between the U.S. Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks office and C and R Transmissions.

“The IDA shelter can accommodate approximately 60 to 100 animals,” she said. “We intend to operate this emergency shelter for one month.”

IDA organized the effort after learning there were only three emergency shelters for animals in Mississippi in response of the disaster, said Stanley.

“We will have agreements with guardians entrusting their animals to us to either reunite them within the month, or to place them for adoption,” she said.

If the IDA shelter fills to capacity, the nearest alternate shelter is located at 404 Third Street in Cleveland, according to Stanley.

“The Animal Medical Clinic is opening its kennel area for this purpose, and the Bolivar County Humane Society will provide care for the animals,” she said. “IDA is encouraging interested volunteers to contact Hope Animal Sanctuary to learn how to join the state-sponsored Mississippi Animal Response Team for the training required to participate in disaster response.”

Supplies are also needed for cleaning, medicating and feeding, as well as fuel for transport and to operate a generator at the site, Stanley said.

For more information or to help, contact Stanley at 809-4483, or e-mail doll@idausa.org.

To make a monetary donation, send a check or money order to Hope Animal Sanctuary/In Defense of Animals, 52 County Road 341, Grenada, Miss. 38901

To read the original online publication, please click here to visit the Grenada Star

Now an anonymous donor from Ridgeland, Mississippi has added $500 to the reward fund established by IDA, bringing the total to $1,000. Anyone with information on this or any other criminal act against animals should contact IDA’s Hope Animal Sanctuary at (662) 809-4483.

A neighbor told Mr. Pickens he’d heard shots the night of December 8. Miss Kitty, Mr. Pickens’ 10-year-old grey Quarter Horse, sustained five bullet wounds: two to her chest, one behind her right front leg, and another two to her right side. It appeared that Miss Kitty ran about 100 yards before succumbing to the wounds.

Mr. Pickens’ other horse, a 3-year-old Quarter Horse named Lil’ Bit, sustained a bullet wound to each front leg; one to her right front knee may have crippled her.

Doll Stanley, Director of IDA’s Hope Animal Sanctuary, said: “Mr. Pickens visited us right after confirming his horses had been shot. He said the Grenada County Sheriff’s Department responded to his report of the shootings. We were greatly disturbed by the report that the horses had been senselessly shot in what appears to have been a random act of violence.”

Ms. Stanley added that “acts of violence towards animals, especially defenseless and vulnerable animals, are perpetrated by anti-social people who often also inflict suffering upon human beings.” In Defense of Animals hopes the offer of a reward will interest someone with knowledge of the crime to come forward.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Doll Stanley, (662) 809-4483, doll@idausa.org; Lee Pickens, (662) 226-0884

Normally, animal advocates in Alabama don’t have the opportunity to come in contact, in an up-close and personal manner, with an admired international animal rights organization. Not until one of the most active and accomplished AR groups, In Defense of Animals (IDA) branched out, or rather – “came on down” -  to the Deep South, to Alabama’s neighboring state, Mississippi, and established a Mid-South office in Carroll County, which evolved into Project Hope . Animal rescue groups in Alabama are seriously paying attention to Project Hope’s successes, and are alert to the potential in patterning similar efforts. All they need is a doll, – that is, IDA’s Doll Stanley.

In 1993, after hearing the concerns of Grenada and Montgomery County residents who discovered that two USDA-licensed animal dealers were operating in the region, IDA discovered missing dogs at one of the kennels and horrid abuse at the other. IDA successfully worked to shut them down, then stayed to help with other animal issues.

Sixteen years ago, the monumental task of targeting and rescuing animals from auctions, puppy mills, animal dealers and the rampant animal cruelty and neglect that plagued rural Mississippi was arguably considered dangerous, if not impossible. Despite overwhelming obstacles, including the lack of humane education and a thick wall of cultural misunderstanding of compassion for animals, IDA Project Hope Director Doll Stanley won the support of residents and law enforcement by her sheer example of tirelessly rescuing abused and neglected animals, courageous investigations and exposing animal suffering.

Stanley has been involved in cases resulting in the seizure of hundreds of dogs; 86 animal cruelty cases including lions, tigers, bears, cougars, and a camel; the closing of a pet shop supplier’s warehouse containing 683 birds, reptiles, and rodents; and other animal seizures and successful prosecutions.

IDA’s partners work along with Stanley to ensure the wellness and placement in caring, lasting homes; the Mississippi State University’s (MSU) mobile student spay and neuter team and MSU’s volunteer student “Homeward Bound” adoption team.

Stanley serves on the board of directors of the newly-formed Winona Animal Advocacy Group (WAAG) who place misplaced and abused animals with loving homes.

IDA Founder and President Elliot M. Katz, DVM, counts Project Hope Sanctuary as a shining light of hope where none previously existed. He praises Project Hope’s Doll Stanley and her dedicated staff for spreading IDA’s basic mission:

“Our dream is to have every person, young and old, see and treat animals not as objects, property and things to be exploited, abused abandoned or killed, but as individuals who deserve consideration for their needs and quality of life. Our dream is fast becoming a reality as hundreds of thousands of caring people are throwing off the mantel of “owner” in favor of the caring mantle of “guardian”.

Alabama animal advocacy groups, as well as those across the USA, surely receive inspiration from what one “Doll” can do, with commitment and passion for ending animal suffering.

Read the original article here.