Transport Trials & Tribulations

We've been working pretty much non-stop since last Thursday to coordinate another massive transport of dogs from uncertainty and peril at the shelter to safety and new homes in Minnesota. Transports are never easy to coordinate. There are entirely too many pieces of the puzzle to fit together and the decisions are never easy.

I don't sleep much during this process. My mind can't seem to shut off, the logistics, the one last person I forgot to contact, the one more thing to add to the to do list, and all the faces in the pictures. There are foster homes to contact, new ones to find, the process needs to be explained. The drivers and vehicles need to be coordinated - times, meeting places, space, potty breaks, feeding schedules. There are crates to worry about - how many are needed, how many do we have, how many does each driver on the trip have and how can we get them what they need? We need to have volunteers to help us with intake when we get back, we need to coordinate with the vet and determine what supplies are needed. We stock up on food and puppy pee pads and make foster care packets. We worry, we look at the pictures, we talk to shelter staff, we try to make good choices in the dogs whose lives this group will save.

We are currently trying to get 56+ dogs here with this next transport. About 20 or so going to Safe Hands, the rest to two other rescues we work with. Many of these are puppies. Puppies will sucumb to disease quickly in the shelter - there only chance to survive is to get to rescue quick. Many of these are adults too though. Some of these dogs we met in January and are so happy to be getting to safety now.

There is a whole other blog that needs to be written with some thoughts on the euthanasia of healthy but homeless animals. Not tonight though, it's late, I'm tired and need to attempt some semblence of sleep. I just wanted to keep this blog up and to let everyone know what we've been up to. Between coordinating this mission and keeping up with the pups currently in our rescue and the daily operations we are stretched mighty thin this week. It's the faces though, like the ones above - part of the 56+, that keep us going.