[pyrnet] Fw: CHAT: WTC End of Week Update/9-21-01

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

WTC End of Week Update/9-21-01
From:   juliem@aspca.org
First of all, MANY THANKS to everyone who has contacted the ASPCA
regarding
donations of everything from A to Z.  We greatly appreciate your
assistance
and thoughts.  At this point, NO supplies of any sort are needed
by any
agency from the ASPCA to CACC to Search and Rescue.  Monetary
donations are
welcomed to offset costs incurred and to be incurred.

Interested parties can send donations to:
CACC Disaster Relief Fund                ASPCA Animal Disaster
Relief Fund
2336 Linden Blvd.                                 424 E. 92nd
Street
Brooklyn, NY 11208                              New York, NY
10128

Phase I -- the active rescue phase is winding down.  The ASPCA
has closed its
mobile command center and veterinary services near the site.  We
remain
on-call, as needed.  Most evacuated apartment dwellers have been
reunited
with pets.  The ASPCA has created an extensive database of all
the buildings
in the area.  We have a full page ad in the Daily News, NY Post
and the NY
Times reaching out to people whose animals still remain at risk.
We have
requested that anyone knowing of a person who has not returned
home (for
whatever reason) to call the ASPCA hotline at 212-87-7700 x 4PET
or e-mail us
at wtcdisaster@aspca.org.

The ASPCA still has 40 unconfirmed reports that we are trying to
research and
the CACC is monitoring approximately 60 cases where the animal is
being
temporarily cared for by friends or relatives.

The ASPCA rescued/reunited with owners or in one case placed (the
owner was
deceased) approximately 200 animals.  The CACC helped
approximately 300
owners in similar situations.  Additionally, the CACC is
currently boarding 5
animals in their shelters that they hope to reunite soon with
their owners.

The ASPCA knows of only 2 animal deaths -- a cat that was found
dead in an
apartment and a hamster (from a group of 11 hamsters) that died.
Additionally, there is one confirmed death of a "bomb" dog
belonging to
Officer Lim of the Port Authority who managed to get out of the
WTC before
the building collapsed but his dog, Cyrus, did not.

One ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agent, Henry Ruiz, walked up 38
flights of
stairs to rescue a gecko for its concerned owner.

CACC Rumors
The Internet rumor mill has been out of control.  Contrary to
rumor the CACC
is NOT overcrowded with people relinquishing their pets.  IN
FACT, their
adoptions are UP and their relinquishments are DOWN.

CACC will be providing free food to pet owners tomorrow from the
warehouse of
food at Manhattan Mini Storage -- for more information call
718-272-7200.
Special thanks to Marcello Forte of Animal Haven for coordinating
this effort.

Phase II - The ASPCA is now working to follow up on unconfirmed
reports of
stranded animals.  Both the ASPCA and the CACC are available as
needed to any
pet crisis related to the WTC disaster.

Phase III -  Shortly we will be shifting our attention to
bereavement
counseling, dealing with aftermath health related issues (such as
elderly or
disabled unable to care for their animals due to death or
illness), helping
displaced residents with animal-housing, supplies or foster
advice.

Julie Morris, ASPCA, Vice President, National Shelter Outreach,
424 E. 92nd
Street, New York, NY 10128; 212-876-7700 x 4403, FAX:
212-860-3435; e-mail:
juliem@aspca.org