I figured I’ll tell you more about my charity, Best Friends Animal Society, and what they do for animals before we’re all done here. I can’t tell you about the sanctuary in Utah because I’ve never been, but I can tell you about all the good they did in post-Katrina New Orleans because I was there.
I was there for almost 3 full months, living in a tent on the second floor of a emergency animal shelter called Celebration Station. It was located in Metairie, Louisiana, just outside New Orleans city limits.
On my second pet rescue trip to New Orleans (I went a total of 3 times), they heard that I had veterinary technician experience and had almost exclusive experience with felines. They asked me if I would be willing to help set-up the cat area in Celebration Station and when I told them I had a job back home, they offered to hire me. So, I went back home for 2 days, packed up my closet and flew back to stay until they didn’t need me anymore. I became a co-manager of the cat area and exclusive feline vet tech to over 200 cats (domestic, feral and in between).
We all worked about 14 hour days in very high stress situations, with scared, hurt and aggressive animals. All this to save the them in a state where we were strangers and we didn’t know much about the culture, except we wanted to help those poor, innocent animals despite all the personal hardships we faced.
People have asked if I regret doing it. Leaving my family for so long. I regret nothing and would do it again in a heart beat. Animals are a part of what keeps me alive and getting the chance to help them in such a dire situation meant the world to me. My family knows that about me and supported me in my decision.
My goal of $200 is still shy a mere $10. Last minute sponsors encouraged.