Another volunteer speaks

This is part of an e-mail from a Connecticut shelter worker who just returned from Lamar Dixon as well. In case anyone thinks I am exaggerating conditions down there and the urgency to remove the animals ASAP into either (a) their own home or (b) climate-controlled, sanitary foster homes and shelters, please read her words:

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Next stop was the Lamar Dixon Expo Center(aka Gonzales), the large "clearing
house" facility. LA SPCA, HSUS, ASPCA, and VMAT are in a power struggle over
who is in charge. It is total chaos. They don't have anywhere near enough
people to care for the 2000 animals (average) and are turning away rescue
groups bringing more animals in after sitting in line for hours.

This place is HUGE, and the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is
doing. Dogs and cats sit for days waiting for vet care even if illness is
obvious. Many do not get out of their crates for 2+ days. There is no
leadership, no system, and the animals are suffering. Vet care is obtained
when they get the chance, and only after a request is put in the "inbox",
which happens to be a bucket.

Volunteers are so burnt out they are in tears. There are some very sick
animals who are put in makeshift "wards" in the barns. No bleach bucket
outside for shoes, and no where near any acceptable level of sanitation.
"Triage" doesn't happened regularly, not enough vets & vet techs. The Parvo
stalls are in the middle of everything......people in & out of them
constantly, and going directly in stalls w/"healthy" dogs.

All dogs & cats are kept in crates of all kinds. We got yelled at by VMAT
for moving a puppy into a wire crate instead of a veri-kennel after being
told to do so by HSUS. Don't know if it was because she was a pit pup and
therefore most likely not going to make it out of that hellhole after all
she'd been thru- she was air-vacced off the 610 bridge- or what.

There are huge buses, vans, RV's, tents everywhere, representives of
different states for each large group. Animal Planet had their bus there,
and PETA was driving in as we were leaving. That's all well & good, but the
"negotiations" for control is disgusting. Whoever gets the gov't "grant"
(aka "Contract") runs the show, and makes some nice $$.

There are pallets of food, water, crates, etc from Walmart, Petco, Petsmart,
and a bunch of others. They just don't have enough people to clean & walk
all these dogs, let alone feed, water, and med. They DESPERATELY need more
people to do the basic stuff.