UPDATE 11/25/02 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt

*Permission to crosspost*

The AWCA collie Rescue of America medical support team spent 5 days in Montana this past week examining all 181 animals rescued from the truck plus the 7 puppies born at the Marias Fairgrounds.  Our veterinarian and veterinary technician traveled to MT at their own expense to advise AWCA on the grooming process, including cross-contamination prevention; which animals must be groomed first, and which should be tranquilized by the county veterinarian before the grooming process. Further, procedures were reviewed following a visit to the grooming building.

Deputy Kevin Gates of the Toole County Sheriff’s Office has requested in writing that the AWCA grooming support team come to MT to groom the animals.  He has signed a letter of agreement requested by AWCA, agreeing on terms.

From the beginning of this tragedy, AWCA has requested a heated, indoor facility for the animal.  Completely aware that Shelby was doing the best it could with what it had to work with, and certainly understanding that town of wonderfully good people was overwhelmed by the enormity of the task at hand, we used what influence we had to encourage the authorities to find a building.  Our animal control officers, Diana Blakely and Carol Barnes, stressed to us the urgency of an indoor building, as did our medial team.  Our veterinarian was extremely concerned that the ammonia-compromised lungs of all animals on the truck would make them vulnerable to pneumonia in the outside stalls during the frigid Montana winter.

Deputy Gates gave us a glimmer of hope regarding a heated facility toward the end of last week.  On Friday our veterinarian called me to confirm a nearly new, cattlemen’s arena was being made available to the dogs!  The local sheep people have loaned their portable sheep pens.  4-H groups are setting up the pens as I write to you.  Large exercise yards are being fenced in the middle of the arena so the dogs can be turned out twice daily in compatible groups for cardiovascular exercise.  Each adult collie will have its own pen with its own water pail to help prevent further contamination. 

Time is of the essence; contaminated animals will have to be moved indoors to get them out of the stalls ASAP.  Our veterinarian explained the wind and snow will get into the stalls, and when drifts of snow build up outside the stall doors, the volunteers will not be able to open the doors to get the dogs out without a great deal of snow shoveling at each door.  As soon as the bedding is acquired for the sheep pens, they will move in dogs.  The authorities have located a sawmill in another area of MT which will largely donate wood chips, preferred by the veterinarians. 

Other Needs:

*AWCA needs another licensed veterinary technician ASAP willing to volunteer time with the grooming team and travel at his/her own expense to Camp Collie.  If you are available after Thanksgiving, contact me, Jean Levitt, by sending an email to AWCA Secretary Judy Cummings at jccollie@worldnet.att.net.

More later----!

Thank you, everyone!  Happy about the indoor building!!!!

I remain,

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, AWCA Director AWCA Rescue

Officers and Members of AWCA