Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Be it humans or animals, it is easy to open the checkbook or grab the acredit card as a way to help those in need. Dana Herman, an art teacher at Forest Lake High School, took her desire to help to the next degree.

Herman devoted Sept. 14-23 for a mission to the Gulf Region where she joined other volunteers for animal rescue mission and to help care for the thousands of dogs, cats and other animals and birds that have been rescued from the hurricane ravaged region of the United States.

Going the extra mile for animals is nothing new for Herman. She has worked for many years with animal rescue organizations in the Forest Lake area.

When Animal Ark Shelter of Hastings put out the call for volunteers to head south last month, Herman couldnít say no.

Sheís now back at work at the high school but is caring for two foster dogs that made the trip north and are temporarily living with Dana and her husband Jim at their Wyoming home. If the dogs cannot be united with their New Orleans owners, they will go up for adoption later this fall.

The right thing

Herman was just one small cog in a large operation that has mobilized to help animals in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Hundreds of volunteers from across the country have pitched in to help.

ìWhen you help the animals, you help the people,î Herman said.

Hermanís one-week stay in Mississippi and Louisiana left her exhausted but exhilarated by knowing she was doing some good.

During her week in the Gulf states, Herman and the other Animal Ark volunteers were assigned to an animal camp at Tylertown, MS, under the management of Best Friends Animal Society of Kanah, UT.

Herman made two trips into metro New Orleans on rescue missions and spent the remainder of her time at the camp caring for animals.

ìIíve never worked so hard in my life,î Herman said. ìIt was exhausting.î

The camp had hundreds of dogs and cats that needed daily feeding and kennel cleaning. Medical triage duties were also necessary for some of the animals that had injuries when rescued.

Dawn to dusk shifts in 90 degree temperatures and high humidity made for miserable conditions.

The near three-hour trips to New Orleans resulted in some positive outcomes but there were also bittersweet endings.

On Hermanís first rescue mission to New Orleans, her group went to St. Bernards Parish where about 25 animals were captured, including one emu. The large bird was found walking down a street.

ìWe were pretty successful with the animals running loose,î she said. ìThey were terrified. That was very rewarding to rescue these animals.î

The areas first visited by Herman later reflooded with heavy rains from Rita. She wonders what happened to those animals still loose.

ìYou just hope they were successful in trying to climb on top of something,î Herman said.

Her second mission to the Gentilly area closer to downtown brought sorrow, but some good news. For this trip, the rescue workers had specific addresses provided by people who had been forced to leave without their companion animals.

In most of the cases, volunteers found dead animals that could not escape the flood waters from Katrina.

But not all perished. At one home in the Gentilly area, Herman found Tilly, a boxer believed to be about 11 years of age. She pulled the dog free from beneath the foundation of a home.

Tilly and Molly

The Herman home in Wyoming is where Tilly and Molly now reside until permanent homes can be found.

For the drive back from the Gulf States in her Ford pickup, Herman says she could not go home empty handed. In fact 40 animals were sent north with Animal Ark Shelter volunteers to help ease the population at the camp.

For Herman, the rescue of Tilly made for an easy decision to help the boxer find a new home.

Molly was a pit bull that Herman helped care for in the camp. The dog had been used for breeding and the clipped ears may have been an indication the dog was used as a fighter, too, Herman said.

But the loving nature of Molly slipped into Hermanís heart, she said. ìI just couldnít leave her,î she said.

Herman continues to volunteer with Animal Ark Shelter and with local agencies. Help is still needed for the rescue mission with animals displaced from their human partners in the New Orleans area. Some will be united with their human partners but more will need new homes, Herman said.

Anyone wishing to help can do so by going to the following web sites: www.animalarkshelter.org, www.bestfriends.org or www.rpaw.org, the web site for the local Rescued Pets Are Wonderful foster-based animal rescue organization.

Many to thank

Herman said she is extremely thankful to area friends and colleagues at the high school who supported the September mission in many ways. She utilized personal leave time to be away from her teaching post.

ìI really appreciate the district letting me go there,î Herman said. ìI feel very lucky I was able to go.î

And it is something she would do again in a heartbeat, she says.

ìI have a love for animals,î she says. ìSeeing the reports on TV just breaks your heart. There is a great need.

ìI wish I was still there.î

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Forest Lake Times
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