2ND Webinar! Long Distance Transport

[samadmin]

I imagine some of you have been wondering what ever happened to the Webinar on "Aggression in Dogs" that was scheduled for May. Well, I fell way behind in making arrangements with the behaviorists in Denver so we had to postpone that Webinar.
Instead, I'm proud to announce that a very good friend of mine has gratiously agreed to do a Webinar on "Long Distance Transport." Laurel Barrick has had many years of experience doing long distance transport coordination for groups here in Michigan as well as doing her own long distance transport through "Rolling Rescue" which is trucker
transport for rescue dogs. I'm copying Laurel on this email so we can all begin to know each other.
The Webinar is scheduled to begin on June 14 with a brief intro from Laurel and we will start taking question to go to her on Thursday, June 15. The email addy you would need to send your questions to will be sent along with the bio. Like the first Webinar, there will be two questions per day sent to Laurel (a total of 14). So put your thinking caps on now. On Friday, June 23 there will be a final comment round with, of course, the usual continueing discussion on the Forum.
Another exciting note: Laruel has thought about asking another long distance transport coordinator to join the panel. If she agrees there will be double the questions and double the information.
Start passing the word along because like the first Webinar this is open to the public. But a reminder they will have to register on the Forum to get the responses.
PS--The "Aggression in Dogs" Webinar has been tentatively scheduled for mid-August.

[Jim Becklund]

Got another update this morning. Brady Gardes in El Paso, TX has graciously accepted an invitation to be the second panel member on the Webinar. She operates From the Heart Rescue and has been involved with coordinating transports for many years.

This not only gives us two people on the panel it also doubles the number of questions you can ask.

[Jim Becklund]

Today is the day the Second Webinar begins. I'll be posting our panel member's bios later today. Get your questions ready and send them to webinar@samoyedrescue.org. Each panel member will do two questions per day so if you have a specific question for a specific panel member just put "Question for (name)" prior to asking your question.

I hope you'll all enjoy and learn a lot from our experts.
Best,

[Julesno]

Hi, I guess I don't know quite where to go for the Webinar on Transport. I thought it was to take place today? or maybe I am too late? :-) wouldn't be the first time....
Is the transport webinar on ?

[Jim Becklund]

The second webinar started yesterday (Wednesday) with the introductions of our panel members which should be up here real soon. Send your questions to webinar@samoyedrescue.org Laurel and Brandy will be answering two questions per day each day starting tomorrow (Friday) and running through next Thursday with an open comment round on the 23rd. Hope you all enjoy.

[Jim Becklund]

Apologies to all. The bios on our panel members should have been posted Wednesday night. Due to technical difficulties the bios are late. We hope to have them up tonight along with the first set of questions from our panel members Laurel and Brandy. In the meantime keep those questios coming to webinar@samoyedrescue.org
Myu

[samadmin]

Introduction from Brandy Gardes:

I was fortunate enough to be raised in an animal-loving home. My father would bring home strays, patch them up, get them altered (before it was "fashionable"), and then find them homes. Almost every pet I had as a child was a rescue of some sort.

I started in "formal" rescue work in England in 1972, working with the SPCA
and learning about rehabilitation. My passion quickly became patching up the injured and abused animals. When I moved back to the United States, I work with rescues in California and Virginia, before settling in Texas.

In 1996, I was one of the founding members of Animal Rescue League of El Paso, a no-kill shelter for cats and dogs. After many years there, I left to form From The Heart Rescue in January 2004, a rescue dedicated to the victims of injury, abuse and illness...our motto says it all -- "Caring for those, no one else will." Currently, From The Heart (www.fthar.org) operates in El Paso and Austin, Texas, with a branch in Phoenix, Arizona. We rescue and rehabilitate approximately 250 dogs and 25 cats per year, all of whom needed extraordinary veterinary or emotional care. Of course, with our branches spread out across three states presents challenges on how to move these precious, often injured, animals between the foster homes.

I began in rescue transports as a driver many years ago. I watched the "good, the bad and the ugly" put together transports and but lucky enough to learn from some of the best transport coordinators in the country -- Laurel Barrick, Sara Haddon, Carol Keaney and handful of others. I started coordinating transports about 5 years ago and have covered most of the United States and Canada. I coordinate not only for my own rescue, but for
others in need as well.

Coordinating in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California presents unique challenges due to the vast expanses of desert and other uninhabited terrain. Coordinators who are used to east coast transports are shocked when they learn the legs in these areas are 150-175 miles, instead of the 45-65 miles they are used to!

I look forward to participating in the Webinar and hope that I can impart some knowledge to help others avoid some of the mistakes I've made, rejoice in the successes and laugh at the funny events that have occurred along the way.

[samadmin]

Introduction from Panel Member Laurel Barrick (http://www.rollingrescue.info):

I was drawn into rescue and transporting at a time we weren't even familiar with rescue. I had joined a yahoo list for truckers and their families, my significant other being an over the road trucker. We were and still are, living in Grand Rapids, MI. We had my two sons, two dogs, a few cats and life was relatively normal. Then a post came through this trucking list one day from a woman named Leeta, who was organizing a list for truckers, to help move rescued dogs around the country. RollingRescue had just been born.

I responded to that post, knowing that Mike would be happy to help. He had already brought home a couple of 'road rescues', dogs he'd found abandoned in various places around the country. And in the course of rehoming one of those, we'd been introduced to our first local rescue. Something we'd never heard of before. From there on, its kind of a blur of fur, lol. I started out trying to help Leeta develop a format for posting that would allow the busy truckers with limited internet access to be able to spot what they could help with right away, give them all of the critical information about the animal and all of the contact information necessary to be able to connect__in the post. At that time, the typical post read like "Please help save this sweet dog who needs to get to NY" and if you were lucky, there was an email address given. I didn't know much about rescue or the traditional relay transport, but I knew that truckers didn't have days to spend emailing back and forth, had to know exactly what the animal was like and how to reach the people who asked for help. And for the life of me, I couldn't understand why anyone else would want to have to do that either. Put it all out there in a nutshell, and save everyone alot of time. RollingRescue was one of the first transport lists to establish a comprehensive format for posts. I see variations on our format all over the place today, but when we first developed that style of posting, we caught so much flack it wasn't funny.

Within a year or so, Leeta's life and health had undergone some drastic changes and I found myself the list owner of RollingRescue. As Mike began transporting, most of the rescue people we were meeting were on the West Coast, because he was doing a lot of west coast freight. It was Gail McKenzie in California that eventually introduced me to a MI Dalmatian rescue when they needed a dog pulled immediately from a shelter in the next county. That led to beginning to meet more MI people. That led to doing temporary fostering for these shelter dogs. And eventually, I began meeting rescue people here in West Michigan. I really came into the local scene backwards, via the West Coast. And, of course, I ended up as a regular, long term foster home for The Animal Placement Bureau somewhere along the way.

And, eventually, the day came when I coordinated my very first relay transport. I had recruited some people to help a small rescue in northern NM that was trying to disperse their dogs after a fire destroyed their home. We eventually moved in supplies and moved out over twenty dogs to rescues in various states. The transport I cut my coordinating teeth on involved seven dogs traveling north through the Raton Pass in December, to rescues in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana over the course of two weekends. I found my first grey hairs about that same time. I swear, there was one named for each of those seven dogs.

But, I've been blessed with good mentors. Gail McKenzie who founded the California Animal Rescue Railroad, is a superb transport coordinator. Barb Peterson, here in Michigan, at the time was a Truck n Paws moderator and another very savy transport coordinator. Genie Heist, the other original moderator of RollingRescue during Leeta's time, was another source of guidence and advice. And Brandy. I can't even remember when or how we met, but surely it had to do with dogs and transports, lol. Brandy's been a wealth of information and contacts in the south west, she's been the recipient of some of Mike's 'road rescues' and plenty of other hard luck dogs and I'm convinced she could relay ice cubes across I-40 in the dead of summer and come out without a single melted cube. These are some of the people who helped me learn how to coordinate a run, how to collect driver information and put together a run sheet, route a run, divide it into legs, helped me with contacts and introductions and how to keep a transport safe for dogs and drivers alike.

Experience has been a great teacher too. Learning that not everyone who calls themselves a rescue is a good rescue or even any kind of rescue, that the anonymity of the internet has no place in rescue and transporting and that knowing to whom you are sending an animal, knowing how they are going to care for and eventually place that animal before you send it out are your responsibilities as a transport coordinator. But the flip side of that is that for every kook, collector, horder and back yard breeder who would use the volunteer transport network to bring animals in, there are a few hundred decent dog lovers who are trying to make a difference, who will drop everything to help when there is a life or death situation and who will drive home in a blizzard or a thunderstorm after completing their mission and email you to thank you for letting them help.

So, here we are, all these years later. My sons are grown, my youngest, about to turn 24, departs the end of this month for his second tour of Iraq. My oldest has given me a daughter-in-law, a grand daughter and two grand puppies. His wife serves in the Army Reserves and he is about to be sworn into the National Guard. Mike is no longer over the road, but is doing debri hauling in the Gulf Region and has been helping out with ARNO. He has one of our long-term 'project' fosters with him and one of the cats. The other five family dogs and assorted fosters are here with me. When he makes the trip home, I try to make sure he's loaded with transports. And I know more amazing people that I've never met face to face, all over the country, than I ever dreamed existed back in the days when life was "normal".

[samadmin]

QUESTION FOR BRANDY--
From Lori---What basic considerations should be taken into place when looking for and accepting volunteers to help out with legs on a long-distance transport??

I look for R.E.S.Q.:
Reliability
Experience/Enthusiasm
Safety
Quantity

Reliability: Transport must run on a schedule, so is this person reliable?Will they make the meeting spot on time? Will they not "dognap" the dog on the way? Have any other transporters or transport coordinators had problems with this driver before.

Experience/Enthusiasm: First, I look for experience. Have they transported before? How many times? Of course, we all have to start somewhere, and if the person has never transported before, look for their enthusiasm about becoming a transport volunteer.

Safety: How experienced is this person with dogs/cats. Transports sometimes involve dogs that are bolters, are shy around people, or have other medical/emotional problems. The question to ask is whether this volunteer would be able to handle the animal(s) on the transport. I would rather cancel a transport or find other drivers if there is the risk to the animal's safety (i.e., escape, injury, etc.)

Quantity: With rising gas prices, many coordinators are combining runs or sending multiple animals on a transport. Let's face it, 3 chihuahuas on a run vs 3 St. Bernards make a difference. The St. Bernards are just not going to fit in a Ford Escort!

Any of the "closed: lists (e.g., Transport Coordinators, Rolling Rescue, Animal Transporters) have done a lot of the screening for you as the people have to apply in order to become members. The "open" lists, on the other hand, do no screening, so it is up to the coordinator to make sure all the drivers are approriate for the transport.

The questionaire I send to unknown drivers includes:

Name:
Email:
Address:
Home City/State:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
Vehicle Description:
License Plate:
Emergency Contact: (Name and phone number)
Description: (Height and hair)
References: (Vet, rescue, adoption, personal, previous transport, etc.)

Don't be afraid to ask questions. As the coordinator, you are ultimately
responsible for the safety and well-being of the animal being sent!


QUESTION FOR BRANDY---
From Jim--Since you have had experience with long and short distance transports in different areas of the country is there any special or different things you do or require for a long distance transport as compared with short distance transports??

The short answer is "no." The same procedures apply to both short and long distance transport -- coordination, safety and monitoring. That said, the longer the transport, the harder it is to find drivers, and to coordinate
and make sure it runs smoothly.

Anyone coordinating for any length of time, usually has a "stable" of known, reliable transporters for the areas in which they transport. An email to these persons on a short transport can generally get the run filled in short order. However, the longer the transport, transporting in areas with which you are not familiar or in instances where a regular transporter is not available, present unique challenges.

On a long distance transport, the first problem is the areas in which you are transporting. For instance, in Texas, the legs average 150 miles because there are no drivers who live in the middle-o-nowhere! Coordinators unfamiliar with the area are shocked! For instance, the same amount of terrain can be covered on the East Coast with legs of 40-65 miles.

On very long transports which cover more that one day, I do make sure I have a back-up driver just in case something happens. (In fact, wehre possible, I always try to have back-up drivers in case something happens -- that way, you don't have to cancel a transport because someone drops out at the last minute.)

Also, the longer the transport, remember the more supplies you should send. On all transports, I send water and a bowl (although many ransporters do carry them). If there is an overnight, you must remember to send food!

Remember, whether it is a long distance or a short distance, you are the one that has to ensure the safety and well-being of the animal while in transport. If you are in unfamiliar territory, don't be afraid to ask a coordinator who works in that area for help.

[samadmin]

QUESTION FOR LAUREL--
From Jim---Rolling Rescue sounds like a wonderful way to get rescues across the country quickly. Will you give us a brief description of how it works??

RollingRescue is a transport list. A place for transport coordinators to find drivers, a place for people with rides to offer to make their availability known, a place for rescues to find help with shelter pulls and home visits.

When you say "quickly", it makes me think that you're thinking of the truckers. But bear in mind that the majority of transports are still relay transports done by 'four-wheelers'.

Where truckers are involved, they may rely on me to spot the transports they could help with and post their availability, they may post their own availability and watch the list for transports they could do themselves.

For the most part, with the truckers, I am trying to keep up with them by phone and then posting their available route and schedule. When someone contacts me or I spot a run that could be covered by a truck, I contact the rescue, determine that the animal meets the individual trucker's requirements and that the sending and receiving ends can meet the trucker's schedule. Then I'll contact the trucker and if it looks like its a "go", I will get them in direct contact with each other and step out of the picture.

QUESTION FOR LAUREL--
From Sarah---What is the most important part of arranging transport??

From the animal's perspective, the first and foremost concern is to know where you are sending the animal. If its an adopter, have they been screened with reference checks and a home visit and the animal matched correctly to the home ? Is there a 'return to rescue' clause in the adoption contract? A safety net to retrieve the animal if the adoption fails? If it's going into a rescue, do you really know how they vet, care for and place their animals ? If you don't, your job as a coordinator is to find out. Screen them. The buck stops with you.

From the human perspective, planning and communications are critical. A good head start on posting with complete information on the animals being transported, a good run sheet with times and meeting places clearly stated, instructions to the drivers on safety, particular concerns or issues with individual animals, complete driver contact information for everyone and someone to monitor the transport, to be available to handle the emergencies that can arise and act as communications central from start to finish.

Give your drivers a good experience and they will be there next time you need them and the animals will arrive safely.
__________________

[samadmin]

QUESTION FOR LAUREL--
Question from Cari--How do you set up a viable network of transport volunteers so as not to be relying solely on one or two people and therefore risk burning out a valuable volunteer?

The transport lists provide a ready made network of contacts. So do the state and regional rescue lists.

The databases that most transport and these state rescue lists have can help you zero in on specific individuals in specific areas and provide you with contact information for making direct contact, rather than relying on just posts to the the lists. A lot of people are on no mail, as much as we try to make sure they are on at least digest on ollingRescue, we can't police over 500 members constantly.

And when the going gets really rough, I've been known to comb petfinder.org with a mapping program open, looking for rescues along the route I need help with. Its worked more often than not.

Your rescue contacts, your adopters, everyone you know is also a potential transporter. Know where they live and where they travel. Train them to let you know when they're taking a trip.

The key to building your own network is to make sure that you give your drivers that do volunteer for you a good experience with a well coordinated run. Beyond that, network, network, network. Help other transport coordinators whenever you can.

Its work and it takes time. But each run will leave you with additional contracts that you didn't have before and that you then have a 'history' with. Treat them well and you can go back to them.

Save those drivers who are willing to do the long distances for the times when you really need them. Some people will always jump up to drive and sometimes you won't have any choice but to use them, but when you've got choices, encourage them to pace themselves and let others handle some of the runs when they can.


QUESTION FOR LAUREL--
Question from Lori--What are some of the unexpected problems that have cropped up in runs you know about and how do you deal with trying to avoid similar problems in future transports?

I think one of the worst things we hear about is an escaped dog.

I prefer that transport dogs are wearing martingale i.e. check collars or choke chains. If they will have to be ethered in some vehicles, then a flat buckle collar in addition to a choke chain allows something to tether them with and something to control them with outside of the vehicle. The worst thing you can have on a dog is a slip lead.

Control and safety are the number one transport concern. Whether you like choke chains or not, whatever it takes in the transport situation to meet the control and safety objective is all that matters. Its a short time in the greater scheme of things.

I always tell my drivers to wait until the person they are meeting exits the vehicle with the dogs in hand. Never run up and open a door to "help" the person with the dogs in their car by opening the doors for them. If you've got the dogs in your car, make sure you have them in hand before you open the doors.

Check crated dogs before you open up the vehicle. Get them on lead or if they were left leashed, make sure they haven't chewed it up before you open the doors. Carry spare leashes and choke chains with you, then if you find
yourself being handed a dog on a flimsey plastic buckle collar or ill fitted collar or a slip lead, you are prepared to replace it with something secure. Tell your drivers to do the same.

Crates are always the ideal way to transport. However, we all know that sometimes that isn't possible. But every dog should be secured by at least a tether tied to something stationary in the vehicle.

Mill dogs should never be uncrated. Period. If you're moving mill dogs, make sure they leave in crates and remain in them the whole trip. Line them with thick layers of newspapers and inside of a closed vehicle, peel off a layer of soiled paper if you need to, but leave them in the crate. These dogs don't know collars, leashes, haven't experienced grass under their feet or anything else. They are terrified. They have their whole life left to learn the joys of normal dog living, but transport is not the time to try and give it to them.

Make sure you tell your drivers these basic rules of the road and know everything you possibly can about the animals you're coordinating a run for. Tell drivers if this one is a known bolter or that one is afraid of loud noises or is fearful of men. If you've got big, powerful or unruly dogs, make sure your drivers are up to the physical handling of the dog. Tell them how much a dog weighs.

Never assume that they know your breed. If there are breed characteristics that are likey to impact the transport situation, educate your drivers.

Make sure that dogs are wearing some form of identification. Even if you tape a business card around the collar with the coordinator's phone no., the receving rescue's phone no., etc. that is better than none. Put the rabies tag on them. So often I find those taped to the rabies certificate in the paperwork. Put it on the dog. Its at least a start for someone who finds a lost dog.

Sick dogs are another problem that crops up from time to time. Puppies are especially vulnerable to so many iseases, some of which can break suddenly and be deadly in a short time. Ten days to two weeks in a foster home
prior to transport for quarantine and basic vetting will go along way towards preventing the pups from breaking with parvo in mid transport.

Not moving pups less than 8 weeks old except in the most dire of situations is the best rule.

We have, as part of our policies of RollingRescue, the stipulation that the receiving rescue bears financial responsibility for any medical emergencies that may arise during transport. If the dog is going to a forever home, the sending rescue bears that responsibility. Have that agreement up front before you hit the road and make sure these responsible parties will be accessible through out a transport's duration by phone.

No show drivers. It does not happen very often, but it has happened. This is why it is so important to have a coordinator on stand-by, monitoring a run and poised to handle a situation like that.

(And barring a life threatening illness or true emergency, that no show driver becomes a DNU. Do Not Use. The transport version of a DNA. Other coordinators need to know. )

[samadmin]

QUESTION FOR BRANDY--
Question from Sue--In an "ideal situation" how far in advance do the transport groups need notice to arrange for transport??

A minimum of 5 days, preferably 10 days to 2 weeks. That said, it really depends on the transport. The rule of thumb is the longer the transport (especially if going through unpopulated areas) the longer the lead time.

Transports generally take place on the weekends because most drivers have to work for a living. If you think about it, most people plan to attend parties, barbeques and other weekend events about 10 days to 2 weeks before the event. By getting your drivers lined out in well in advance, they can plan around their driving times.

However, the "ideal" situation is not always what happens! Dogs/cats coming from rescue to a forever home, or rescue to rescue, are safe while you line out the transport. But animals coming from kill shelters do not have that
time. Best thing to do is try and find a short term foster while you pull a transport together. In no event, let a short lead time stop you from trying! I have actually put together an 800 mile transport in 3 days by begging and pleading.

QUESTION FOR BRANDY--
Question from Cari--I was wondering how to figure out a meeting place (gas station, truck stop, restaurant)at an exit for a place that none of the parties including the transport coordinator have ever been?? Is there a resource online for this, a book, something?

I wish that there was a book entitled "Meeting Spots Around the Country for Animal Transporters," but alas there isn't! In lining out transports, I use a program called "Streets & Trips" which will give me restaurant and other
locations in each city. The same features are available through Mapquest (www.mapquest.com) and Yahoo Maps (www.maps.yahoo.com)

There also are other valuable on-line resourses you can use. Many chain restaurants have locaters such as:

http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/rest_locator.html (McDonalds)
http://direct.where2getit.com/cwc/apps/w2gi.php?template=search&client=cracker3 (Cracker Barrel)
http://jackinthebox.com/locations/index.php?section=5 (jack-in-the-Box)

You also can use the on-line locaters for many of the national chain truck stops, such as:

http://loves.com/locations.asp (Loves Truck Stops)
www.FlyingJ.com (Flying J)

Store chains such as Walmart, Sears, and Pennys also have locaters.

When all else fails, I have located a local rescue or shelter through www.Petfinder.com and called them to ask if they knew of a meeting spot.

[samadmin]

QUESTION FOR BRANDY--
Question from Pat--How do you "check out" the rescues and transporters you are working with?

First line of investigation in checking out a rescue I have never worked with is the internet. Almost all rescues have a website whether it be a main site or a Petfinder site. (For instance, we have both a main site www.fthar.org and a Petfinder site www.FromTheHeartNM.petfinder.com ) Both clearly set forth our adoption criteria, our mission, etc. If a rescue does not have some sort of website, you have to wonder how they get their animals adopted!

I have also been know to call the local Animal Control and Humane Societies to see if they are listed as "DNA" (Do Not Adopt) or DNR (Do Not Release). I also ask questions of trusted rescue collegues. And I am not afraid to ask the rescue for references. No reputable rescue would ever be offended with someone checking out their policies and reputation.

One thing I always require is that a rescue spay/neuter every animal going to a forever home PRIOR to its being placed.

As for checking out the transporters, in Friday's question, I covered this area. Again, if it is a transporter I don't know, I will ask for references of others he/she has transported for...if it's someone new to transporting, I will not discount them, but still need references (vet, personal, etc), and generally will talk with them for a while about transporting and its requirements.


QUESTION FOR BRANDY--
Question from Jim--There are several new groups who have recently stepped forward to do long distance transport. One group in the Southwest who is using pilots to transport rescues and another that is using a buss to do "mass" transports. As an experienced transport coordinator do you feel these are viable/workable options to transport legs and are these economically sound alternatives??

I believe the pilot group you are talking about is Flying Paws. I am intimately familiar with them as I work as a ground transport coordinator for them on combined air/ground transports. They have been lifesavers for me as well on "specialty" transports such as getting a dog relocated for medical treatment where a relay transport would not be advisable for the health of the dog, or "high risk" transports such as deaf and/or blind dogs where escape of a dog could be disasterous. Flying Paws pilots are volunteers and there is never a fee involved. The problem is, though, they only cover certain areas and can only fly if a pilot is available and volunteers.

As for "mass" transports ... they should be banned! There are far too many health risks, escape risks, and other risks involved. Let's say the bus picks up your fully quarantined and vetted dog going to its forever home. The next stop, though, they pick up several shelter dogs who have not been quarantined and are harboring disptemper, parvo, kennel cough. Shortly after your dog arrives at its forever home, it gets sick. Not good. And, it is totally out of yoru control. I will not even transport a shelter dog
and a fully quarantined dog on the same relay transport for precisely that reason!

Also, when one or two people are transporting 20+ dogs, one must wonder exactly how much exercise and how many potty breaks these dogs get along the way?

[samadmin]

QUESTIONS FOR LAUREL--

Question from Jim--Once the transport begins what is the role/duties of the transport coordinator??

Stay accessible to your drivers by phone. You are communications central and chief problem solver. Decisions to delay a run, re-route a run, seek medical treatment for a 'passenger', etc. fall on you.

1. You will have instructed your drivers to call you as soon as they have handed off at the end of their leg. If you don't hear from them, you need to call them.

2. You will also have told them to call you if the driver they are to meet has not shown up within 15 minutes of the appointed time. You may have to contact that other driver and get their ETA.

(Not all drivers have a cell phone and sometimes a cell phone can hit a 'dead spot', leaving drivers without the means to contact each other directly. )

3. Be close enough to your computer & the internet to be able to find any help you may need anywhere along the route in the event of a no show driver, medical emergency, unexpected delay caused by weather, etc.

4. When a run gets ahead of schedule or behind schedule, your job is to call everyone down stream from the present leg and notify them of new ETAs and deal with any problems that might create.

5. Stay abreast of situations with the weather. Road conditions can change quickly, impacting a transport. Snow, freezing rain, flash floods, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms can sometimes surprise you, even though you will have checked the weather before the run started out.

In some parts of the country, forest or grass fires can create conditions that reduce visibility or leave parts of a route inaccessible. They can change courses quickly.

Most state's have a state Dept of Transportation website that will show current road conditions. If you suspect a potential problem, use your contacts along the route to check with the real conditions in a given area.



Question from Lori--What are the minimum basic supplies that a transporter must carry with them and what other thgings are nice to have along "just in case??

For the average relay transport, I recommend that a driver carry paper towels, a spare leash, (a six foot leash or 15 ft training lead helps with those animals who are reluctant to potty in close proximity to you), spare choke chains or check collars, a disposable dish for water and a jug of water.

If a dog is riding tethered rather than crated, then an inexpensive plastic tarp to cover the surface they're riding on is a good idea. Not only does that make clean up easier in case of up-chucking or potty accidents, that non porous surface that can be washed with a 30% bleach/water solution is critical if you later find out your passenger broke with parvo or distemper, etc. after arriving in rescue. (Always bleach your crates and these tarps after each transport.)

For a trucker or any driver who is going to have the dog for an extended period of time, there is a basic 'first aid' kit that comes in handy above and beyond the above items.

IDmodium for diarrhea, pepto bismol for tummy upsets, drammamine for motion sickness, cough syrup, an anti histamine like Benedryl for reactions to insect bites, asprin, a bottle of rescue remedy, Capstar tablets or flea & tick spray, a bottle of carpet/upholstry stain remover or at least an all purpose cleaner, hydrogen peroxide and a triple antibiotic ointment for small wounds.

These are all over the counter people meds that can usually be found at a dollar store (check expiration dates and make sure there is no non asprin ingredients) and purchased ahead of time inexpensively. If you wait until you have to have it, the truck stops charge an arm and a leg for these things.

And for those truckers who travel with their own pets, I always like to see them carrying a collapsable crate that is at least big enough for their own pet, just incase the passenger and the resident trucking pet don't hit it off so well or one of the animals gets sick. Storage space is always limited in a semi sleeper but these can be a real life-saver.

[samadmin]

Question #1 for Laurel
From Jim--What information, medical records or documentation from an animal care giver should accompany a dog during transport??

Instructions: If there are any medications accompanying the dog, if the dog
has any special quirks, written instructions to the drivers should be
included in the packet as well as notes on when the last dose of meds was
given, when the next dose is due, etc.

I usually suggest that a copy of the complete medical records be made to
accompany the animal on the transport and the orginals then be mailed to the
receiving party. Paperwork does sometimes get lost enroute.

Any vetting should be documented, but the one piece of paper I really want
to see there is the rabies certificate. Should a transport animal happen to
bite anyone enroute, it would be a nightmare without proof of the rabies
vaccination being immediately available. And though we aren't in the habit
of moving aggressive dogs, you never know.

A dog fight breaks out between two transport passengers and someone gets bit
breaking it up or someone failed to mention that a given dog was afraid of
men and a male driver gets bitten___it happens.

Health certificates:
There are certain states where a health certificate is always a very good
idea. MO, MA, CT, RI___actually anywhere in New England, its a good idea.
The new regs in MA actually require a health certificate from a MA vet or a
vet licensed in one of the states contiguous to MA. An out of state dog is
supposed to be held in quarantine at a licensed vet in MA for 48 hours after
its arrival unless it has that health certificate from a contiguous state.

Beyond that, if you can afford a health certificate, by all means get one.
Some groups do require them.

And it always pays to look at why health certificates have become such an
issue in some states: These crackdowns in New England have a lot to do with
the mass transport of unvetted shelter animals, mostly puppies, from
southern states, being taken in by northern rescues that put them out there
for adoption without waiting that ten to fourteen days of in-house
quarantine. When adopters get a pup that breaks with parvo or is found to
have coccydia a couple of days later, they tend to complain to the
authorities.

Authorities, where no specific regulations exist for rescues, tend to lump
the importing of animals into the state into the regulations that are
imposed on commercial brokers. They also tend to start wanting to regulate
rescues when they are getting complaints from the public.

Sadly, the health certificate itself, is no guarantee of anything except
that the dog didn't seem sick when the vet examined it. Even with a health
certificate, if you adopt that dog out without that fourteen day wait
period, it could start showing symptoms and you're asking for trouble.

Question #2 for Laurel
From Jim--When transporting a "special needs dog" are there any special considerations the transport coordinator or the legdriver need to take in to consideration??

Anything out of the ordinary at all should be covered in the instructions in
the final run sheet, in writing, provided to all of the drivers. The
transport coordinator needs to have as much information about the animals as
possible to do their job correctly. Never assume that all the drivers
automatically know about various handicapps, breeds, etc. and how to handle
them.

Physical limitations:
Can the dog navigate up into a vehicle ? A lot of the SUVs sit pretty tall.
A semi truck requires that the dog be able to negociate the steps. Not a
problem with a small dog, but lifting a 50-60lb dog that can't make the
climb, up over their head, is too much for a trucker.

Relay drivers will have at least two people on hand at each transfer. The
trucker has to be able to get the dog in and out for potty breaks working
alone.

If a dog can make it with a little assistance, we have used a sturdy harness
to give a driver a "handle" to help the dog up. But, what goes up, must also
come down and its a steep climb into and out of a semi truck for a dog to
big to be carried. . .and a long drop if they fall or jump.

[samadmin]

Question #1 for both Brandy & Laurel
From Carl--What is the most unusual transport you've ever
put together??

Response from Laurel: Well, I've found that one way to raise the eyebrows of some drivers is to
throw a reptile or two onto a transport. The actual experience isn't nearly
as difficult to carry out as it is to overcome the inital reaction.

"You Wanna WHAT" ? was something I heard from more than one driver when we
needed to add an alligator and an Iguana from our local animal control to a
recent run for a dog.

And if you really want to spice it up, mention snakes.

And yet, properly packaged, these scaley creatures travel without ever being
seen by their drivers, let alone handled. No potty stops needed.

My significant other has given me a few challenges with his unplanned "road
rescues". I got used to the calls that started with "find me a rescue in
____(insert name of some place in the middle of nowhere)" when he'd found
some dog wandering down the interstate.

Brandy was the lucky recipient of one very, very pregnant coonhound that
Mike found wandering down the road in western NM.

That call started out with "Find me a rescue in Albuquerque" when he was
about an hour out of Albuquerque.

Desolate ? He was coming through that stretch where they have all of the
huge antennas that probe space, listening for radio signals from other
galaxies and not much else. (Ever see the movie "Contact" ? That place)
He'd seen a very tired, very pregnant dog tromping along the side of the
road and stopped to pick it up.

He was headed across 40 and then up into OK and the chances of him whelping
a coonhound before we found another vestage of civiliazation was very good.
We'd already done that Freightliner Whelping Box scene once with a pregnant
chow who delivered seven pups at the Pilot Truckstop in Little Rock, AR and
I was not anxious to repeat that experience.

Hitting the phones, I got a former adopter in Albuquerque to start pounding
the pavement and we went to work to find someone to meet the truck and a
rescue to take the dog.

Not getting anywhere with the rescue portion of that dilema, I called
Brandy.

She agreed to take the dog into her rescue in El Paso. Meanwhile, my
Albuquerque adopter got wind of a transport that was scheduled to take place
the next day for some shelter dogs moving to Las Cruces or Alamagordo.
Somehow, by the time Mike hit Albuquerque, we had a rescue to meet the truck
and overnight the dog and a transport to take to within Brandy's reach.

But then there was the "find me a wildlife refuge" call that came in as he
was rolling across US 2 in Michigan's upper penninsula one night and stopped
to pick up an injured critter.

"Ah, what have you got there?"
"A bird".
"What kind of bird?"
"I dunno, a BIG bird"
"How big?"
"Well, his wingspan is about six feet".
"Ah, and ah, where is it ?"
"In the bunk"
"OH. And what does Ms. Bunky think of that?"
(Ms. Bunky being his diminutive siamese trucking cat from hell)
"She was sniffing at it when it started thrashing around. I threw a blanket
over it, but now she's hiding in the overhead storage compartment".

I pounded the internet and found one wildlife rehaber about 60 miles north
of his route, but they wanted him to come up off route and deliver it to
their door. That, he could not do.

He kept rolling along, with me batting zero on the phone, and the thought of
him coming home with this creature kept me going. Finally, in desparation,
we decided that the next state police post was going to be the lucky
recipient of Mike's unhappy passenger.

As it turned out, one of the officers there was a volunteer for a sanctuary
in the area and as Mike left, the bird was sitting in a jail cell while
officers attempted to reach their off duty coworker.

Question #2 for both Brandy & Laurel
From Renee--Please, share with us your greatest and mostsatisfying transport "success story??"

Response from Laurel: They're all satisfying, but those transports that help to bring a death row
shelter dog to a new life of service strike me as extremely so. A Gordon
Setter on death row in WA that goes to a small town police dept in GA to
become a drug dog; a collie in a PA shelter that got delivered to a young
victim of spinal bifida who trains the dog as her service dog in a 4-H
program.....those are extra heart-warming to me.

But probably the most touching was a canine kidnapping victim from Ft
Collins, CO that ended up in the Joliet, IL Animal Control Shelter with no
way home.

The dog and its two human children had been kidnapped from their father's
home by their non custodial parent mother and her drug-dealing boyfriend and
taken on a cross-country jaunt that took them through the southwest and then
east and eventually ended when one of the children snuck a call into 911
from a Joliet motel room.

The children's father was able to fly the children home, but did not have
the money to fly the dog too. After all they had been through, those kids
had to leave their dog behind, sitting sad and depressed, in the Joliet
Animal Control shelter.

Fortunetly for everyone, Andy Iverncky, the director of the Joliet shelter,
the kind of ACO we all wish we had in our local shelter, was determined to
see the dog reunited with the family.

He was put in touch with Pam Perrins in Chicago, a transport coordinator who
worked with many different rescues. Pam posted a relay transport for the dog
to RollingRescue where I caught the post coming through moderation, just as
Mike was loading in Detroit for a load going to Los Angeles.

Mike planned to run down through St Louis to OK and then out I-40, but it
took him about two seconds to reroute himself across 80 to 76 to pick up 70
in Denver and then on to I-15 in UT.

Andy called the father in Ft Collins and he didn't hesitate at all to commit
to being in Denver the next night. Andy and Mike arranged their meeting for
about 10pm near Joliet.

The reunion the next evening at a Denver, Colorado truckstop is one I would
have loved to have been on hand for. The dog, depressed and moping through
out the trip, saw those kids coming across the parking lot and lit up like a
Christmas tree. The transport ended in a blurr of fur and hugs and tears of
happiness.

Transport doesn't get much better.

[samadmin]

QUESTION #1 FOR BOTH BRANDY & LAUREL--
Question from Carl--What is the most unusual transport you've ever put
together??


Response from Brandy: So you pick up the phone and hear: "Hi! I'm [name removed to protect the
innocent] and I got your number from [name removed to protect the guilty].
She said you were a great transporter...and I got a bit of an unusual
request."

"Whats that?," I ask.

"Well, you see, I need to get a 3-foot iquana ... "

"A what?"

"A 3-foot iguana ..."

"That's what I thought you said..."

"But that's not all ... I have two tortitses [or is that torti], and a
raptor to go as well."

So, folks, does this sound like a normal transport? Seriously, we did move
these guys/gals (how DO you tell if a tortise is a male or female) to a
wildlife rehabilitator and refuge here in the southwest. I think all my
drivers felt more or like Noah's ARk going down the road!

QUESTION #2 FOR BOTH BRANDY & LAUREL--
Question from Renee--Please, share with us your greatest and most
satisfying transport "success story??"

Response from Brandy: All of them are the greatest success story, whether it be saving a dog from
death row, getting a lost dog back to its owner or transporting a new pet to
it fully-screened forever home. Each is a link in a wonderful chain of
love.

If I had to pick it would be two transports coming out of Hurricane Katrina.
After spending a month in NOLA, my rescue partner and I transported back 20
injured and/or ill dogs. Each needed medical treatment and were in danger
of dying or being PTS if they stayed in New Orleans at the makeshift shelter
there. One was a very scared and frightened poodle who recently had been
groomed, but was suffering a severely broken leg. All during its
recouperation from surgery, we tried to find his owner. I knew that someone
that took the time to groom their dog would be looking for it.

In December, the call finally came. Roberta had been searching for her
poodle, but had been told by the shelter in NOLA that it had been PTS due to
injury. Then a friend finally spotted it on Petfinder. She called and
could not believe her precious Mattie was still alive and well. But, she
was so afraid she could not get him back. First, she said she couldn't
afford to pay for all the vet treatment -- not a problem, I said, we've got
that covered. Second, her new location wouldn't accept pets and Third, she
couldn't afford to fly him back to her in Mississippi where she had
relocated. Not a problem, that what rescuers and transporters are for! A
local rescue found her a new place to live that would accept pets, and 1800
miles adn 11 drivers later, Roberta had her precious Mattie back in her
arms.

I have always been jeolous of the last leg driver on transports. They are
the ones that get to place the precious cargo in the arms of its new loving
owner, or turn a scared dog over to the rescue that will change its life
forever. Each rescue transport is a greatest success story, no matter what
is being transported. When done right, it changes the life of the animal(s)
transported forever!

I like to write a thank you note to my drivers:

Once I was a lonely dog, just looking for a home,
I had no place to go, no one to call my own.
I wandered up and down the streets, in rain, in heat and snow,
I ate whatever I could find, I was always on the go.

My skin would itch, my feet were sore, my body racked with pain,
And no one stopped to give a pat or a gently say my name.
I never saw a loving glance, I was always on the run,
For people thought that hurting me was really lots of fun.

And then one day I heard a voice so gentle, kind and sweet,
And arms so soft reached down to me and took me off my feet:
No one will hurt you again, she whispered in my ear,
You'll live in love,I promise you'll never again know fear.
You will be dry, you will be warm, you'll have enough to eat,
And be assured when you sleep, the dreams will all be sweet.

I was afraid, I must admit, I've lived so long in fear,
I can't remember when I let a human come so near.
And as she tended to my wounds and bathed and brushed my fur,
She told me about the rescue world, and what it meant to her.

She said,
We are a living Circle, a line that never ends,
And in the center there is you, protected by new friends.
All around you are caring hands, with hope and love within,
To make you well, to comfort you and let the love flow in.
There's a family waiting patiently, and when it's meant to be
We'll find that special home for you, just you wait and see.

My wounds were healed, my soul restored and then as said to be,
There were some people waiting, just wanting to love me.
I knew it in a heartbeat, I could tell they felt it too.
They said, "We have been waiting for a special dog like you".

Now every night I say a prayer for all that helped save me,
For those with loving hearts, who helped my soul be free:
Thank you for the life I live and all you've given me,
For without the loving Circle, I'd be dead you see.
For the ones who kept me safe, the ones who helped with love,
Please protect and guide them from heavens high above.
Watch over the ones who cared and kept me warm,
And send the Circle angels to keep them safe from harm.

[samadmin]

Question #1 for Brandy:
Question from Jim--Once the transport begins what is the role/duties
of each "leg driver??"

Simply put, to get from Point A to Point B safely and on time. That said, though, it is not always so simple. You may have a dog that is getting carsick, a cat that has escaped its carrier, unexpected traffic or
construction, or a host of other problems. The best thing is to be prepared for the unexpected. There are a few things you can do:

1. Use the bathroom -- not just the dog, but the driver too, prior to
taking off on your leg (don't laugh, it has happened more than once that a transport is delayed because the driver had to get off the freeway and find a bathroom or a patch of grass for the dog).

2. Check with the prior driver about any problems -- car sick, drooling,
diareha etc. That way, you are prepared by adding extra blankets/towels for quick changes en route if needed.

3. Make sure, prior to departure the dog/cat is secured in your vehicle.
The last thing you need is a loose dog or cat running around your vehicle at 70 mph!

4. Know your route and your meeting spot. Remember to at least take your coordinator's number and your hand-off's number in case of delays.

Always, always, always, remember to tell your coordinator of any problems or delays and to check in when your leg is complete.

QUESTION #2 FOR BRANDY--
Question from Jim--I realize that time and coordinated effort is
very important in each leg of a transport. With that in mind and using say a 55 mile transport leg; what is a good rule of thumb for a time frame of that leg?? Is a leg of 55 miles limited to 55 minutes or are there other
variables that need to be taken in to consideration like rest stops, potty breaks and general time to find the meeting place to connect with the next leg driver??

55 miles does not mean 55 minutes. In parts of Texas, for example, the
speed limit is 80 mph and there is very little traffic. Going 55 miles
across Dallas or Houston, on the other hand can take two hours. So the first thing is to know your terrain and route. If you are coordinating in
unfamiliar territory, ask your drivers for input. They may well cover that leg on a regular basis and are more than happy to tell you that you cannot get across Houston in anything less than 1-1/2 hours (even though it is only 30 miles), or that you can get thje 150 miles from El Paso to Van Horn, Texas in under 2 hours.

When planning a transport, build in your potty stops and other known
variables. When I am doing a transport, I add 15 minutes at each stop to walk the dog and let the drivers stretch their legs and chat. Many drivers know each other from frequent runs, but the only time they actually see each other is on the hand-offs. It gives everyone a needed break from the car. Meeting spots should always be easy-on, easy-off the freeway, so building in time there is not a high priority.

Finally, expect construction delays. Many mapping programs, such as Streets & Trips, have an on-line service which will update road construction. And don't forget weather delays. Check the weather regularly along the route and adjust as needed for rain, snow, sleet, wind, etc.

[samadmin]

Question #1

Question from Connie--From the standpoint of a transporter do you feel it is important to foster good relations with shelters or is that usually left in the hands of the rescues??

Its always important to try to have working relationships with the shelters.

In transport, we often end up dealing with the shelters to arrange a pick
up time, confirm what fees, if any have to be paid, and if the rescue or
adopter has paid them or the driver doing the pull has to pay them, etc.

I always try to confirm the days and hours of operation and confirm that
payment has taken place, myself. I don't want to risk sending a driver in
to pull and dog and start it off on transport and then finding out at the
last minute that some requirement has not been met.

Where I've run into problems with shelters, its usually not the staff, but
shelter volunteer groups who don't grasp the need we have to see that an
adopter or a rescue has been screened before sending them a dog.

Some of them like to argue that they are doing life and death work and
getting them out alive is all that matters. I've been asked to get a dog to
a rescue who's address they don't even know. An adopter that no one has
checked any kind of references on--just not acceptable.

What could be worse than sending a dog halfway across the country to have it end up suffering the rest of its life or ending up right back in another shelter in another state?

This is where we, the transport coordinators, have to put our foot down. The buck stops with us. And if we are willing to step in and arrange the home visit, find a local rescue to help check references or check them ourselves, who could complain ?

Some may still complain, but this is the one area where if we're going to
have a working relationship, they are going to have to let us help them do
what they won't or can't do.

Question #2
Question from Carol--From the standpoint of safety are there any species or breeds that you try to avoid arrangeing transport for??

Ah, species ? LOL. Well, we've been approached about potbellied pigs,
minature horses, full sized horses, guinea pigs and there was one WA woman that wanted help getting a herd of sheep from OK to WA.

Now, a rescue can post a run for anything to RollingRescue, we do not
prohibit any species or breed from using the list that can legally and
safely be transported.

If I have doubts about a post, I will consult someone familar with the
species. For example, I had a request one time for a mass transport for
guinea pigs from one end of CA to the other. Checking with a reputible
cavie rescue left me with the understanding that a truck or relay transport wouldn't have been safe for the cavies and we declined.

A potbellied pig mill bust in Louisanna led to a request and discussion of
the subject for getting them moved out to various rescues in FL and on the east coast. In conjunction with the rescuer, it was ultimately decided that the potbellied pigs were best moved by members of their own network.

But, I personally am not going to tackle coordinating a run for farm
animals. Simply because I don't have the contacts. I could do a minature
horse perhaps or ducks or geese, but sheep, horses, cattle and goats are
best handled by someone that knows what is required in the handling and has the contacts with people in those circles.

For the same reason, I don't do birds. Their requirements are considerable
and a transport of any distance at all is best done strictly by bird people.
But if the bird people want to post it to the list and coordinate it
themselves, that is fine.

Canine Breeds. I have concerns about a few breeds. I did coordinate a run for a Fila this winter, but it was done using contacts supplied by mastiff rescue who were breed savy and it was an unusually mellow Fila. That is one breed I would not relay with average drivers. They basically don't like people in general, aside from their family.

Other breeds may carry specific concerns, which, if you can address them, are fine. A 250 lb mastiff for example, is going to require that you really check out the size of your drivers and their vehicles and know what the animal will and won't do.

You're not going to lift that dog up into a SUV nor are you going to get
very far trying to force it to climb up and the 90lb elderly volunteer may
have some problems with control.

If the dog is of a good temperment, will handle the transfers, comes with a prong collar and you have sturdy, able-bodied drivers, go for it.

I rejected a request a few years back, for help with moving some rare
African sighthounds (whose breed I had never heard of, can't pronounce and sure can't spell) from OR to GA. They were being returned from a bad
situation to their breeder.

Normally we wouldn't even consider such a request from a breeder. In that
case though, there are very few of these dogs in the world, even fewer in
this country. I approached some other experienced coordinators with the
situation and asked their feelings on assisting in that transport.

In the end, the consensus was that we might have been inclined to help them, but the condition of the dogs, the distance involved, the fact that they were extremely nervous and prone to bolting and very valuable, made us eventually decline for the dog's sake and for the sake of liability.
God-forbid one of my drivers loses one of the only known 8 breed
representatives in the western hemisphere. We were able to refer them to a professional ground transport service.

One other concern with any rare breed. It is not a good idea to post them to the lists using the name of the actual breed. Many, many transport lists do not have screened members, posts get passed around all over and you open yourself to the risk of theft if someone with ulterior motives manages to infiltrate a run. Pick a similar sized breed or mix and use that name in
posting.

By all means, you must disclose the breed to your actual drivers, but you
ask them to refrain from discussing the run and what they are carrying. They can tell their friends about it after the run.

There may be other breeds out there that I wouldn't want to handle, that
I've not heard of yet. Seems like new ones are popping up monthly and every country in the world has some variation of a mastiff or flock guardian dog that eventually catches on in this country. Just do your research if you are not familiar with a breed.

[samadmin]

Question #1

Question from Connie--When you have a transport that lasts more than
one day how do you find that special person or place for your "charges" to stay and is a boarding kennel more of a viable option than a home??

In coordinating a transport where an overnight or short term foster is
required, I post that in our transport request. Many rescue people may be
unable to transport, but are willing to put the dog(s) up for a day or week
during the transport.

For instance when posting, it may look something like:

Name: Hampton

Breed: Westie/poodle, approx 15 lbs.

Sex : Male

Age: 3 years (approx)

Going from (contact info): From The Heart Animal Rescue, www.fthar.org (http://www.fthar.org/)

Going to (contact info): Forever home

Vet Status: UTD on vaccs, Frontline, on Heartguard

Neutered/spayed? Yes

Temperament? Friendly, happy

Housebroken? Mostly, is crate trained

Gets along with other dogs? Yes, unless they are mean to him

Crate Needed? No

Crate Supplied or do transporters need to supply crate? Transporters to
supply if desired

Travelling with: Collar, leash, tags (microchip & ID), food, water, toys,
health records

Reason for transport: Going From Rescue to Forever Home



Transport Coordinator: Brandy G., From The Heart Animal Rescue,
brandy@fthar.org (brandy@fthar.org) or FromTheHeartRescue@hotmail.com (FromTheHeartRescue@hotmail.com)



THE TRIP:



Saturday, September 11:



Leg #1: El Paso to Van Horn, TX - 122 miles - 5:30 - 8:15 am (Time
Change) --

Leg #2: Van Horn to Midland, TX - 181 miles - 8:30 to 11:00 pm -

Leg #3: Midland to Abilene, TX - 154 miles - 11:15 - 1:30 pm -

Leg #4: Abilene to Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX - 183 miles - 1:45 - 4:15 pm -

Leg #5: Dallas/Ft Worth to Ardmore, OK - 124 miles- 4:30- 5:45pm -

Leg #6: Ardmore, OK - Oklahoma City, OK - 99 miles 6:00-7:30 pm --



OVERNIGHT IN OKC -- **NEEDED**

Sunday, September 12th



Leg #7: Oklahoma City, OK-Tulsa, OK -85 miles - 7:00 am-8:15 am -

Leg #8: Tulsa, OK to Miami, OK - 90 miles - 8:30 am-10:00 am -

Leg #6: Miami, OK - Springfield, MO - 100 miles - 10:15-11:45 am -

Leg #7: Springfield, MO - Rolla, MO - 111 miles - 12:00 - 1:45 pm -

Leg #8: Rolla MO to Sullivan, MO - 40 miles - 2:00 - 2:45 pm -

Leg #9: Sullivan, MO to St Louis, MO - 68 miles - 3:00-4:00 pm -

Leg #10 - St. Louis, MO - Springfield, IL - 101 miles - 4:15-5:45 pm -

Leg #11 - Springfield, IL - Bloomington, IL - 65 miles - 6:00 - 7:00 pm -

Leg #12 - Bloomington, IL - Chicago AREA, IL - 130 miles - 7:00 -9:00 pm



SHORT TERM (1 WEEK) FOSTER IN CHICAGO AREA -- NEEDED

Saturday, September 18th



Leg #13: Chicago Area - Milwaukee, WI - 100 miles -


Leg #14: Milwaukee, WI - Manitowoc, WI - 83 miles -


Lg #15: Manitowoc, WI - Green Bay WI - 36 miles -


Leg #16: Green Bay, WI - Sturgeon Bay, WI - 46 miles -



One of the main considerations is whether the dog being transported gets
along with other animals. Obviously, if the dog is dog-aggressive, doing a
short term foster with someone that has 6 dogs is not going to work. For
just an overnight, an experienced rescuer -- who is aware of the
situation -- can generally handle a dog-aggressive dog for 12 hours
(overnight). Unfortunately, on an overnight, a boarding kennel generally is
not a viable option. Transports tend to arrive at their stopping point
after a kennel closes and leaves in the morning before a kennel opens. For
short term boarding (a week or so before the transport continues), a kennel
may well be a solution. When I have had to find a boarding kennel in
another city, I will generally call the rescues in that area to ask for
recommendations of a "rescue friendly" good kennel. I found a really great
boarding kennel/doog day care in Denver that way when a dalmation was
weigh-layed for a week on a transport after a transporter didn't show.

Question #2
Question from Connie--When arranging transport for a shelter dog(s)
generally how coopertative are "animal care givers" (e.g.--shelters,
humane societies and animal controls) as far as giving time to arrange a
transport??

I really all depends on the "animal care giver."

Animal Controls and humane societies (kill shelters) are generally very
short on room and once a dog has been spoken for, they want the dog gone!

Often, this will require a local rescue doing the "pull" and finding a short
term foster until the dog can be moved to its final destination. This in
itself may require a quick, short transport to get the dog to a temporary
foster, while the longer transport to its permanent foster/shelter is set
up.

On the other hand, for rescue/shelter (no kill) to forever homes transports, the caregivers seem to be more understanding and willing to work with you while you put together a safe, reliable transport. After all, they generally have spent a great deal of time screening the forever home and want the transport there to be as smooth and safe as possible.

[samadmin]

QUESTION #1Question from Pam--What is the best way to protect yourself as a
transporter and the dog you are transporting if there may be potential
behavior issues between the dogs you are transporting??

Crates are your friend. Use them whenever possible. They prevent dog
fights, they protect your vehicle interior and keep contamination to a
confined, sanatizable space if it later turns out an animal was sick.

The portable divider grates are another option, but I wouldn't trust them
with larger dogs.

Tethering works when you're certain they can not reach each other. I like
to use those short, two foot chain leads as 'anchors' for tethering. They
can't chew the chain and I can often find those at the dollar store.

Don't rely on your seat belts to anchor a dog, they are easily chewed.

Aside from how you confine dogs inside the vehicle, be aware of how you
handle them outside of the vehicle. Having dogs milling about at the end of their leashes, getting in each other's faces, while you chat with the other driver is a bad idea. The dogs can forego socialization opportunities until after they get where they are going.



QUESTION #2
Question from Lori--As a precaution against potential hazzards of transport (e.g.--dog bites, speed limit laws, etc) share with us some of the things you might warn a potential transport volunteer about??

1. Leave your own dog at home.

2. Unless your four legged passengers are crated, leave younger two footed passengers at home.

3. Dogs are going to be at least mildly stressed by a relay transport,
greeting a long series of humans all day, going from vehicle to vehicle,
sometimes with a queasy stomach. Don't put additional pressures on them.

When greeting another driver who has the dogs, greet the person first, don't zero in on the dogs, don't hover over them, stare into their eyes, shove your face in theirs and race to coo and pet them. Keep a casual air about the dogs. Ignore them for a bit while you talk to the other person.

Toss a treat on the ground in front of them. If they accept that, then you
can try handing them one. When you touch them, make it a firm pat on the shoulder, not a timid stroke on the top of the head. Keep your movements slow and relaxed but confident.

4. When you arrive to accept dogs from another driver, don't open their car doors for them, wait for them to open the vehicle after they know they have all the animals contained.

5. Your safety and the safety of your charges is our number one priority.
Seems like every year we hear of at least one incident where transport dogs have escaped after a vehicle went off the road and rolled over. No schedule is worth injured people and animals and lost animals.

Don't drive faster than road conditions dictate. Stay in your personal
comfort zone. Keep your transport coordinator apprised of any delays, but
don't feel pressured to try to make up for time lost in an unexpected
traffic jam or any of the other situations that can slow a driver down. Put
the coordinator's phone number and the numbers of the driver's you have to meet in your cell phone's address book.

6. Carry a spare lead or two and a couple of choke chains or martingales.
You never know when you may run into a dog wearing a flimsy collar or just a slip lead.

7. Bleach out your crates after each use. If you're tethering, put a tarp
down to give yourself a cleanable surface under the dog.

8. Always make sure that a dog tethered in the passenger seat can't reach the driver. Never let a dog roam loose in your vehicle, even if you've only got one dog on board.

Have you ever noticed how some dogs have a barrier aggression that doesn't manifest itself until they are on one side of a barrier and you are on the other? If that barrier is your car door and you're on the outside looking in, you have a problem.

(LMAO, Take it from someone who was once kept out of their own truck for a good 40 minutes when my passenger decided he needed to protect "his" vehicle from me and his tether was a bit too long.)

9. For the transport coordinator: Make sure that your route and your
schedule are developed with the speed limits in mind, adequate time for
transfering animals, pottying and offering water and road conditions. If a
leg involves the rush hour, add extra time. Listen to the feedback from your
drivers.

10. For the coordinator: Get full information on the animals for your
drivers, including size, weight and any known or suspected health or
behavioral issues. Let the rescues and shelters that you're working with
know that you can work around most "issues" as long as they are known.

[samadmin]

Question from Sarah--I'm sure that transports within the U.S. has noproblem with crossing state lines, but what about transports that go across international borders (Canada/Mexico). Have you ever coordinated one across either border and are there any legal/ health problems involved??

Actually, each state has its own regulations about transporting animals into or through that state. Some states require health certificates, others do not; some states will not allow transports of puppies/kittens under 8 weeks; each has its own regulations with which you -- as the transport
coordinator -- must comply. Transports have actually been stopped and
animals confiscated because they could not produce the appropriate
paperwork.

Here is a great link for information concerning transport regulations. US
Department of Agriculture regulations state-by-state: www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/sregs) Choose the state and then scroll down to "Dogs" or "Cats".

I have never coordinated a transport into Mexico, but have brought dogs back across the border into the United States. To do so requires proof of
current vaccinations and rabies. My one and only Canadian experience was a piece-of-cake!. I was transporting a Katrina dog from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Buffalo, New York. The fastest and most direct route was through Ontario. All that was required was a current rabies certificate, although I sent along a Health Certificate just to be on the safe side.


QUESTION FOR BOTH BRANDY & LAUREL--
Question from Lori--As a precaution against potential hazzards of
transport (e.g.--dog bites, speed limit laws, etc) share with us some of the things you might warn a potential transport volunteer about??

I had the luxury of reading Laurel's wonderful and complete answer. There is really nothing more that I can add!

[samadmin]

My apologies for the closing comments coming in on Saturday night, but Ihave more fosters than usual right now and a meet and greet today that had me washing dogs and printing bio sheets into the wee hours of Saturday morning. (I don't envy those of you with a houseful of white dogs)

Thank you for having us here this past week. I understood from Jim that
your group hopes to put together a Samoyed transport network. I hope we've helped lessen the learning curve for those of you who are new to transport.

No one group can pull off a long distance transport totally from within
their own ranks, there will always be a need for networking, but there is a critical element in transport that involves shelter pulls and temporary
fostering while transports are put together. And there the breed rescue
contacts are crucial.

Likewise, recruiting your own transport coordinators will be of major
importance to you. This can be a perfect job for someone who can't do much driving, can't foster, isn't into fundraising, but who has good organizational, communication and people skills.

It can be a lot of work, that is true, but a successful run is very satisfying.

Good luck and thanks for having us.

Laruel
RollingRescue, LTLs with Love
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rollingrescue (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rollingrescue)
RollingRescueTalking, Discussion List
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rollingrescuetalking/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rollingrescuetalking/)