PLEASE CROSS-POST From: Hopeful Haven Equine Rescue (HHERO) <hopefulhaven@yahoo.com> (Monday, October 10th) MORE CONVOYS TO LOUISIANA'S SOUTHWESTERN COASTAL PARISHES ARE NEEDED TO SUPPLY CRITICALLY NEEDED FEED TO CATTLE AND HORSES I am begging for your help!!! These pictures don't show even half of the devastation that we saw on our convoy yesterday...We went with local ranchers who lost everything. They have received nothing from the government or FEMA... COWS AND HORSES ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SUPPLIES (see below) TO SUSTAIN LIFE...we tried to nurse a cow that has been down 10 days...bottle feeding a calf that was found the day of the hurricane as being her birth date...you can see how thin they are...this region is devastated... Erath, Henry, and Abbeville farmers...Please get on our convoy!!! We know where the need is the most. Get your friends together, and put together a horse trailer full of the following supplies...Don't worry about halters and lead ropes, and buckets as much as these items. This is the need: Cattle feed, range cubes, horse feed, hay, t-posts for fencing and barbed wire. Vaccines and syringes also needed. It is imperative that we focus on these items. LIVESTOCK ARE STILL IN THE MARSHES. Boats and houses have floated into pastures. The ranchers cried as we delivered them much needed supplies. I was so humbled to be a part of their lives. To hear their stories. Each is different and none the same except that when they were fleeing, in 5 minutes, the water was up to the headlights on their trucks...The surge was 14 feet above sea level. All these were farms with livestock. Many had little or no feed and hay when we arrived! One story sticks out. A 74 year old man and his 3 daughters lived on the same street. Everything was washed out of their home. He had $7,000.00 in cash in a safe...It's gone. But the one thing that never moved was 2 ceramic angels sitting in the hall on the steps. They never moved. Were not swept away as everything else was. What does that tell you. Let's help the angels of mercy take care of these people. Farms are lost, livestock is lost. Let's help them feed what we can that's left. They have nothing for winter. Our first convoy was this past Sunday. Our second convoy leaves this Sunday at 3 A.M. from Shreveport, La. at the Summer Grove Baptist Church on Jewella Ave. It's going from there to Lafayette. It leaves the OMNI Energy Bldg. in Lafayette at 6:30 A.M., and will get to the devastated areas in about an hour. Please let me know who is coming with us. Get with your friends and fill up a horse trailer with needed supplies and jump on board. It's an experience you will never forget!!!!! The pics are only a sample of what we saw......Call me for more info on the convoy...(318) 286-3116 cell. The pics are described as follows: The fields are unusable because of the salt sludge still in them. These fields will not be usable because of the salt content. Homes and pastures were destroyed. The cow has been down for 10 days. I have a route of farmers we will take the necessary items to directly!!!!! You will see how much your supplies are appreciated and where your donations go. I got a report today that over at the intake center in Gonzales (which is being closed) they were throwing away supplies. I begged for supplies last week and wasn't given any. This report really upsets me!!! Did they forget other people are still in this state besides them!!! And Respectfully yours, Debra Barlow President & Animal Cruelty Investigator P.O. Box 17763 Shreveport, La 71138 Phone numbers: 318-925-4272 home 318-797-6043 fax 318-286-3116 cell 318-7977464 work (Monday - Thursday: 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.; Friday: 8:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.)