Dog Migration

This is the massive Camp Forest in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

It has been nearly a month since I set out on a trip to Mississippi to help bring back displaced animals. After Hurricane Katrina, many animals were rescued from flooded areas in Mississippi and Louisiana and they were being housed at "Camp Forest," a temporary shelter in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After loading up the animals we drove straight through (more than 24 hours) and made it back to Omaha with 43 dogs and 39 cats. The trip was quite an experience and we have managed to locate close to ten owners. Several of the dogs have been shipped back to their families already.

Imagine living in Gulfport, Mississippi and some woman from Nebraska calls you and says "We have your dog." One man asked us how his dog got to Nebraska. He said that he knew he didn't hop on a bus. Well, he didn't buy a ticket, but he did almost ride on a bus. One of the volunteers that traveled with us wanted to rent a school bus to pick up the animals. The idea sounded even better as we were trying to shove as many possible animals into 15 passenger vans. I have prepared a top ten list of hints for anyone planning a trip to Mississippi to rescue 100 animals. You should be laughing now because that was a joke.

1. Wet Ones are your friends.
2. Remind yourselves when traveling with cats and dogs that at least dogs poop OUTSIDE.
3. Never leave home without your iPod. Thank you Steve Jobs.
   
4. All I have to say is "fried okra."
5. Try not to dislocate your shoulder two weeks before you leave. Sleeping on a cot is a little bit of a challenge.
6. Songs I recommend for 4 a.m. to stay awake in no particular order: Sweet Home Alabama, You Shook Me All Night Long, Magic Carpet Ride, Hey Ya!
   
7. Wet Ones are your friends, really.
8. Be tough with the semi drivers. If not, they might try and run you off the road.
   
9. Wafflehouse is like a 5 star restaurant when you have been up for 25 hours.
10. You don't need to try boiled peanuts, trust me.