Reaching out to stranded animals

Two Laguna Beach animal lovers headed east Monday in a U-Haul truck

loaded with donated pet supplies and food.

Laguna Beach Senior Animal Control Officer Joy Falk and Critter

Catchers owner Brynne Van Putten will spend two weeks helping to

rescue and care for animals left stranded by Hurricane Katrina and

its aftermath.

Their trip is fueled by donations and personal sacrifice. Van

Putten has closed her business of capturing and relocating wild

animals and caring for domestic pets for the duration of the rescue

mission.

Falk was recovering from a bad reaction -- a fever of 102 degrees,

nausea and chills -- to the precautionary tetanus and hepatitis A

shots she was given Sunday.

Falk and Van Putten arrived in Louisiana early Wednesday. They met

that morning with Laguna Beach registered veterinary technician Susan

Hamil, who spent 10 grueling days working in the intensive care unit

of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in

Baton Rouge.

“Susan waited for them so she could acquaint them with people they

should know,” said her husband, John Hamil of Laguna Canyon Animal

Hospital.

Hamil said he expects his wife home tonight.

Besides the animals in ICU, there are about 1,000 dogs and cats

being sheltered, fed and groomed at the school.

On the trip, Van Putten and Falk stopped off in Houston, Texas,

where many animals from New Orleans shelters were relocated, and were

prepared to drop off their load of pet supplies and food there.

But officials in Houston urged them to head for Louisiana, where

supplies were critically short. They pushed on for Lake Charles, La.,

arriving at the animal shelter at about midnight Tuesday.

“The shelter just grabbed at the supplies, taking about half the

load and then urging them to take the rest to New Iberia, because

they didn’t have anything there,” said Laguna Beach shelter director

Nancy Goodwin, who spoke with Van Putten and Falk Wednesday morning.

Although the volunteers took camping supplies and food to be

self-sufficient on the trip, they had beds to sleep in Tuesday night.

Van Putten’s father, Peter, lives in Lake Charles, and they had

planned to stop at his home to pick up waders, which will provide

them some protection from poisonous reptiles.

“We are definitely going to see water moccasins,” Falk said.

Next stop: Baton Rouge.

Falk, a horse trainer for 10 years before she joined the Laguna

Beach Police Department 20 years ago, will be sent to the horse

rescue area.

“They are trying to get the horses to Houston shelter, which has

stables,” Goodwin said.

Van Putten, who worked at the animal shelter for five years before

she opened her business, armored herself with traps, nets, catch

poles, gauntlets and respirators.

“Brynne is very experienced with wild animals, including feral

cats, and she has all the right equipment,” Goodwin said.

“We got every cat back after the landslide because of her skills.

“They are just starting to find cats there. That’s the big push

now. Her experience is critical.”

Rescued animals are being housed at the Lamar Dixson Exhibition

Center in Gonzales, La., near Baton Rouge, where Van Putten expected

to be assigned.

Funding for the supplies, medication and expenses were all

donated.

The Pet Responsibility Committee Inc., the Laguna shelter’s

volunteer organization, is paying for the truck rental, gas and some

expenses. Van Putten named the trip’s mascot -- a Beanie Baby

dalmatian in a firefighter hat -- Marty, in honor of Marty Kane, head

of the committee.

“People have been wonderful,” Van Putten said. “My mom and her

husband gave me $1,000, and two members of my ice hockey team donated

$1,000. Other checks are in the mail to defray personal expenses.”

Van Putten’s landlords -- work and home -- have waived her rent

for the two weeks she will be gone.

“It’s been amazing,” Van Putten said.

Veterinarian Jim Rich of Crown Valley Animal Hospital donated

cages, towels, medical supplies, food and shampoo and contributed

$500 toward gasoline. Friends of the Sea Lions also helped.

Stephanie Marshall, owner of the Dog Ranch Bed & Biscuit, has

offered to pay the airfare for dogs that Van Putten and Falk bring

home.

Local stores donated goods or sold items at discount rates. Packed

into the truck were cases of food, bottled water, drugs and cages.

Donations for the project will be greatly appreciated. For more

information, call (949) 497-3552.