RESCUE: Burns Flat, OK Volunteer responsible for all shelter care desperately needs supplies, funds

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RESCUE HELP URGENTLY NEEDED IN BURNS FLAT, OK

DATE OF MESSAGE/POSTING: December 30, 2009

If a significant amount of time has passed since this message was posted, please contact Terry to determine if her needs have changed. You can reach her by email at remembering_oddball@yahoo.com or on her cell 580-330-1459.

Last night, I was forwarded a message from a woman in Burns Flat, OK who is single-handedly caring for the dogs in the shelter of her small town. After a fairly extensive email exchange with her, I have come to understand her situation.

As a result, I have told her that I will help her get the supplies she needs to keep the dogs in her care alive and comfortable to the extent possible until she can arrange rescue and transport. This is an ongoing situation and her needs will continue well beyond this holiday season.

Terry is not the ACO (Animal Control Officer) nor is she a shelter worker paid by the town. What she is is the only person in this small town who cares enough to take care of the dogs left behind to fend for themselves when the owners moved out of town or otherwise neglected/abused. She is currently caring for 12 dogs at a shelter built to accommodate five.

Before she became involved, the shelter’s kill rate was 99%. The method of “euthanasia”? A walk to the back of the shelter and a shot to the head.

The kill rate since she took over in 2006? 0%

The town shelter provides food for three days after which Terry has been paying for their food and supplies from her salary as a school janitor.

Please read (below) my exchange with her and someone who knows her and her heroic efforts to learn more about why she needs and deserves your help.

Also be sure to check out these links:

One of Terry’s rescues (and her 9 puppies!) take flight with Pilots ‘n Paws:

http://terrylynnfisherPNP.notlong.com

Terry in the news:

http://terrylynnfisherOKLAHOMAN.notlong.com

Terry on MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/terry_lynn_fiisher

Please continue reading for a list of what Terry needs and how to get it to her, along with excerpts of my email exchange with her and someone involved in rescue who has known Terry for many years.

And if you are anywhere near Burns Flat, OK, please, if you can, call her and ask how you can help her care for these dogs at the shelter. She should not have to bear this burden alone in a town that just doesn’t seem to care.

As Terry said to me, I will now say to you: thank you for caring,

Suzanne

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HOW TO HELP

You can support Terry’s efforts in whatever way you feel most comfortable. Here is what she needs and how you can get it to her:

CASH:

(1) To send a check, make it out and mail it to:

Terry Lynn Fisher

PO Box 578

Burns Flat OK 73624

(2) To send funds by PayPal, use this email address:

remembering_oddball@yahoo.com

GIFT CARDS:

(1) Mail gift cards to:

Terry Lynn Fisher

PO Box 578

Burns Flat OK 73624

(2) Email electronic gift cards to:

remembering_oddball@yahoo.com

Terry purchases supplies at these stores:

WalMart:

Gift Cards http://walmartgiftcards.notlong.com

Electronic Gift Cards http://walmartEgiftcards.notlong.com

Petsmart:

Gift Cards http://petsmartgiftcards.notlong.com

Electronic Gift Cards http://petsmartEgiftcards.notlong.com

Lowe’s:

Gift Cards http://lowesgiftcards.notlong.com

Electronic Gift Cards http://lowesEgiftcards.notlong.com

Atwood’s:

Gift Cards http://atwoods.com/gift-card

Electronic Gift Cards (not available)

SUPPLIES:

For supplies shipped by UPS or FedEx, ship to:

Terry Lynn Fisher

401 Chickasaw Trail

PO Box 578

Burns Flat, Ok 73624

This is a list of items most needed at this time (keep in mind that some of the dogs will be large):

Kennels (for outdoor use like this one: http://loweskennel.notlong.com)

Dog houses

Food and treats

Blankets

Collars and leashes

Tarps

Some online pet supply stores that may have lower prices:

Dog.com: http://www.dog.com/

Revival Animal Health: http://www.revivalanimal.com/

PetEdge http://www.petedge.com/

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MY EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH TERRY AND SHIRLEY

This is the original message forwarded from a friend in Austin, TX:

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: If anyone can help please let Terry or I know ASAP
From: "Shirley Texan On The Move" <shirley_mondeaux@msn.com>
Date: Tue, December 29, 2009 11:16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It must be that time of year, but Terry has had no response and neither
have I for offers to help...which is very unusual. I have pix if you need
them sent...cannot post to this website. TU.

Shirley
302-xxx-xxxx

Cross posting from Terry:

UPDATE BURNS FLAT OK...URGENT..I AM IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP
From: Terry Lynn (remembering_oddball@yahoo.com)

Sent: Mon 12/28/09 7:18 PM

I AM SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT OF A MOTEL, 25 MILES FROM HOME TO POST THIS...I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET SHELTER FOR THE OVERFLOW, BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING MORE SNOW TOMORROW...

HERE ARE THE ONES FACING DEATH FIRST....MY HEART IS BREAKING...I HAVE BEEN SHOVELING SNOW AND TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE...

PLEASE, IF YOU CAN HELP WITH ANY, PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP...INTERNET IS DOWN AT HOME, BUT I CAN CHECK EMAILS ON PHONE

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE ONES THAT WILL BE KILLED FIRST...MOST ARE JUST BABIES...

IT IS A DESPERATE SITUATION HERE...I AM IN COMPLETE OVERFLOW...I HAVE 12 DOGS AT THE POUND, WHICH ONLY HAS 5 KENNELS...MOST ARE UNALTERED PITS, AND WHILE THEY APPEAR FRIENDLY ND HAVE SHOWN NO AGGRESSION TOWARDS THE OTHER DOGS, I JUST CAN NOT PUT THEM IN THE KENNELS TOGETHER AND LEAVE THEM ALONE...

OUR INTERNET IS DOWN, SO I AM AT THE LIBRARY 24 MILES WAY...I HAVE NO WAY TO POST PICTURES RIGHT NOW, BUT WILL AS SOON AS I CAN\

I AM INCLUDING PICS OF THE THREE LITTLE PUPS IN NEED..THEY ARE IN ONE KENNEL, BUT IF I CAN FREE SPACE UP, IT WOULD BE GREAT...

I HAVE A MALE PIT THAT BIT SOMEONE SO HE WILL BE HERE 10 DAYS TAKING A KENNEL I SO DESPERATELY NEED...I NEED HELP BAD...I HAVE DOGS IN CRATES OUTSIDE THE KENNELS AND 2 ARE STILL IN THE TRUCK...I JUST DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO PUT THEM

THERE ARE 3 OLD KENNELS IN THE BACK PART OF THE CITY YARD, BUT I HAVE NO HOUSES OR COVER FOR THEM THERE AT ALL...I HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL MY FUNDS THIS MONTH..I HAVE TRANSPORTED DOGS 3 AND 4 TIMES EACH WEEK...I NEED HELP AND FAST...

PLEASE, IF YOU CAN HELP AT ALL, LET ME KNOW...I AM SCARED I WILL LOSE MANY OVER THIS...

I NEED HOUSES, TARPS. KENNELS, A SAFE PLACE TO BRING THESE POOR THROWAWAYS...

IN THE MOST NEED ARE THE THREE SHOWN, A BEAUTIFUL MALE SWEET BRINDLE PIT, AND THE 2 IN THE TRUCK...THEY ARE ABOUT 10 MONTHS OLD AND PIT MIXES...VERY SWEET AND TIMID...I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM YET, BUT ACO SAID THEY LOOK HALF STARVED TO DEATH

IF ANYONE CAN HELP, PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW...I CAN CHECK AND REPLY TO EMAILS ON MY PHONE, JUST CAN NOT SEND PICS OR MASS EMAILS...

PLEASE, I AM ALONE HERE TRYING TO DO THE BEST I CAN AND IT IS SO HARD TO KEEP THEM ALL ALIVE...

THANKS FOR ANY AND ALL HELP YOU CAN OFFER...

TERRY LYNN
580-330-1459

SAVING LIVES...ONE AT A TIME...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCCaQuytYYk
http://www.myspace.com/terry_lynn_fiisher
www.readlarrypowell.com

This is the reply from Terry when I asked for details about the situation, her credentials and what she needed:

Terry Lynn			2:55 PM (18 hours ago)

The shelter is just 5 kennels built behind City Hall on the Highway... No name really, so maybe just call it the Burns Flat Pound...

They use to be 99% kill...The form of euthanasia was to take the dog out back and shoot it in the head... It was legal, for we are under 10,000 (actually1,800). I found out and it bothered me so my sons told me to "do something about it"...

It was a war at first... The City hated me, for I caused a lot of stink in this little town... But slowly, I gained the respect of all of them and they basically turned the care for the dogs over to me...

As a VOLUNTEER, I clean, feed, walk, post, transport, I do it all... Once they hit the pound, they are totally my responsibility. They supply the food for the first 3 days, I buy it and the treats after that... I do not complain, for if there is room, they let me keep them there as long as I need to...

I have taken this pound from being a 99% kill to 0 % kill since July of 2006... I do not adopt out because I can not get them vetted, so I only place in respected rescues, where they are spayed and neutered before being placed up for adoption...

I transport them, sometimes driving close to a thousand miles a week... I work as a janitor in a school and go before work, at lunch, and after work to care for them... I spent over 3 hours on Christmas Day, shoveling snow, digging them out from the first blizzard here in over 20 years...

I have pulled well over a thousand dogs since I have started doing this, as well as dogs from several neighboring towns... I AM NOT A RESCUE, it is just ME, alone...

You can Google me... Terry Lynn Fisher Burns Flat Oklahoma and see I am legit... You can click on my MySpace and go to the pictures... There are many of the dogs saved.

There is also a video at the end of my emails... I have a new one, just not been able to put the link on the email yet... There are many of the dogs saved in it also...

You can call City Hall in Burns Flat... You can call the police here... The entire town knows what I do... YES, I am known as "the dog lady", but to me, that is a good thing...

So, there it is in a nutshell... If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask... I am very proud of what I have accomplished here...

The reason it is on complete overflow is many people have moved and just left the poor dogs behind... a very common practice here in his small own...

Thanks for caring...

This is a message I received from someone who has known Lynn for many years:

Shirley Mondeaux

2:08 PM (19 hours ago)

I have worked with Terry Lynn for years as she is the only person in a ONE HORSE TOWN that cares about these animals. She has made friends with the ACO and other people know that she cares so they are always dumping animals on her doorstep or calling her when they need help with an animal.

Unfortunately the pound only pays for three days food then it comes out of Terry's pocket until she can get them rescued. She has no $$$ for vetting, etc. and has to rely on the goodness of others. She is a single mother and mows lawns in the summer for gas money.

Pilots N Paws was kind enough to fly a lab mother and her puppies out of Burns Flat...yes there is a small airport (landing strip), but no grocery store! You can Google them for the story.

Suzanne, I understand your concerns. If you would call Terry and just speak with her, I think she could answer your questions.

She is a rescuer in the true sense of the word and does not ask for help unless she really needs it. She just steps up and does whatever it takes, but with the # of pit bull mixes and the weather, it is very hard to help these poor little ones. She has more animals than runs which is the reason she is so desperate at this time.

Please give her a call. She works but will answer if she can or will call you back. Thank you.

Shirley Mondeaux,

Member of:
Stealth Volunteers
Helping Reunite Families & Pets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stealthvolunteers
Karen's Rescue List, helping to rescue, transport and foster http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karensrescuelist/?yguid=239700263
K9 Amber Alert http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9AmberAlert/
KY Rescue Transport and Awareness http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/KYRescueTransportandAwareness/

Roads of Hope Animal Transport

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Roads_of_Hope/