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Bonita Snodgrass' Trip to Gulfport, Mississippi
Volunteer Bonita Snodgrass, Bwana Kennel Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and her family live in the area of southern Alabama affected by Hurricane Katrina. Their home and family were thankfully spared the worst of the storm, but they were still living without electricity two weeks later. Despite this personal adversity, Bonita volunteered to make the difficult trip from her home to hard hit Gulfport, Mississippi - over 100 miles away, travelling through some of the most devastated areas on the Gulf Coast - to retrieve Priscilla and Elvis from an animal shelter in one of the hardest hit towns.
Area Around Gulfport Animal Shelter
Area Around Gulfport Animal Shelter
The Gulfport shelter staff, operating without electricity, running water, and dwindling supplies, remained at their posts throughout the storm and afterward to care for the animals in their shelter. Bonita arrived at their doorstep mid-morning on Wednesday, September 7, with her car loaded with 15 gallons of bleach for keeping the shelter clean, extra gasoline for the shelter's generator, bags upon bags of dog cookies ... plus six dozen "human" cookies :-) for the shelter workers that her daughter, Crystal, stayed up late baking the night before.
Gulfport, Mississippi, Animal Shelter
Bonita entered the very dark, but surprisingly clean, kennel area to retrieve Priscilla and Elvis. "There was Elvis, one of the most handsome dogs I have ever seen. A rich caramel wheaten. With a black mask and a tiny grey beard. He proudly looked at me, aloof and regal and then his tail thumped. Lying next to him was 'Cilla. She is a deep red wheaten with an old time coat and ridge. Also dark faced.... And there was her belly." The shelter had informed us that Priscilla was pregnant and about ready to give birth.
"Priscilla"
"Elvis"
Rescue instructed Bonita to have both dogs examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian estimated that Priscilla was no more than 10 days away from giving birth. Bonita kept Priscilla at her home to whelp the puppies. Bonita noticed during the exam that Elvis was "winking" at her a lot. The veterinarian noticed right away that Elvis' eye was injured. He determined it was the result of a significant trauma. Elvis can see little or nothing out of his right eye. Elvis has since been moved to a foster home in the Birmingham, Alabama, area where he will recover from his ordeal and be examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist to determine the extent of the damage and whether or not it can be treated.
Before she left Gulfport, Bonita took some pictures to share with us and help provide an understanding of the extent of the damage she witnessed in this once-thriving town.
Along US 49 South of I-10 in Gulfport, Mississippi
Downtown Gulfport, Mississippi
Volunteer Bonita Snodgrass
Thank You, Bonita!!!
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