I was driving out to my Metairie job on Friday, September 6th, after dropping off a friend at his job near Canal Street and I was sitting in traffic at the traffic light at N. Galvez Street when, all of a sudden, the lady in the white SUV in front of me dropped a puppy out of the driver's side window... right into the traffic lane with LOTS of drive-time traffic on Canal Street. She took off and the little puppy actually chased the SUV for a moment and was only a few inches from the rear tire as the SUV sped away. I was too shocked to get a license plate but I did immediately block the middle and left lane of traffic and jumped out of my car and fortunately, the little puppy ran towards me since there was still one lane of traffic buzzing by. I scooped it up, got back in my car and went to my Metairie job.
I called Brandie at STV and told her what happened and asked her to start finding someone who can adopt the puppy since I already have Barney, my Rat Terrier.
Here are a few pictures I took as it (now known to be a she) snuggled up in the passenger seat...
After getting back to STV and introducing the little puppy to a few people, we started going over some potential names and came up with NOLA. We now know NOLA is a little girl and probably a Dachshund or Dachshund mix http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachshund and about four months old based on the experience of another guest who has owned Dachshund's before..
Since we're not sure who the permanent parent(s) of NOLA will be (although Diane is looking like she will be NOLA's mommy) I set up a Veterinarian care fund at SAF - Southern Animal Foundation - http://southernanimalfoundation.org/ which is just a few blocks from STV at 1823 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA (or NOLA... which is where we got NOLA's name from ;-)), 70130. (504) 671-8235. I put up $50.00 as the initial donation into NOLA's care fund but would certainly appreciate any other donations on NOLA's behalf or just into the general donation fund at SAF since they are a non-profit foundation set up to help people with their pets in New Orleans. Her name is listed as "NOLA Vasbinder" for now, with SAF, and you can call them at 504-671-8235 to make a donation or do it through their PayPal link on their website. http://southernanimalfoundation.org/donate-to-saf-.html Make sure to email them or add a note that the donation is for "NOLA Vasbinder" unless you are making a general donation to SAF on behalf of any other strays or rescues that they help. http://southernanimalfoundation.org/contact-us.html Once on that page, click on the PayPal button OR go here... https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=zja5WhMsJRTyHACbLQTJiULiSkDHG0mvXOp8Pln2pCO7B0QLlWjaTgHt7JC&dispatch=50a222a57771920b6a3d7b606239e4d529b525e0b7e69bf0224adecfb0124e9b61f737ba21b08198c3bf94e94910b98592d3f6a39690aaea and make sure you put "NOLA Vasbinder or Glidden" in the description line and then put the amount of your donation. Thanks so much, whether you make a donation directly to NOLA or to the general fund. Here is a snapshot of the SAF PayPal donation page where I have highlighted how you should fill out the description section.
If Diane does end up keeping NOLA.. and it looks like she will, I will probably change the SAF records to reflect her last name, Glidden, so check on or indicate both names upon any donation.
Since food and other items will be needed, you can also make a cash donation at the Front Desk of St. Vincent's Guesthouse. Just make sure the FD clerk puts the money in an envelope set aside for "Diane in Housekeeping for NOLA". I know another resident is already buying food for NOLA but I'm sure other things will be needed as she grows.
More to come later since I wanted to get this post online right away.
Lenny Vasbinder
