400 Shelter Dogs Stranded by Taiwan Flood

The Animal Rescue Team Taiwan helped to save Popeye. And Isis and Dori and Sophia. And Laura, Miko, Kelly, Logan, Tina, Jewel, and dozens more that we have fostered. They have saved thousands and thousands of dogs. Founded by Joseph and assisted by his wife, Maggie, their son, Antony, and an ever growing league of volunteers, ARTT never ever turns their back on a dog in need, no matter their age, their medical condition (and many of them are in horrific condition--some so bad that they are rescued only to be given a loving and comfortable place to die), breed, or temperament.

And when I say never, I mean never. Joseph and his team go through amazing lengths to perform true, physical acts of rescue. You won't find any group in the US that does what Joseph and ARTT do. They have a website, only in Chinese at the moment, but the pictures alone will give you an idea of the wonderful work they do. Be forewarned though, some of the pictures are graphic because stray dogs in Taiwan are infinite and many of them suffer horrendous abuse at the hands of humans. The kind of abuse that makes it into the news here is the kind of abuse that goes on every day, and with few, if any, repercussions, in Taiwan. http://savedogs.org/ (you can also use Google Translate for a rough translation of the website).

This is ARTT's latest major endeavor. Taken from http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=434102954149&id=219525364848&ref=mf:

Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN (ARTT), a non-profit organization in Taiwan, calls for the public to help the flooded dog shelters in southern Taiwan after Typhoon Fanapi hit the island on September 19.

The dog house run by Chen , located in Gangshan Township, one of the worst-hit areas in Taiwan, was submerged by two-story-high floodwaters. When Chen realized the severity of the situation, he began to stack up the dog cages to create high ground and carry his dogs up.

"I took more than 400 dogs up to higher places all by myself and in the dark. Then I was stranded with them on the top of the dog cages for the next 48 hours," Chen told ARTT volunteers and local media. Chen's heroic action saved most of the animals but 21 still drowned.

After escaping the immediate danger of flood, Chen faced the equally perilous prospects of hypothermia. To survive this, Chen swam across the floodwater to an adjacent room to get dog food, on which he and his dog fed on for two days before the rescuers arrived. Chen brought ARTT volunteers back to his dog house Wednesday and found it severely damaged. The dogs were happy to see Chen but many of them were still too shaken to leave high ground even after the flood had receded.

Volunteers from Animal Rescue Team Taiwan, who accompanied Chen back to the dog house, said that many of the dogs may suffer from hypothermia, common cold or skin diseases after spending a long time in water. They called for the public to donate medicine, dog food and other materials. The repairing of the dog house would cost over NT$500,000 (US$15,000), they estimated. More information/photos please see www.saveDOGS.org (now in Chinese).

Donation Method (A) - Wire Transfer:

Bank name: Land Bank of Taiwan

Bank transit (SWIFT) number: LBOTTWTP024

Bank account number: 024-001-201201

Bank address: 1 Tzu-yo Rd Sec 1 Taichung City 40045 TAIWAN

Account in the name of: Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN

Donation Method (B) - Sending Checks:

Please send your checks payable to "Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN" to:

PO BOX 23-44 Taichung City 40199 TAIWAN

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Don't forget to cast your vote today for Walkin' the Bark Rescue in Concord, CA in the Shelter Challenge. Vote every day through December 19, 2010. Anything we win will help pay for a wheelchair for handicapped pets whose guardians cannot afford to purchase one on their own.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces