Real contact info to help the animals of the Gulf Coast

We are not getting many photos of the living creatures affected by the oil spill because BP is barring rescue workers from "sharing" pictures of the estimated "444 dead birds, 222 dead sea turtles, and 24 mammals (including dolphins)" Mother Jones Magazine Online and the Unified Area Command. Dead birds are now being found in Texas.  Texas residents know the animals need help and it is still hard to get good, simple information on how to actively participate.  Houstonians, here are more contact phone numbers from across the Gulf Coast and links to volunteer info.

At Gulf of Mexico Response on the right side of the page you will find a simple list of phone numbers for U.S. Coast Guard Info Center, environmental hotline and community information, wildlife distress hotline, volunteers, register professional services, "Vessels of Opportunity" (BP's interesting term for boats that are being offered to assist with response), offering suggestions to help, BP America Press Office, BP Press Office London, Investor Relations, and Claims.  I've called and spoken to folks at these numbers.  The urge to yell at them can be hard to resist, but remember they did not cause this mess. They are just answering the phones.

If you live in Florida, visit Volunteer Florida and Audubon of Florida for real, practical detailed information and direction of how to actively work to help the animals.

The Global Crisis Solution Center has the most comprehensive list of contacts that I have found.  They have links on where to get the government and BP-required training and bird de-oiling procedures, links to the federally-licensed International Bird Rescue & Research Center.  If you are in California you can volunteer and be trained by IBRRC.

Right now Galveston Bay is in good shape, but to keep up to date on developments there and to  volunteer to help keep watch, visit The Galveston Bay Foundation Oil Spill Recovery Page.  There are also Texas state contacts listed there as Texas is active in bird and wildlife sanctuary and clean-up.

The link for the oil spill info and volunteer page at the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is excellent as this is a long-standing organization.

Finally, click on "What You Can Do" on the EPA's BP Spill page.

I know all of us in the Houston area hope daily that the oil does not come to Galveston.  The Galveston Media Center is the place to go to keep up to date on developments.

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