Every night I have nightmares about animals drowning, says Luisa Mell about rescues in RS

Every night, when she puts her head on the pillow, scenes of animals under flood waters come back to Luisa Mell’s mind. With two broken ribs, the activist, who until a few days ago was on a small boat trying to help with animal rescues in Rio Grande do Sul, now lies down most of the day to recover from the blow.

“My team is there. They swim, jump over walls, climb roofs… I’m being well represented. In the midst of all this chaos, every night I have nightmares about animals drowning”, she says in a chat with the F5.

According to Luisa, during the days she stayed in RS, she witnessed “devastating” scenes. “I’ve never come across so many dead animals. And how many more are going to die?”, she laments, stating that she intends to organize adoption events for some of the rescued animals.

As if all the difficulties she went through, such as saving a mare that took seven hours, were not enough, the activist also states that there are places where volunteers were unable to enter, as they would be dominated by criminal factions. Check out excerpts from the interview below.

How was your routine during the floods in RS?

We wake up early, have coffee, possibly our only meal of the day, and head to the water. Our team would get on the boat, spend the whole day on it rescuing animals, come back, leave it at the shelters and support team and return to the water. This routine lasts until 6:30 pm, until it gets dark. I was relaxed and wanted to stay longer, but then I realized that it was dangerous.

Where did you stay?

At the beginning we were staying in a hotel very far away, in Campo Bom, it was more than an hour from the rescue site. We arrived exhausted. And at 5 am we already had to return the next day. So, I started looking for hotels closer, but they were all full. It was then that a follower offered her house, in Gravataí. We managed to have better conditions, otherwise the body wouldn’t be able to handle it.

What were the most complex and impressive rescues you and your team performed?

The rescue of a mare was difficult and took seven hours. It only ended around 7pm. She had been up to her neck in water for four days, she was dehydrated, weak, freezing to death. I hired two experts to help us, but it was challenging as we didn’t know what was underneath the water. I’ve never prayed so much. I also rescued three dogs where I had to get on the boat, hang from a balcony and a wall that almost fell. Maybe it was in one of those moments that I fractured both ribs.

When you started feeling pain, what did you think?

I didn’t want to stop at all, I continued, but I felt pain all the time. I thought I could handle it, but I couldn’t and I had to return to São Paulo to go to the hospital. I wanted to bring several animals home. In addition to the rescues, there are dramatic scenes. The situation in the shelters is sad, because they were not prepared for all of this, they are overcrowded, animals are tied up, as they fight with each other.

Do you intend to return to Rio Grande do Sul?

Now I’m in São Paulo and banned [pelo médico] to return. I lie down the whole time and, from here, I guide my team who stayed there. They swim, jump over walls, climb roofs and I am being well represented. There is no reward like saving a pet. In the midst of all this chaos, every night I have nightmares about animals drowning.

Do you have any idea how many animals you and your team rescued?

I don’t know, maybe around 50. Some of them we went with the tutors to try to recover and, when we managed, it was happiness. But when not, the scenario was devastating. I saw every scene, I had never come across so many dead animals. And how many more will die? It’s a moment as if it were a war.

What is most difficult about rescue?

There are places where volunteers cannot enter, as there are criminal factions dominating. And, in these areas, we have hundreds of animals dying. If nothing is done, we will have an outbreak of disease.

What motivates you to do this work?

I have been involved in the animal cause for 22 years and I am very moved by what my work has become today. When I started doing rescues, I was ridiculed, people laughed because I cried every time at what I saw. Today, many people applaud.

What do you think about haters?

Hater has no escape. If you don’t do anything to make them forget about you, they will complain. When he does, they also criticize. It’s like you’re always owed something. I went to RS with my own resources, I did a lot of rescues even though I was in pain and people complained. I’ve never had so many purples on my body. There were those who doubted that I broke ribs, that I invented it. They say I cry too much. But anyone who is not moved by this horror has already died, lost their humanity or is a psychopath.

What caught your attention the most amid all this?

It’s all horrible. People losing their lives, seeing people’s sadness. It felt like all dreams had been destroyed. It’s devastating beneath every layer. Suddenly you have nothing left and have to live with 6,000 other people you don’t know. It’s a horrible business.

Do you intend to promote an event for dog adoption?

Yes, I’m already organizing it. The first will be on the 25th at the Iguatemi shopping mall in Florianópolis. We are selecting animals to take. If the owner appears within two months, the policy is to return it. The other fairs will be in São Paulo and Minas Gerais. We need to get these animals out of there, but responsibly.