Clifford's Animal Rescue Transportation

Clifford's Animal Rescue Transportation Clifford and I offer transportation for rescues and shelters. Local and long distance, with safety and care being of the highest priority.

We offer transportation for animals in going into or being adopted from non-profit rescue programs. Our specialty is in exclusive, white-glove, door-to-door service, including special needs animals who need constant surveillance in order to ensure their safety while in transit.

As many of you have noticed, we've continued to be idle as we try to discover what our next steps are to getting back to...
11/20/2022

As many of you have noticed, we've continued to be idle as we try to discover what our next steps are to getting back to transporting.

While it seemed like things were finally clearing up for it to be reasonable and safe to travel and do transports again, we learned late last month that Misty has lymphoma at an unfortunately advanced stage.

We are obviously devastated at this news, but we are hopeful to have another year with her, as her treatment plan generally is considered to be pretty effective at keeping her illness at bay for a while. She is going to be undergoing a CHOP chemo treatment, which means a weekly IV treatment visit for her, with the possibility of some side effects to start. We are hoping they will be minimal, but we are going to try and be as prepared as possible to make sure we can help her as needed.

With this jarring shift in our lives, I am going to have to continue to keep things in a holding pattern while we navigate this new aspect of our lives, both in Misty's care, and making sure we maximize the time we still have together.

One of our first contacts was to the amazing Robyn Arouty Studios, as we felt it was incredibly important to make sure that we got a session of family photos that we had been meaning to get to for some time. Included in this post is one of her awesome works that we got taken recently.

As has happened with another shoot Misty and Megan did earlier this year, it filled our hearts with insurmountable joy when we saw the amazing photographs they were able to capture. Robyn, Stacy, and Julie were caring, patient, understanding, and incredibly talented in their ability to not only get Clifford and Misty to take wonderful pictures, but also to capture their personalities in those photos.

As we've done in the past (but not the last couple of years, sorry!), we are going to get back to making cards to send out for the holiday season (using this photo). We don't have a large following, but do try to keep up with families we've made trips for, or those who enjoy following our journeys. If you would like a card, or need to update your address with us in order to make sure you get a card this year, please feel free to send us a message, so we can update our database. This information will not be shared with anyone or sold to anyone for any reason, we just like the opportunity to try and bring joy into the lives of those who have helped animals in need, or allowed us the privilege of transporting one of your furry family members.

We are keeping our PO Box active, so that we can have the same PO Box address when we return to transporting at a later time. We always gladly welcome any holiday cards we are sent, as we love seeing updates from the families we've gotten to meet over the years.

These last few years of missing out on transporting has been very hard, but now being faced with such an immediate and sharp change in our lives I believe requires as much of my attention as I can, given that we all understand that Misty's time is limited and will need more special care.

I cannot provide a timeline on anything more for the time being, but I did feel it important to try and provide some kind of an update, especially since one of our family members was ill.

We appreciate all the prayers, kind words, good vibes, love and more that I know will be coming, so thank you.

We hope you understand our position, and know that we will return to the road when we are able.

We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday season! Taking precautions, we were able to see family and spend some ...
01/03/2022

We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday season!

Taking precautions, we were able to see family and spend some time together, which was a nice change from 2020.

Given our last update, we were hoping things would have returned much closer to normal by now, but within 2 weeks of our November update, the Omicron variant was discovered and has quickly spread all over the United States.

Given the predominance of Omicron spread and the lack of thorough information about the variant, we will unfortunately have to continue to sit out to begin 2022.

We have continued to see vaccinations rates increase a bit at a time, and more treatments and vaccines becoming approved to help control this virus.

We'll do our best to keep everyone updated as we learn more about the severity of the Omicron variant, and hope to see transmission drop.

Please pray for those who are currently unable to get vaccines and treatments in underserved countries, and that we all can do our part to help push for the same access to vaccines for others that we have here in the US.

We wish you all a Happy New Year and a good start to 2022, and we'll update as we learn more to hopefully get back on the road this year.

Clifford celebrated a little bit, but also remembered the talk we had about having to wait to see how the Omicron wave happens, and when it will likely be considered safe to travel again, as you can see in the photos below.

It's been almost 18 *months* since we've been able to post anything of worth to update everyone with. That's an astonish...
11/15/2021

It's been almost 18 *months* since we've been able to post anything of worth to update everyone with. That's an astonishingly long time.

This has been incredibly trying, as we look for data and public health advice as to when it will be reasonable and safe for us to get back to transporting pups for the community.

The information we're finally seeing in our area is looking better, and we're hoping that 2022 will bring us back on the road with transporting more special animals to places they need to go.

There have been some things going on behind the scenes, although the biggest one has been the changing of our van. Lola and 21 were both becoming expensive to repair, and with Lola, parts were not always quickly available. We sat and ran numbers toward the end of 2020, and began looking for a replacement van since the market was good, and we personally had the cushion to be able to make a new(er) van work.

Since we are not providing long distance mass transports, we opted to look at a van a little smaller, but still with the capability to stand up in, so after sleeping in the van, getting ready to go in the morning isn't a pain. This van will also go through most drive-thrus, something that Lola was not able to in most cases. That helps us be able to get food more efficiently when traveling, so we can then all sit and "have breakfast/lunch/dinner" on the road.

It was a brand new, leftover 2019 Ford Transit 150 XL we bought at the end of October 2020, with some weird options that aren't generally included with the XL trim, but were all things we wanted. We could feel God placing this in front of us at exactly the right time, so we purchased and had it delivered to us, since it was safer to have it delivered than traveling.

We did find Lola another home, and she is back on the road doing long trips as an oversize load es**rt vehicle. It was sad to see Lola go, but things change for a reason, and we're hoping this new van will be a blessing for many pups to come.

As you can see, Clifford is already getting in some seat time as we have to do local errands, and I'm sure he'll be excited to get to begin taking trips again soon.

The Transit is a bit shorter in length than Lola was, but doesn't have a physical divider, so we'll still have about 10' of space like Lola, but without the additional 4-5' of different storage space. The small storage space will be behind a last row of seats, similar to how I used to have Ol' Blue set up back in 2015.

We don't plan to have 2 full size vans again for now, since the Transit is brand new, the maintenance is fairly quick and easy (and not much required at new), but would be able to use our Transit Connect in instances where we need more space to help with an adoption event or something similar. We also finally were able to order new "Proverbs 11:8 (NLT)" stickers for both the new big Transit, and the Transit Connect, which we can't wait to receive in the mail.

Megan and I have both received our full vaccine course, and recently booster shots as recommended by our doctors, and the Houston and Harris County area are continuing to have less than a 1.0 reproduction rate, which means the virus is not spreading very well (thankfully). Texas Medical Center actually has us at 52 days of less than a 1.0 reproduction rate.

https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-updates/effective-reproduction-rate-for-harris-county/

They also have some good, quick summaries about our general area and how we're doing with positivity, spread, hospitalizations, and more. Right now, things are looking positive.

https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-updates/tmc-key-takeaways/

We hope that this holiday season you will be able to safely see your loved ones, as we are working on figuring out the logistics of Thanksgiving and Christmas in a safe way to see our family.

We miss and love everyone, and hope that this is the final weird year for everything that's happened the last couple of years, and we can have CART back on the road and even as a 501c3 organization!

God has provided for us during this idle time, and we hope that provision will allow us to do much giving back in the coming year. We plan to be able to keep updates coming a little more regularly as we get closer to beginning operations again.

We hope all of you have been staying safe during this trying time. Clifford has been doing so, as well as throwing in a ...
05/27/2020

We hope all of you have been staying safe during this trying time. Clifford has been doing so, as well as throwing in a little fun in the backyard from time to time as you can see. :)

We are currently in the process of figuring out how to safely return to transporting, as things begin to re-open and there are processes and measures to put in place to try and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 according to public health and safety guidance.

Once things are worked out, we'll be sure to have an announcement regarding new protocols, including situations that could necessitate putting a pause on transporting again.

As much as we miss being out on the road and helping animals toward a better life, we are part of the community, and we have a duty to ensure that when we operate, we are doing so safely, including taking appropriate measures to handle whatever situation we are faced with.

We know God will provide us with what we need and in His time to get back to our ministry, and we hope to be able to share the details soon.

Although it is unlikely to be the Easter that many of us envisioned or planned for, we hope it is still a wonderful day ...
04/12/2020

Although it is unlikely to be the Easter that many of us envisioned or planned for, we hope it is still a wonderful day for you. Whether you celebrate with your household, attend virtual services, or simply use the day as rest for your own health, it's important to have times of peace for yourself.

We were able to watch our church's virtual service, and are celebrating with the animals here at the house. A little cleaning, a little work, and as much rest as we can, while reflecting on the day and what it means for us all.

The sun was out in full force here today, and Clifford and Misty enjoyed some time out in it.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the animal community as God allows, and once we're able to make it beyond this current Covid-19 scenario and are safely able to get back to operating without risking the health and lives of those in the community around us, we will be.

How did you get to spend Easter? Did your furry friend enjoy you being home? Feel free to share a picture below!

He is Risen!

Matthew 28:5-7 (NIV)

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

As many of you likely know and understand, the United States as a whole is beginning to feel effects of Covid-19, a high...
03/23/2020

As many of you likely know and understand, the United States as a whole is beginning to feel effects of Covid-19, a highly contagious and deadly virus.

Part of our mission with this ministry is to provide safe, reliable, and visible transportation to animals in need. We interact with many individuals during a trip, as well as countless fuel pumps, and other stops which can harbor this illness on its surface(s) for up to three (3) days.

In our service to the community, we do believe we have a moral obligation to do what is right, regardless of what may be "legal" or "allowed" in any circumstances. We feel many of you who follow us know our incredibly high standards for doing the right thing, no matter what.

Keeping with that standard, we will be opting to remain idle during this time and practicing social distancing to the best of our ability, save for essential trips for food or other necessary supplies in our personal lives. We know many of our followers and friends in the rescue community could be drastically affected by this illness should it be passed onto you, and it is our duty as part of the community to prevent that as much as possible.

We will resume transporting as soon as it is safe to do so, but for the time being, we do not feel we are an "essential business" that "must" remain open in order to assist medical personnel or their suppliers in taking care of those who have fallen ill.

We advise all of our followers, friends, donors, and colleagues to do the same, as painful as it may be. You are all important to the animal community, and we want to see the rescue community come back and provide that same love and care we know is all there once this event passes. Please take care of yourselves, and remember to wash your hands, practice social distancing, don't go out if you're sick, and don't hoard the necessary goods to make sure your neighbors are able to continue their lives in this delicate time.

We hope you're able to practice social distancing with your furry family members during this difficult time. Clifford, Misty, and the kitties have been enjoying us being home much more, including more outside time for the pups. Feel free to share some of your photos of how you're practicing social distancing with your animals!

March 3rd is a very important day for us! Today is Clifford's 8th birthday!He has grown so much in the 6.5 years he's be...
03/03/2020

March 3rd is a very important day for us! Today is Clifford's 8th birthday!

He has grown so much in the 6.5 years he's been a part of the family, and we're grateful he was part of the inspiration for, and has become the namesake of, our transportation ministry non-profit.

Clifford was originally quite timid, and afraid of most people outside of myself and a couple select others. It took several years to get him comfortable with most people, and he even does pretty well with strangers when he's given proper introductions. He's such a happy, fun co-pilot, and we love getting to do our transports for others in need.

He'll undoubtedly be getting spoiled later today with some treats and new stuff for him to play with. Hug your furry friend to celebrate, and feel free to leave Clifford a "Happy Birthday!" below!

Did you know, in an effort to keep costs down, we do as much maintenance and repair work on Lola as possible? This inclu...
01/16/2020

Did you know, in an effort to keep costs down, we do as much maintenance and repair work on Lola as possible? This includes simple things like oil changes, as well as things like coolant lines for our spare heater that are a little more labor intensive (photos from 2018 included below). This is all in an effort to keep our costs down, so that donations we receive are able to go further than they otherwise would. Lola's oil changes can range in price from $100-200 if taken somewhere, but doing them ourselves gets the cost down to $60 or so. That's $40-140 we free up for transporting animals where they need to go, just on one oil change!

The donations we receive go directly toward transportation costs of the animals we transport. No paid staff, no paid drivers, just covering the expenses necessary to get the animals safely where they need to go, while knowing they are part of our family while with us.

We have transported lots of animals to rescues, adopting families, foster homes, and other places of safety to do what we can to help them along the way on their journey to a forever home.

One of the most important aspects of this is the ministry of spreading the love of these animals. Once I (Michael) got to experience the unconditional love of a dog, I realized it was the closest thing to the unconditional love of God that we can feel here on Earth. Much of this relates to my personal story, which some of you know. I like to go back to the verse that I feel describes the ministry best:

Proverbs 11:8 (NLT) - "The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead."

That verse has always stuck with me, and Clifford and I hope to help many more pups in their life's journey, to show others that unconditional love that I received in my time of need.

If you feel called to and are financially able, we would greatly appreciate any donation amount you would like to contribute to our mission. If you have a card or PayPal, you can visit this link:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=xVL2QrRS7aFtqy1oFCe6B-3tkJU6yNVBrGGkL0IcCDrLrUXH9O1lueZgfXzn51CQo9dZAG&country.x=US&locale.x=US

If you'd like to donate via check, please send it to:
Clifford's Animal Rescue Transportation
PO Box 590024
Houston, TX 77259

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us a little bit better, and happy Wednesday!

"Hi friends! Dad and I made it home safely, and the weather hasn't started yet. It's definitely windy, I felt Lola getti...
01/11/2020

"Hi friends! Dad and I made it home safely, and the weather hasn't started yet. It's definitely windy, I felt Lola getting blown all over and Dad was hanging onto the steering wheel tight!

I fixed the PayPal link too! Please click the link below if you would like to donate toward the trip with PayPal or a credit card. We appreciate it so much!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZPXN2Y6TKPDV2&source=url

Dad said we went a whole 802 miles on this trip! That sounds like too long of a walk for me. Lola can do that instead.

Thanks for following us on this trip, and we hope to be back on the road soon.

P.S.: Dinner was yummy, and I'm glad to be back home with Mom, Misty, and the kitties!"

-Clifford

Bean has arrived! He did very well on the trip, and has a lot of energy for a supposed 9 year old! He'll be getting lots...
01/10/2020

Bean has arrived! He did very well on the trip, and has a lot of energy for a supposed 9 year old! He'll be getting lots of care to help him start feeling better. We've beat the weather so far, so let's hope we can beat it home!

We've made it to the Texas state line, and are taking a potty break and some time to stretch legs and relax a bit.It loo...
01/10/2020

We've made it to the Texas state line, and are taking a potty break and some time to stretch legs and relax a bit.

It looks like Bean will be arriving around 3:00pm CST in Houston. He seems ready to be there, although LOVED the chance to get out, walk around, feel the breeze, and go potty! Such a sweet guy!

Address

PO Box 590024
Houston, TX
77259

Telephone

346-306-2278

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We are a 501c3 non-profit, USDA registered transportation provider offering safe, traceable, reliable and caring transportation for animals going into or being adopted from non-profit rescue programs. Our specialty is in exclusive, white-glove, door-to-door service, including special needs animals who need constant surveillance in order to ensure their safety while in transit.