February 9, 2009

So many animals injured & homeless in Victoria bushfires

by pawlitico

"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." – Albert Schweitzer

How many animals lost their lives in the Victoria, Australia, bushfires? How many survived? The overall impact on pets, wildlife, and farm animals is not yet fully known. Many of the traumatized and injured animals out in the blackened landscape haven't yet emerged to seek water and food.

In and around all the fire-affected areas are many animals who are burned, injured, homeless, ownerless, or lost, and animal welfare authorities are trying to rescue and medically treat them all.

Koala found in Vic fires
RSPCA Victoria captioned the above photo by Russell Vickery/Herald Sun: "Koala found in Vic fires . . . bless its beautiful heart."

RSCPA posted these comments on Facebook:

For all those wanting to donate to the RSPCA, we have a team on the ground around KingLake helping feed and treat animals as well as (hopefully) helping to reunite displaced stock and domestic animals with owners.

Go to www.rspcavic.org.au and click on the bushfire link.

There is an area you can donate money AS WELL as an area to explain how/what you can help. For instance a lady called here before saying she has a horse float that she will donate etc. If the RSPCA/victims DO need what you can offer (once everyone knows what they do and don't need), then the VIC RSPCA will then contact you and arrange how to make it happen.

Things they might need:

• Horse floats/all horse equipment
• Shearing gear for Sheep
• Hay for horses, sheep, goats etc. - there's obviously no grass to feed on... just charcoal
• Dog leads, collars
• Rabbit/guinea pig/bird food (some may have managed to grab their smaller animals)
• Cat and dog cages (portable transportation type cages)
• Cat and dog beds/toys
The Lost Dogs' Home, Australia's largest pet shelter, has also been in the field. They've delivered pet food and supplies for owned and lost pets, and have offered their Animal Ambulance fleet, as well as veterinary staff, portable cages, free animal boarding, and veterinary treatment — free of charge to injured dogs and cats affected by the fires.

Paw-prayers fur everybuddy.

4 comments:

Amanda said...

I have been trying to keep up with this horrible situation. My prayers go to the people and animals of Australia.

Vinogirl said...

It's all so sad. Mother Nature can be so abrasive!

Annabelle said...

Thanks so much for bringing to the attention of your readers the plight of the probably thousands of animals - both pets and wildlife affected by our terrible fires in Australia. It's even worse to think about their suffering when you know some of these fires were caused by arsonists. As if there is not enough suffering caused by extreme weather conditions, these idiots have to go out and deliberately create more.

winecountrydog said...

Woof thanks fur your comments on this tragedy. It's hard even to think about the Vic fires without tearing up. By some accounts, the animal death toll is more than one million.

What we in California went through with wildfires here last summer was but a momentary gulp of smoke as compared with Victoria's devastation.