Our hearts are with the people and animals who have been affected by the fires in Butte County. This disaster was devastating, and though the fires are officially out, hundreds of animals remain in the fire-affected area, homeless and needing care. Temporary shelters have been set up to house these animals, and organizations from all over the country are pitching in to help provide care.
In this week’s blog, we want to share with you how we’ve brought our expertise in shelter medicine to help the animals in the fire areas needing care. Read on for the whole story:
On Monday, December 3rd, we sent over a dozen staff and volunteers to help care for more than 350 animals being housed in these temporary shelters.
Many of the animals were sick with upper respiratory infections due to the cramped housing and high numbers of animals needing care.
We provided routine care, vaccinations, and treatments, while also ensuring each animal had toys and other items to help with the boredom of staying in one place for so long.
Our team, trained in standards of care for animals housed in shelters, was tasked with coordinating and managing the care of hundreds of animals. We quickly established strict guidelines and handling instructions to limit the spread of disease, and set the sick animals on a course of treatment to help them get better.
Our team has been up north for nearly two weeks now to provide support to the organizations on the ground. We’ll continue to offer our support as long as we’re needed. We’ve set up a Disaster Relief Fund that will give us the resources to respond quickly to disasters as they occur. Donations to this fund will be used solely to assist animals affected by disasters.
We have so much sympathy for the animals who haven’t yet been reunited with their families, those who will need to be cared for until their family can take them home again, and those who may need new homes. And we’re so grateful for the many people and organizations who have rallied together in a difficult situation to help these animals, no matter their situation.
Before we wrap up, we need to thank the people who have made our disaster relief efforts possible. Thank you to our staff and volunteers, who spent days caring for animals in Butte County. And a big thank you to the staff and volunteers who stayed behind and made sure our animals were cared for while part of our team was gone. We also want to give a HUGE thanks to those of you who supported our efforts – by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund, donating towels and other necessary items, and constantly being our support system. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
As the situation in Butte County continues to change, we’ll keep everyone updated on the support we provide. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks.