Fire Victims and Animal Advocates Still in Need During Recovery Period
By Corissa Babbitt, Best Friends NetworkAfter six days of burning in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, the Summit Fire was brought to 100% containment Tuesday morning. While the fire is finished and residents are being allowed back into the area, assistance is still needed to rescue animals and reunite them with their owners.
Even as firefighters gained ground on the Santa Cruz fire in Northern California, one mountain resident who was caring for more than 100 dogs, cats, and horses has lost his home. Chris Pruett, a friend to rescue groups in the vicinity, had opened all animal pens as the fire approached in the hopes that many would survive. He had no time to get them all out. Horses and cats have begun to return, but Pruett has no electricity or running water and some animals have suffered burns.
Rosi Mirko of Town cats is soliciting donations for Pruett to help him rebuild and take care of the animals. Town Cats and various shelters in Santa Cruz are prepared to take in some cats temporarily. Pruett is in need of a generator and pump for his well, Friskies dry cat food and hay for the horses.
Anyone wishing to donate supplies or funds to Chris Pruett may do so as follows:Submit donations through PayPal at Town Cats, a no-kill , nonprofit 501(c)3 cat and kitten adoption center in Santa Clara
http://www.towncats.org or call Town Cats at (408) 779-5761 for updates on supplies needed. Note that donations are for Chris Pruett.
Areas of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz countes, including Loma Prieta, Watsonville, Aptos and Monterey were burned or threatened by the blaze, which claimed 4,270 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The fire started early Thursday morning and forced mandatory evacuations throughout the region. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in the area and on Sunday visited the nearby town of Gilroy.
Many rescue groups are working hard to take in lost or abandoned animals, reunite pets with their owners, and offer financial assistance to fire victims and their companions.
United Animal Nations is offering grants of up to $500 to help those affected by the fire care for their pets. The Lifeline Crisis Relief Grants can help with pet expenses including veterinary visits for fire-related illness or injury, temporary boarding for those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed, and transportation to temporary living situations.
For more information on eligibility, or to apply for the grant, visit www.uan.org or call (916) 429-2457. Donation can also be made via the UAN Web site.
Local shelters, many of which were full when the fire began, have taken in numerous animals, and are asking owners to come forward and reclaim their pets.
If you are looking pet, please visit your area shelters or visit Santa Cruz Animal Services online at http://www.scanimalservices.us More information can also be find by calling Animal Services at (831)454-7303.
When the blaze first started, local fairgrounds had made room for evacuated horses, and area shelters were taking in as many dogs and cats as they can, but small animals—rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, etc—were in dire need of temporary homes.
Heather Bechtal, founder and director of The Rabbit Haven, has been working to organize plans and support systems for these small animals, as well as get information out to the Santa Cruz public.
Information regarding the current status of animal needs in the region, as well as what assistance is currently available for furry residents and their owners was included in a press release composed by Bechtal this evening:
"It began around 5 a.m. this morning and now, at 8:15 p.m. the situation is reported as a "fluid, dangerous" situation. The fire is spreading and evacuations are occurring. Many animals have been lost, or have had to evacuate with their families, who now have no place to go temporarily.
Over 1,400 residents have been forced out, including several from one of our own Rabbit Haven foster center. They evacuated early this afternoon, moving horses, rabbits and all animals out of harm's way. Many families hardest hit did not have power so they had no way to access this information - Hopefully tonight, with several evacuation centers open, they can utilize the internet to secure resources they will need while they wait for the fire danger to subside and to find new housing in some cases. The Haven has taken calls from the community throughout the day, helping as best we could and providing assistance. We also worked to set up additional spaces for the animals coming in.
With hundreds of animals already in the system plus a new group of evacuated animals today, The Rabbit Haven organized a plan for small animals that need evacuation and temp housing. We have created additional temporary space for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters other small animals and birds within our network of rescue and volunteer groups. More help will be needed so call if you can help.
The Watsonville Fairgrounds has taken in over 200 evacuated horses and the Santa Cruz County Horseman's association is opening for overflow and new horses that need immediate evacuation. They are located at (831) 818-2848-- ask for Christy. The facility is at 1145 Graham Hill Rd - Call first.
The shelters are bracing for the overflow and they are already full. According to a shelter representative I spoke with today, Marin County shelter agreed to take in all the adoptable dogs to make room for incoming lost or evacuated dogs. I was told that the shelter is expecting the small animals to go to Watsonville shelter first then filter in to the SV shelter as needed. We will be working with both shelter rabbit advocates and the community directly to provide additional shelter support for the victims of this fire.
You can help if you are located out of the fire zone. If you have an extra enclosure to help out one of these rabbits please call and let me know.
VCA has agreed to care for 6-8 cages of rabbits. VCA has been very helpful in the past during emergencies. The VCA, located in a safe zone, is willing to help. 831-427-3345. They are located on Mission Street in Santa Cruz. As more vet offices become avail to help, I will post their numbers.
Several individual rabbit caretakers have stepped forward to help out temporarily any rabbit that needed immediate evacuation. We need more. If you can help provide a place for even one fire refugee, call me (Heather) at (831) 239-7119. Members of the community needing help may call me for info regarding where to take their evacuated animal companions.
Space for aprox. 10 rabbits plus other small animals--Rats, mice, hamsters--needing housing has been offered by Northstar Rescue.
Small birds have two spots plus we have asked another large bird rescue group to take care of the larger exotic birds during the evacuation period.
Please send your good wishes to the community so deeply harmed by these fires. I am grateful that we can offer this support so they will not have to worry about their animal companions while the go through this.
Lost animals: Please send a photo of your bird, rabbit or other small animals that is currently lost and I will see that we post to assure that your rabbit can be identified if they are found by animal control or any of our rescue teams. " What you can do: Monetary & gift card donations to purchase cages and other supplies for rescued animals are welcome. If you are near the Santa Cruz area, in a safe zone, fosters and temporary homes for animals are needed.
For more information, or to offer help or get assistance, please contact Heather at
director@therabbithaven.org or (818) 239-7119. Donations can be made via The Rabbit Haven Web site.
For more information on the Summit Fire and re-entry in the region, please visit
the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or call the local fire department at 831-438-0211.
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