Helping Animals Displaced by Wildfires

Helping Animals Displaced by Wildfires


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(KSL News) Government leaders in California learned a lesson from Hurricane Katrina.

San Diego residents being evacuated from the fire zones were encouraged to bring their animals with them.

Some horses, dogs and other animals evacuated from threatened San Diego neighborhoods are being sheltered on Fiesta Island near downtown. In some cases, their owners are camping with them. Horse owner Janet Sowell says, "We had to go through back trails to get to him. As we were loading him into the trailer, the fire was coming down the hill."

The number of animals killed or displaced from the fires has not been tallied. Some, like these llamas in Orange county, were rescued after being found wandering in a panic.

Near Los Angeles, horse owners are coming to a temporary animal shelter to reclaim their horses evacuated during the Malibu fire.

There is fear over the fate of some animals that never made it to shelters, but were instead released from their pens and corrals by well-meaning individuals. Marta Granstedt, an equine veterinarian, says, "It's bad when they let them loose. The horses are not very smart. They tend to, when they're frightened, run back to their home. If their home is dangerous, running back home is a problem."

The San Diego Humane Society is helping with the animal evacuations and also helping owners find their lost pets.

If you'd like to help, go to the related link.

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