Prepare for the animals

By Melissa Meehan
PETS and stock are often the forgotten ones in times of crisis.
And Animal Aid is urging farmers and pet owners to think of their pets as part of their fire plans.
Kennel supervisor Eddy Syme said that a lot of people had brought in their pets and stock to protect them from fires.
“We are using our boarding kennel facilities to house pets the owners didn’t know what to do with,” Mr Syme said. “We really need blankets and towels so we can look after any more than come in.”
Mr Syme also called on people to donate food for pigs, goats and alpacas.
“We already have a lot of rabbit food, but for the types of animals we don’t usually have a large amount of – we need food for them,” he said.
He also urged people not affected by the fires to ensure their pets were housed safely in homes or on the property.
“Especially those pets who are easily scared by thunder, by making sure they are safely secured will allow us to focus our resources on those affected by fire,” he said.
The Help for Wildlife team has also called on residents to provide them with medical supplies so they can rescue injured wildlife. Contact Help for Wildlife on 0417 380 687.