Alberta Wildfire - Animal Rescue Update

Bella (ASPCA)

The Alberta SPCA has been posting daily updates on the status of the animals in their care that have been rescued from Fort McMurray.

As of this morning:

1,160 animals have been admitted since May 8

725 animals have been reunited with their owners

169 animals are scheduled for reunions

230 animals are without owner contact

Heartwarming photos of some of the reunions have been shared on the Alberta SPCA Facebook page as well.

(ASPCA)

Individuals and organizations have been pulling together to help the people of Fort McMurray in an amazing way.

The organizations involved in animal rescue and recovery efforts include the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Fort McMurray SPCA, Edmonton Humane Society, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force, Animal Care & Control Centre - Edmonton, Calgary Humane Society, Red Deer & District SPCA Main Page, Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society - AARCS, ZOE's Animal Rescue Society, Humane Animal Rescue Team (hart), Second Chance Animal Rescue Society, CaliCan Rescue Foundation, Hope Lives Here Animal Rescue Society, Saving Grace Animal Sanctuary - Canada, Barrhead Animal Rescue Society, Meika's Bird House and more.

Companies like Associate Vet Clinics have been collecting supplies and food and offering free boarding; and Pets Plus Us, Kijiji and HomeSafeTM came together to offer complimentary subscriptions to all evacuees’ pets on HomeSafeTM, an automated lost and found system that can help reunite people with their animals.

 

Rocky & Rambo (ASPCA)

Butterball (ASPCA)

Oscar (ASPCA)

Alberta Wildfire - Animal Rescue and Reuniting Underway

The rescue of animals left behind during the Fort McMurray wildfire evacuation has not been without drama and controversy.

Initial news stories reported “rogue” rescuers entering the city without permission from the RCMP or other emergency personnel. Officials believing the city was not safe and, rescuer, Sam Sansalone voicing people’s worst fears, telling the Huffington Post, "This is a mass grave, in basements, in crates.''

(Alberta SPCA)

In the meantime, government agencies, humane societies, SPCA’s and rescue groups around the province were marshalling resources and planning the mass rescue operation. The Regional District of Wood Buffalo created an online form and encouraged all evacuees who had to leave pets behind to use this form to facilitate their rescue.

Fort McMurray SPCA staff returned to the city on Friday and, working with other organizations, began to support the animal rescue effort. They re-opened the shelter to provide temporary housing for rescued pets prior to transport to the pet evacuation pickup centre and provided some medical treatment.

The shipping of hundreds of animals to Edmonton began on Sunday.

The Alberta SPCA announced that as of yesterday morning 612 animals had been checked in and health-checked, 50 animals had been reunited with their owners and 67 were scheduled for reunions at the Fort McMurray People and Animal Reunion Centre in Edmonton.

Sassy

“Sassy has been rescued! We would like to take a few minutes to send out a great big thank you and heartfelt gratitude to those wonderful people who have been rescuing pets who had to be left behind in Fort Mac during the emergency evacuation. No words can convey how great flu [sic] we are for your efforts. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Sincerely hoping all pets are rescued, health and reunited with their families. The stress and uncertainty is overwhelming. Take care, stay safe!” Carol Sparker wrote on the Alberta SPCA Facebook page.

In thanking the organizations involved in the rescue - Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Edmonton Humane Society, Calgary Humane Society, Red Deer & District SPCA Main Page, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force, Fort McMurray SPCA, Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society - AARCS, ZOE's Animal Rescue Society, Second Chance Animal Rescue Society, Humane Animal Rescue Team (hart), CaliCan Rescue Foundation, Hope Lives Here Animal Rescue Society and all the other volunteers - they showed the large amount of resources involved in making this happen.

Despite best efforts, there is still confusion about what the evacuees should do to find their missing animals.

Pet owners are posting on the facebook pages and twitter accounts of multiple organizations, asking for information about their pets, wondering why no one has given them updates.

“There are so many places to look, but I'm not even certain someone went to Willow's address to save her? I have been looking for her all over FB and I don't know the best source to even follow anymore.” Kim Brown on the Fort McMurray SPCA Facebook page.

HomeSafe, along with Pets Plus Us and Kijiji, are providing complimentary lifetime subscriptions to any pet owner displaced by the wildfire - whether they are missing or not. During displacement and times of stress, it’s easy for animals to get lost. A subscription to this automated lost and found service provides protection in case that happens.

Officials are requesting that all pet owners who left pets behind fill out Wood Buffalo’s online form which can be linked to from almost every animal organization’s website or Facebook page.

Alberta SPCA stated that animal rescue is still taking place 24/7 in the city but the process will take some time - pets need to be rescued, transported, examined and then matched with owner descriptions.

Alberta SPCA prepares for 12th annual Animal Welfare Conference

The Alberta SPCA is finalizing preparations and speakers for its 12th annual Alberta Animal Welfare Conference set to take place September 26-27 in Edmonton, AB. 

For the first time, the conference is offering a pre-conference workshop - Capacity 4 Care (C4C) - with Dr. Kate Hurley from the University of California, Davis, Shelter Medicine program. This workshop is scheduled for Thursday, September 25. 

Conference speakers include: Ruth Steinberger, founder and director of Spay FIRST!; Christian Lim, Crown Prosecutor; Dr. Duane Landals, DVM, Senior Advisor, Alberta Veterinary Medical Association; and Dr. Connie Varnhagen, PhD, RAHT, Professor of Psychology, University of Alberta. 

For more information on the Alberta Animal Welfare Conference, CLICK HERE. 

ABVMA seeks veterinary participants for new program

The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) along with the Alberta SPCa, Ministry of Human Services and several other organizations are embarking on a new program to provide temporary care for pets of domestic violence victims who enter emergency shelters to escape abuse. 

The ABVMA is seeking expressions of interest from veterinary clinics who may be willing to participate. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Tim Battle at the Alberta SPCA, or Dr. Darrell Dalton at the ABVMA office. 

Pet Safekeeping for Domestic Violence

The Alberta SPCA along with several partners is seeking funding from the Field Law Community Fund Program to support the  Alberta Alliance for the Safety of Animals and People (AASAP).

A study released by the ASPCA in November 2012 revealed that 59% of pet-owning women in emergency shelters delayed leaving their abusive environment out of concern for their pets. In 36% of the cases, animals were threatened by the abuser - and 85% of those threats were carried out. 

A major goal of the AASAP partnership is to provide a province-wide pet safe-keeping network for family violence victims while they are in emergency shelters. AASAP wants to start a pilot project in the Edmonton region, with the hope that it can expand to the whole province.

Field Law, a top 10 western and northern law firm, has been committed to helping communities for almost 100 years by supporting charitable groups and organizations in Alberta and the North. The Field Law Community Fund Program distributes $30,000 annually in both Calgary and Edmonton to worthy initiatives who acquire votes through their website. 

The AASAP includes professionals from law enforcement, social services, veterinary services, health, animal welfare, women's shelters, legal education and other communities. 

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