Animal Evac New Zealand’s specialist disaster response team has now been deployed for 9 days in Australia.
After a day of recommissioning equipment and waiting for further assignments yesterday, our team hit the ground running today. They visited each of the local vets offering our assistance and checking to see how busy they are. Luckily all survived the fires, but only just. One was without power and a phone line, but still open for business, Jaffa (the cat below) was manning the reception desk.
Our team also visited the Recovery Centre. Dozens of stressed looking people were lined up waiting to fill in the necessary paperwork for the fire damage done to their properties. Once we made ourselves known, several people spoke to us about their animal concerns. As a result, we gained three properties to inspect. This little guy really pulled our heartstrings!
One woman told us she regularly lets a wild possum live at her home, however, because her house has burnt down, she was concerned the Opossum and her baby had no home. She asked us to arrange a house for this possum which we gladly provided.
We really felt for an older couple who approached us and told us how they had lost their home, their pet dog and two ponies. They were worried about the local wildlife who graze in the paddocks around their house. We spent time with them and then offered to drive straight out to their farm.
It was a sobering drive as they are surrounded by State forest which has been ravaged by fire. We spotted several wallabies, how many can you spot in this photo?
Several of these little fellas need medical attention. We have arranged to meet a veterinarian tomorrow who can dart/sedate wildlife. We will let you know how they get on.
Geoff had mixed feelings about meeting us. Poor little Geoff has four burnt paws and needed her dressings changed. She, yes I said ‘she,’ was a very good patient.
We finished off our visit inspecting wombat burrows. It was pleasing to see signs wombats have survived the fires, but probably have very little, if any, food. We are arranging for the landowner to start feeding them. While searching, a water dragon ran out to the surprise of team member Antonia who had her head in a wombat burrow!
These animals need all the help they can get; often we need to drive long distances to remote locations and because they are wild, we also need the services of a darter, as this enables us to give them pain relief and the medical treatment they deserve. All of this requires funds. Please donate now so we can help animals like Geoff.
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#AustralianFires #Wildlife #Animals #TrainedResponders #SafetyFirst
