Animal advocate streamlines support for pets of evacuees with online database

It’s all hands on deck for animal-focused not-for-profits and organizations as they support the animals of evacuees.

“We have had an incredible spike in demand for food and harnesses and leashes and crates,” said Nicole Wilks, Animal Food Bank founder.

“We’ve sent 5,000 pounds of food over the last three days, 5,000 pounds is not including our regular deliveries, this is just food that has gone to support the needs of pets of evacuees.”

The Animal Food Bank has been working with emergency operations centres to help evacuees feed their pets, and as soon as the donations come in, they are sent out immediately. They are in need of crates, leashes, collars, harnesses and food for both cats and dogs.

To find a location to donate to the Animal Food Bank visit www.animalfoodbank.org

The SPCA is focused on taking in pets for temporary emergency sheltering currently, they have more than 45 animals in foster homes and 30 in the Kelowna branch.

“This has been ongoing actually since Lytton so it’s been several weeks that we have been actively helping people in our communities by creating a boarding space.”

They are in dire need of more foster homes to add to their roster, especially those who can take care of larger dogs who need space to run around. As well as cat food and dog food.

To register to become a foster home visit www.spca.bc.ca/foster

Dr. Oz at the Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital has also opened their doors to pets who need somewhere to stay.

For larger animals, the Kelowna Riding Club has opened their grounds and paddocks to any horse that needs temporary emergency shelter and they can be dropped off at any hour.

“It’s a small community and everyone is stepping up it’s amazing how well we are all supporting each other,” said Amy Catton Kelowna Riding Club president.

“When you are handing over your horse to someone that you don’t know that just showed up with a horse trailer you need to understand and have an essential point where you can go and the riding club is exactly for that.”

To contact the Kelowna Riding Club visit www.kelownaridingclub.ca

To make it even easier on evacuees, this online database has been compiled to show everything from trailering assistance and emergency boarding to agencies that are able to help.

“I have 300 offers at the moment and that includes the shelter, hauling and as well as a few organizations that have offered support and then we probably get on average about 10 to 15 new inquiries a day,” said Shelby Langelaan, Westcoast Animal Advocates founder and creator of The 2021 Wildfire Resource Map.

The 2021 Wildfire Resource Map streamlines all the offers that are pouring through social media websites to take some of the stress off of evacuees to view  the map visit www.westcoastanimaladvocates.com

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