Your donation to the Petfinder Foundation Disaster Fund made a real difference to pets who lots their homes during the West Coast wildfires that took place earlier in 2020. Here are some reports we’ve received from the shelters and rescue groups we helped:
Whitman County Humane Society
Thanks to our grant to this Washington State shelter, staff traveled to Malden, Wash., after a fire destroyed the town. They brought supplies, shared resources, performed visual exams, and caught and took in cats in need of medical treatment [pictured above]. Leftover funds were used for the care of the cats that were taken from Malden.
“We went to Malden on a mission,” says Director of Shelter Operations Ashley Phelps. “We had been told that there was a feral kitten, whom they called Chase [top photo], who would not let anybody catch him. Many tried, and one person was even bitten in the process.
“Chase was badly burned. When he walked, it sounded like someone was walking on dead, dry leaves. This was well over a week after the fire and we knew that time was running out for him as infection set in.
“Thankfully, we caught him and one of the technicians who treated him fostered him and eventually adopted him. He has some permanent damage, but is living a happy, healthy, and spoiled life with his new family!” Read the grant report.
Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center
Our grant to this Oregon shelter helped cover the cost of caring for 55 pets who were evacuated from their homes during a wildfire and temporarily boarded at the shelter.
“This grant helped one cat [pictured above] whose family lost their home in the fire,” says Executive Director Megan Gram. “Thankfully, they were able to grab him in time to evacuate. Many of the families to whom we provided assistance were not able to find their cat in time and were forced to leave them behind. When the man who owned the cat came to pick her up, he told us that it meant so much to him to have her back because she was all he had left. We were so happy to be able to reunite them once he’d found a temporary place to stay.” Read the grant report.
Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon
Because birds are so sensitive to air quality, they are particularly vulnerable to wildfire smoke. Our grant helped EBR provide medical care to parrots it took when their families were evacuated from their homes.
“Isabella and Zach [pictured above] are parrots who belong to a family that evacuated during the severe wildfires we had this fall,” says EBR board member Tarie Crawford. “They were brought to EBR to be cared for while the family sheltered to wait out the fires. Upon returning to their home, the family discovered that the home had burned down.
“Isabella, a 21-year-old green-wing macaw, was treated with medications for an infection. The family is relieved and glad that their birds are safe with us until they can rebuild their home and create a safe space for them again.” Read the grant report.
Siskiyou Humane Society
Our grant helped this California shelter provide extra food and supplies for more than 100 animals displaced by the Slater Fire and helped cover expenses to send a team out for boots-on-the-ground rescue.
“We received many cats from the Slater Fire after no one had claimed them,” says the shelter’s executive director, Kim Latos. “Buck [pictured above] was my favorite; he was a beautiful manx kitten. All the cats have been adopted.” Read the grant report.
Your donation to our Disaster Fund helps us help more pets like these.
