Victorian Bushfires - How the RSPCA is coping and how you can help

February 11 2009

 

If you are in Victoria and need emergency assistance, please phone 03 9224 2222.

To directly support our staff and volunteers at the front-line caring for animals affected by the bush fires, please donate by calling us on 9209 9300 or 1300 777 222

100% of funds donated will support our work helping bush fire affected animals.

If you are unable to donate online or with a credit card, please forward your cheque or money order (payable to the RSPCA Victoria) to:

Bushfire Appeal
RSPCA WA
PO box 3147
Malaga 6945

RSPCA Shelters and Inspectors have been working around the clock to provide emergency assistance to animals effected by the bushfires.

Kinglake location update:

A team of Inspectors has been escorted by the CFA to assess the situation in Kinglake. This area is still a crime scene so their work is still restricted. Our Inspectors are in constant contact with the DPI. Help for Wildlife and Wildlife Victoria are on the scene and treating animals as required. The RSPCA has provided supplies to these organisations to ensure they can provide emergency care.

We have sent a team of staff to the Whittlesea relief centre to provide emergency advice and assistance. We will continue this presence until needed and will also provide similar advice at our relief centres if needed.

Burwood have vet nurses and animal attendants on-call to assist at shelters if needed.

Other regional updates:

The RSPCA's Epping shelter has been emptied of dogs; a vet is a now on-site and assessing animals as they come in.

The Bendigo shelter remains closed for adoptions to increase capacity. Bendigo animals have been moved to Burwood East. Fires in the Bendigo region have been well contained.

At Sale we are looking at options regarding temporary cages.

Animal accommodation:

The RSPCA is providing free temporary accommodation at our shelters for bushfire victims. Calls are being handled by customer service. Animals can be admitted by persons other than the owner.

Fostering: persons interested in fostering animals can register their offer on RSPCA Victoria's website. The assistance form is available on the bushfires page.

Dogs regardless of origin will generally be boarded at Burwood and cats generally at Pearcedale.

Animal care:

The RSPCA is offering free veterinary care to companion animals injured as a result of the fires. We are also willing to provide financial assistance for veterinary expenses provided by external vets (other than the RSPCA).Call 9224 2251 or 0405 015 794.

Our Inspectors are working with government departments and are ready to provide emergency care to wildlife, animals and livestock.

Lost and found animals:

The register for lost and found animals is now live on the RSPCA Victoria website. Please note this only works with the Internet Explorer web browser not Firefox, nor Chrome, nor Safari.

The RSPCA is working closely with other organisations to reunite animals with their owners.

Stray animals from the Kinglake bush fires can be viewed at the Epping Shelter at 335 O’Herns Road, Epping. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10-3.30pm, Sun 9-11.30am.

Other information

If you have the capability to transport and animal that you have found from the bushfires please take it to one of the following RSPCA shelters:

RSPCA Bendigo Shelter         RSPCA Epping Shelter         RSPCA Wangaratta Shelter

We are delivering emergency pet food to relief centres across Victoria including food donated by Hill's Pet Nutrition.  If you wish to donate items such as pet food, bedding, leads and bowls you can deliver these to your local RSPCA.

To support our emergency relief effort in other ways, please complete our assistance form detailing the the support you can offer.  If we can accept your generous offer, we will contact you soon.

Thank you to everyone who has offered their residential homes as temporary accommodation.  We now have enough private residents to assist us, if needed. 

We are in desperate need of blankets, if you can donate any blankets please deliver them to your local RSPCA.

There is a big need for supermarket 'green' bags.  We are coordinating care packs and need these to bundle up items to hand out to families in need.  If you can donate such items, please deliver them to RSPCA in Burwood East.

We are also in need of temporary fencing.  If you are in a position to donate temporary fencing to assist with the management of animals, please contact us directly on 03 9224 2219.

Please note: If you are from the Bendigo area, our RSPCA Bendigo adoption centre has been closed.  This will increase our capacity to provide emergency assistance to animals affected by the bushfires.