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Help For Animals Affected By The Bushfires
Livestock | Pets | Lost and Found | Horses | Wildlife
Help for Livestock
Department of Primary Industries
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is encouraging farmers to assess their bushfire affected livestock and access assistance and advice from a number of organisations available to help.
Farmers needing urgent assistance assessing burnt livestock should call the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186. DPI veterinary officers will respond promptly and contact such farmers with practical help and advice. In areas not yet declared safe, farmers may need to use their own resources or local networks to ensure the welfare of their animals.
Farmers have three major options:
- Destroy immediately - if the animal is down, unable to walk, has excessive burns, swelling of limbs or difficulty breathing.
- Keep and nurse - if the animal is mobile and alert or has burns to less than 10% of its body. These animals will need shade, water, feed, daily inspection and veterinary advice and treatment. They will also need constant reassessment.
- No apparent damage - Livestock will still need shade, water and feed and they will also need to be reassessed.
Livestock at risk of impending fire should, where possible, be moved to safer areas such as recently cultivated paddocks, bared-out or irrigated paddocks or stockyards with bare or ploughed surrounds. Horses should have halters, fly-veils and anything else that can burn them removed. Livestock should not be let out onto public roads.
Further information is provided in the following Information Notes:
Assessing Sheep after a Bushfire
Assessing Cattle after a Bushfire
Disposing of Carcases in response to bushfire
Australian Alpaca Association
The AAA has published a document on its website called Assessing and Caring for Alpacas after Bushfires, compiled by Dr Jane Vaughan, BVSc, PhD, MACVSc in response to the Victorian bushfire emergency. The document can be found on the AAA website (external link).
Help for Pets
RSPCA Victoria
The RSPCA is providing temporary accommodation to animals at their shelters across Victoria. If your pet needs emergency accommodation please phone the RSPCA on 9224 2222. The RSPCA is also delivering emergency pet food to relief centres across Victoria.
The RSPCA is providing free veterinary care to animals in need at RSPCA facilities. They are also offering financial assistance to cover treatment by other vets of bushfire affected animals. For information about veterinary financial assistance only, phone 9224 2251 or 0405 015 794 during 8am - 6pm. For all other enquiries please phone 9224 2222. The RSPCA will also be working to help reunite lost pets with their families.
For further information, please visit the RSPCA website (external link).
The University of Melbourne's Veterinary Clinic
Located at 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, the Clinic has offered free treatment of pets injured in the fires.
Please call 9731 2232 (24 hours).
Melb Uni Vet Clinic website (external link).
Pet Industry Association of Victoria
PIAA has a lot of supplies that their people are willing to donate, including carry cages, collars, leashes and bedding. They also have more than 850 dog boarding places and 550 cat boarding places donated by members. Please contact PIAA Chief Executive Office Joanne Sillince on (02) 9659 5811 or 0412 609 151, or by email jsillince@piaa.net.au. The PIAA website (external link) has a list of catteries and kennels and the number of places available at each.
Animal Aid
Animal Aid at Coldstream is also caring for domestic pets affected by fires. Animal Aid has boarding facilities that it has made available and has cancelled all private veterinary consultations to deal with injured pets in their vet clinic. They are currently looking after dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, rats and some small livestock. They are also distributing donations of pet food and have a list of people willing to agist larger animals. Anyone wanting to assist can donate funds to help with the boarding of animals and veterinary care. Animal Aid can be contacted on 0418 982 070. Animal Aid website (external link).
Lort Smith Animal Hospital
The Lort Smith Animal Hospital at 24 Villiers Street in North Melbourne is offering free veterinary treatment for pets affected by the bushfires. Please call 9328 3021. For people who would find it easier to get to the clinic in Mill Park, please contact Lort Smith Plenty Valley Veterinary Clinic on 9407 2030. Lort Smith website (external link).
Cat Protection Society
The Cat Protection Society, 200 Elder Street, Greensborough can offer veterinary treatment of cats for people around the Greensborough area affected by the bushfire. CPS can also offer use of some equipment. Please call 9434 7155 or 9434 7255. The clinic has limited opening hours, so it is essential to phone prior to visiting. CPS does not have appropriate facilities for dogs, only cats.
The Lost Dogs' Home
The Lost Dogs' Home has delivered pet food to Whittlesea and Bendigo Fire Relief Centres for owned and lost pets. The Home has also offered its Animal Ambulance fleet to the rescue effort, as well as veterinary staff, portable cages and free animal boarding. Veterinary treatment will be provided free of charge to injured dogs and cats affected by the fires. Please call Kevin Apostolides on 9321 8757 for assistance.
Lost Dogs' Home website (external link).
DOGS Victoria
DOGS Victoria can assist with food, transport, minding and boarding of dogs. Please visit the DOGS Victoria website (external link) for further information or call 9788 2500.
Greyhounds
The Greyhound Adoption Program kennels in Seymour are taking in greyhounds who have been affected by the fires. Please contact 5799 0166 or email gap@grv.org.au for assistance. GAP website (external link).
Lost and Found
Dogs and Cats
Dogs and cats that have been lost during the fires may have been found by people dealing with the fires or members of the public, these animals may be housed at your local Council animal pound, with veterinary clinics assisting Councils or Councils that are far removed from the areas affected by the fires. In addition, some people may be housing them at their own properties.
You can find your local Council's details on the Local Government website (external link).
People that have lost pets and people that have found pets need to contact their local Councils to notify of the animal they have either lost or found to create the best opportunity of reuniting pets and owners.
Animals implanted with microchips will be scanned by Councils and also by veterinarians and shelters. If your pet is microchipped contact your Registry to ensure they have accurate details and so that the Registry or Council can contact you if your animal has been found. Alternatively, if you have found an animal it is vital it gets scanned for a microchip so it can be reunited with its owner. Contact your Council to organise scanning of found pet.
Livestock and Horses
If you have found livestock or horses wandering or have these animals confined on your property you need to contact Council to advise them of the status and location of these animals. If you have them confined you can organise with the Council to have the animals inspected for microchips or other forms of identification in order to reunite the animals with their owners.
Other Animals
If you have lost any other type of animal or found one, again contact your local Council to register the status of the animal and for advice on locations where found animals are being housed or to report that you have lost your animals.
The RSPCA and local vets are also active in many of the fire affected areas and may have information on lost or found animals.
Help for Horses
RSPCA Victoria
The RSPCA is providing free veterinary care to animals in need at RSPCA facilities. They are also offering financial assistance to cover treatment by other vets of bushfire affected animals. For information about veterinary financial assistance only, phone 9224 2251 or 0405 015 794 during 8am - 6pm. For all other enquiries please phone 9224 2222.
For further information, please visit the RSPCA website (external link).
The University of Melbourne's Veterinary Clinic
Located at 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, the Clinic has offered free treatment of horses injured in the fires.
Please call the equine centre on 9731 2268 (24 hours).
Melb Uni Vet Clinic website (external link)
Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria
Project Hope is providing assistance to horse owners - arranging housing and transport, and coordinating feed and horse related goods to be distributed to areas in need.
Call 1300 881 606 for assistance or email info@phhwv.org.au.
Project Hope website (external link).
Further information is provided in the following Information Note:
Horses and Bushfires (PDF 64KB)
Help for Wildlife
Department of Sustainability and Environment
Please call the DSE Customer Service Centre on 136 186 for your nearest wildlife shelter and advice on fire affected or displaced wildlife.
The following wildlife welfare organisations can also assist:
Wildlife Victoria
24 hour hotline - 1300 094 535
Wildlife Victoria website (external link)
Help for Wildlife
24 hour emergency service - 0417 380 687
Help for Wildlife website (external link)
Wildlife Rescue and Information Network
24 hour emergency hotline - 0419 356 433
WRIN website (external link)
Wildlife Rescue Emergency Service
24 hour service - 0427 301 401
WRES website (external link)
BADGAR Emergency Wildlife and Rescue
24 hour wildlife rescue - 1300 223 427
BADGAR website (external link)
Australian Wildlife Assistance Rescue and Education
Rescue Hotline - 0412 422 727
Oakleigh-Springvale and Dandenong-Cranbourne region
AWARE website (external link)
Healesville Sanctuary
Due to the current fire situation, Healesville Sanctuary remains closed to the general public, but the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at the Sanctuary, Badger Creek Road, Healesville is accepting native wildlife for treatment. Phone 5957 2800.
Questions and Answers about native wildlife affected by fires
1. I have found an injured native animal suffering burns. What do I do?
When dealing with injured or orphaned wildlife after wildfires, it is important not to frighten them. All wild animals should be treated with caution, especially when they are distressed and injured. Untrained members of the public should only tend to those animals that are severely injured or unlikely to be able to care for themselves. Wild animals that may bite, or are otherwise dangerous (e.g. venomous snakes), should only be handled by trained wildlife carers or handlers.
If the animal is small:
- Place it in a pillow case or cloth bag.
- Place this in a box a little larger than the animal.
- Place the box in a shady'/cool place.
- Contact a wildlife shelter and arrangements will be made to collect the animal.
Do not try to feed or give the animal a drink - discuss this with the wildlife carer when contact has been made. The wildlife carer may wish to do this once an assessment of the animal has been made.
If the animal is large:
- Keep clear of the animal and attempt to leave it undisturbed (i.e. keep pets away and unnecessary vehicle traffic).
- Note its location and apparent difficulty.
- Contact a wildlife shelter and describe the situation. The carer will then offer advice on how to proceed.
2. I'd like to assist in helping orphaned or injured wildlife. What can I do?
Untrained members of the public should only provide initial care to injured wildlife. Ideally, they should take the animal as quickly as possible to a qualified vet or carer. The long-term care and rehabilitation of native animals is best done by experts. In line with Victorian law, you need to be a licensed and trained carer to rehabilitate wildlife. You may best assist by providing financial support to wildlife welfare organisations which need medicines and equipment.
3. What is DSE doing to prevent suffering of wildlife injured during fires?
DSE is coordinating the rescue by wildlife welfare organisations to ensure that this is being conducted safely and that immediate care goes to the animals in most need. Department officers are assisting rescuers where appropriate and are humanely destroying suffering animals that cannot be rescued or are unlikely to survive rehabilitation. DSE are providing advice on the locations and habitats of threatened species to guide fire prevention work.
4. Can I destroy suffering wildlife affected by fire?
All wildlife is protected. However, where animals are so badly injured that they cannot be successfully rehabilitated, it is appropriate to humanely destroy them provided it is safe to do so and it is carried out in a humane and decisive manner. If you are a licensed firearm user you must be exceedingly careful in using firearms. You must not discharge a firearm in a populous place, from or on roads, or on or across private property without the permission of the owner or occupier. Any vet who assesses an animal as unfit for treatment and rehabilitation may euthanase affected wildlife without the need for a permit.
5. Can I make donations to assist wildlife welfare organisations?
Yes. Details can be found on the animal welfare websites listed above.
6. What else can I do to protect animals affected by fire?
- Lock up domestic animals (e.g. cats, dogs) to stop them preying on or harassing native wildlife.
- Provide water for wildlife. Place a stick or rock in the container to prevent animals from being trapped or drowning in deep containers.
- Drive carefully through burnt out areas to protect remaining wildlife.
- Refrain from providing hay for feed for wildlife in burned bushland to reduce the spread of weeds and the subsequent degradation of wildlife habitat. In non-natural areas it may be possible to provide food for distressed wildlife, however this should be done in consultation with wildlife care agencies to ensure that foods are as close to a natural diet as possible. Wildlife should not be attracted to areas where they may be vulnerable to predation by foxes and domestic pets.
7. When can I go into an area to search for injured wildlife?
You must not enter fire affected areas unless you are trained and under the supervision of fire authorities.
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