We're Helping Shelters Help Pets Affected by Colorado Wildfires

By Pet Finder Jul 6th 2012

With over 700 homes destroyed by wildfires in the West and thousands of people evacuated, animal shelters and rescue groups are working overtime to care for displaced pets. And we're working hard to help those organizations. One of them, Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, CO, just received a $10,000 grant from the Petfinder Foundation.

Larimer Humane is charged with addressing animal welfare needs for the High Park Fire, and has already taken in more than 500 pets displaced by the disaster.

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To care for all those cats, dogs, small mammals, exotic pets and small barnyard animals, Larimer Humane temporarily transferred all its adoptable pets to other humane societies and shelters, marketing and community outreach manager Stephanie Ashley tells us.

"Our community assistance reaches further still, providing donated food and supplies to evacuees in need," says development manager Kara Pappas. "Our additional efforts have put considerable demands on our staff, requiring overtime and interruption from regular operations."

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The grant from the Petfinder Foundation will help pay for staff overtime, animal-care supplies and other costs associated with the evacuations and rescue efforts in the fire zone, as well as re-homing and adoption efforts when the disaster is over.

Despite all the hard work, Ashley tells us, morale at the shelter is "great! Our amazing staff and volunteers have stepped up throughout this crisis and gone the extra mile at every turn to make sure the evacuated animals were happy and healthy until they could get back home."

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After the jump: Find out how you can help shelters caring for pets displaced by wildfires.

Many thanks to the donors like you who made this grant possible. Want to help? Donate to the Petfinder Foundation!

Read more from the Petfinder Foundation.