PRESS RELEASE: ARC – Animal Rescue emergency body right in the middle of Perth fires

“First came the lockdown. Then came the bushfires. ”

Countless wildlife and farm animals killed and injured in extremely fast-moving fires northeast of Perth. Animals who have survived will be suffering from horrific burns and injuries.

Hundreds of people forced to flee their homes taking domestic pets, farm animals and horses with them to local evacuation centres

ARC are assisting vets, wildlife shelters and carers, rescuers and evacuees with medical supplies and equipment, hay, food for wildlife, wildlife pouches and nests, and companion pet food and supplies.

Western Australia -Wildlife Disaster -Wooroloo Fire- Perth Hills -February 8th 2021.
For immediate release.

“They rescue those that can be rescued…and end the unimaginable pain and suffering of those that can’t.”

A ferocious blaze began burning through bush and farmland northeast of Perth last Monday.
Fanned by extremely hot, dry winds, it was deemed ‘out of control’ by 2am Tuesday morning.
The fire blazed for five long days and nights with aerial water bombers and hundreds of firefighters deployed to contain the fire which was finally declared 100 per cent contained late on Saturday night.

86 homes lost.
11000 hectares burned.
Countless wildlife, companion animals and livestock injured and killed.

ARC has been there on the ground, since day one of the fires, working in conjunction with Emergency Animal Support Evacuation WA (EASE WA), the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), Native ARC (transitioning to WA Wildlife) and the head vets at the Emergency Services Command Centre at Mundaring to assist animals affected by the bushfires.
The ARC WA Hub is located right on the edge of the fire zone at Storage King Midland.

ARC WA Hub Coordinator Michelle Jones and her assistant Kay Burrows, along with other dedicated volunteers, have been liaising with the above organisations and numerous registered local wildlife carers to ensure that the necessary medical supplies are in place where they are needed, ready for when the injured wildlife and other animals are brought in from the fire zones after the ‘Black Walks’ are permitted to commence.

The “Black Walks’ as they are known, are the heartbreaking and daunting task of wildlife rescuers and volunteers walking through the blackened and charred bushland looking for surviving animals.
They rescue those that can be rescued…and end the unimaginable pain and suffering of those that can’t.
These rescue undertakings have just been given permission to commence. The fire area must be declared safe to enter before this can happen.

Sadly, the predictions as to the numbers of animals affected are enormous.
The DBCA Wildcare Hotline has been inundated with calls from the general public in relation to animals affected by the fires. The full extent of the casualties is yet to be determined.
Species of animals in the fire zones include; Western Grey Kangaroos, Black Glove Wallabies (a threatened species), Western Quolls, Brushtail Possums, Echidnas, birds of many kinds including Raptors, Emus, Tawny Frogmouths, Magpies and Boobook Owls, many varied species of reptiles including Bobtail Lizards, Goannas, Snakes and Long Necked Turtles.

ARC has already distributed numerous boxes of medical supplies to the vets at the response Command Centre and to carers in the area containing essential items such as IV Fluids, Antiseptic and Antibacterial Wound treatments and surface cleaners, hypodermics, syringes, burn treatments and dressings, and bandages.

When a fast moving fire front such as the Wooroloo Fire sweeps through, many pouch young- joeys – survive the fires, but are orphaned as their mothers take the full brunt of the intense heat and sadly do not survive. Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are considered an essential life saver – but also an unaffordable luxury – for most wildlife carers in these situations and many other wildlife emergencies.
To alleviate this financial burden on carers, ARC have been purchasing ICUs and building up a ‘humidicrib library’. Once fully operational, this will enable wildlife carers to borrow an ICU when they have a vulnerable joey in care, then return it to ARC to make it available to the next carer in need. These units will save many precious lives.

We are raising funds to enable more essential food, medicine and support to be provided to the vets and carers to assist animals affected by the WA bushfires here: https://arcsupport.org.au/donations/arcwa/

For the people forced to evacuate their homes who are sheltering at Evacuation Centres, and for the Animal Rescue Organisations who have been inundated with animals displaced by the fires, the following supplies are being provided by ARC:
-2 x pallets of companion animal food (including dog, cat, rabbit and guinea pig food), bird pellets, and boxes of supplies containing pet collars and leads, bowls, and flea and tick treatment have already been delivered.
-A further 10 x pallets of animal food are on the way, donated by Petbarn.
-Water troughs to provide water for displaced animals
-300 x extra large bales of hay to provide food for farm animals and surviving wildlife are also heading to the fire zone.

Pouches and nests handmade by members of the Animal Rescue Craft Guild in Australia and all around the world have also been provided to keep the animals and birds safe and secure while they are being rescued, and once they are in care.

Following the devastating fires on the East coast of Australia in 2020, ARC commenced a Bushfire Preparedness Program to ensure that when – not if- bushfires threatened our wildlife, farm and domestic animals again, we would have procedures and supplies in place at strategic hubs all over the country to assist in helping to fight the fires and in the aftermath.

Fire fighting trailers have been donated to wildlife sanctuaries in fire zones to assist in the control of spot fires, funding has been provided for sprinkler systems, water pumps, portable fire fighting units and water hoses to be available at every ARC hub, and with the help of our generous donors, and our sponsors WIRES, Petbarn, PetbarnFoundation and Mini Kitty Commune- MKC, we have been restocking our hubs and rescue groups with first aid, wildlife feed, companion animal supplies, craft such as rescue pouches and nests, and other supplies necessary for responding to animal emergencies such as the one that has just occurred in WA.

For ARC to continue to save animals by supporting rescues, we need monetary donations to purchase essential food, medicine and support, and donations of products to assist in animal welfare and wellbeing.

Our primary focus right now is ensuring the best outcome for wildlife and other animals affected by the Wooroloo Fire.

More about this project
ARC WA Fundraising link: https://arcsupport.org.au/donations/arcwa/
Donate to ARC: https://arcsupport.org.au/donate/
Donate product: https://arcsupport.org.au/donateproduct/
Read about WA Fires updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/arcwa
ARC website: https://arcsupport.org.au/
Animal Rescue Craft Guild: https://craftguild.org.au/

Ends

For further information
Sharon Rigby 0417659788 Media and Comms. ARC [email protected]
Kay Burrows ARC WA Hub Medical Manager [email protected]