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Flood-impacted wildlife carers and sanctuaries in Northern NSW and QLD have received more than $40,000 in recovery grants from conservation and animal welfare organisation Humane Society International (HSI) during the weeks following March’s severe flooding event.
The funds have provided supplies for farm animals, companion animals and native animals in care, meeting urgent requests for food, replacement fencing, water pumps, medical supplies, temporary burrows and machinery hire. Images are available here.
When the severity of the damage from the flooding became clear, HSI quickly responded. HSI operates the Wildlife Land Trust, a network of private landowners committed to conservation, and as a result were already in close contact with a number of impacted sanctuaries. Their urgent needs and the needs of their fellow carers in the wake of extensive flooding became obvious very quickly.
Recognising the need for swift action, funds over and above what was raised by HSI in response to the disaster were immediately distributed to wildlife sanctuaries. HSI also deployed their disaster response team to Northern NSW and were able to deliver a large amount of pet food and medication to people who escaped the dangerous floodwaters with their animals but had no supplies or way to get urgent necessities.
Anthony Walsgott, founder of Save A Cow Foundation (SACF) in the Sunshine Coast said, “Our sanctuary experienced ten weeks of continual flooding, culminating in the massive historic flood. Ninety per cent of our sanctuary was underwater. All of the boundary fences were destroyed, along with most of the inner fences. It was extremely challenging emotionally and logistically, we had to keep moving cow residents to higher ground and eventually we had to home them in large yards for two weeks just to keep them safe.
“I am so grateful to HSI and their supporters. With their donations we were able to buy emergency hay and emergency fencing. Save A Cow Foundation has been able to feed the cow residents and fence off an emergency paddock that provides a safe temporary home for them as we set about rehabilitating the rest of this SACF home sanctuary.”
Helen Church, program officer for Humane Society International, said, “The generosity of our supporters has been overwhelming. Sanctuary operators and wildlife carers are people who have dedicated their entire lives to rehabilitating animals and keeping them safe. It has been amazing to be able to give back to them in their time of urgent need.”
HSI expects more carers and sanctuaries will be reaching out for assistance in the coming weeks. If you would like to donate, please visit our donation page. If you or someone you know is a wildlife carer or animal sanctuary in need of emergency support, please call us on 1800 333 737.
