Fire teams, volunteers help pets left behind in La Ronge fire zones

Fire crews and animal lovers are keeping an eye on pets left behind in the fire zone when people had to flee their homes in evacuations. 

Some members have been carrying dog food and treats with them as they move through the fire zone in and around La Ronge, Saskatchewan.

"If you're not a dog lover when you go in, you certainly are when you're up there," said Russ Austin, deputy fire chief of the Warman Fire Department. 

The Warman Fire Department was one of the first teams to arrive in La Ronge.

When firefighters weren't busy scanning houses for ignition spots, they were making sure pets left behind were all right. They've also been spending a bit of time playing with the animals, many of whom haven't seen their owners for days. 

Austin said the community has been very supportive as well. As they were leaving town, people in Warman arrived with donations of dog food. More donations of food and dog bowls were made by Regina EMS and local mine rescue teams.

"In all my time up there, I didn't find any dogs that were in particular distress," he said. "Still, they were pretty happy to see us."

Austin said firefighters benefited as much as the dogs.

"It was pretty good therapy for some of our guys," said Austin. "You're up there putting your life on the line."

Medical need

Meanwhile, teams are busy taking dogs out of areas that are most threatened by fires.

Earlier this week, a group from the Prince Albert SPCA, as well as animal rescue group We All Need a Rescue were working in La Ronge to remove dogs from the area.

Veterinarian Karen Sheehan was in La Ronge yesterday. Her group brought back 18 puppies that are less than three months old, two cats and a number of adult dogs. However, identifying the animals once they arrive at the Prince Albert SPCA can be a problem.

"They're obviously checked to see if they have a microchip, which unfortunately is the only means of permanent identification," Sheehan said. "Unfortunately, not many animals are microchipped in the community."

Volunteers are looking for collars or tags, and are also taking pictures of them, and placing the images online. The SPCA is also creating a database.

As shelters fill up, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is asking for blankets, towels, beds and food, which are being collected by The Pack Project, a non-profit group based in Regina to help the lives of dogs.

For years, Sheehan has been involved in a spay and neuter clinic that travels to northern Saskatchewan to address the problem of stray dogs.

"We wanted to get involved, because we've been involved with the Northern Animal Rescue Group, who are a fantastic group of volunteers within the La Ronge community," said Veterinarian Karen Sheehan. "They've been working tirelessly at addressing the stray dog population in their community."

Anyone interested in adopting a dog that has been removed from the north is asked to call their local shelter.

Donations can be brought to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and PetSmart at Preston Crossing in Saskatoon.