In the Line of Fire

The SPCA sent veterinary rescuers to the Carmel Region to help with the animals of the evacuated residents

As the largest fire in Israel’s history continues to burn out of control in the Carmel region, representatives of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel went into the field to provide assistance to residents who are raising animals.

The SPCA team, including veterinary rescuers, arrived at the site with a tremendous amount of equipment, ready to rescue and treat animals in distress and to help the residents evacuated from their homes to care for their animals. This action was carried out in conjunction with the Israel police, the Home Front Command spokesperson, and Haifa and Tirat Hacarmel war room.

As part of its assistance, the SPCA is offering boarding services for animals of evacuated residents and to abandoned animals left behind. The SPCA boarding house will house animals for free, and area residents can contact the SPCA call center to schedule the arrival of the representatives to pick up the animals at *4553.

Over the past several days, SPCA representatives have arrived at the main command post at Haifa University and to all centers where the population arrived: Ironi H High School in Haifa, Youth Center, Degania School and the Paot Center in Tirat hacarmel. In addition, SPCA members are in contact with the CEO of the Merav Center in the Hof Hacarmel Regional Council, where members of Kibbutz Beit Oren were evacuated to. SPCA members also reached individual homes of evacuated residents who were not found in these centers and collected their animals whenever necessary. The SPCA even contacted the media and informed them of their willingness to receive abandoned animals.

Because many areas are still closed due to the fire, they cannot be entered and searches for abandoned animals cannot be carried out. Based on conversations with area residents, dogs that were left behind on Kibbutz Beit Oren ran away and escaped the fire, and once approval was given to return to the site, their owners found them on the kibbutz. The veterinary rescuers are now waiting for instructions from the authorities in the field, and once entry is allowed into the areas currently defined as dangerous areas, they will immediately enter the area and track down the animals in distress.