New Placer County Shelter Accepts Carr Fire Dogs Before Opening
PLACER COUNTY (CBS13) — Nearly a dozen dogs threatened by the Carr Fire are now taking shelter at the Placer County SPCA.
The Humane Society in Redding got set for evacuation as the flames closed in, so a team of local SPCA officials picked up the pups on Monday.
The dogs are far from home, curious and confused.
Placer County SPCA volunteer Gary Wraa said, "They were very nervous. They know something's going on."
Rescued from the flames in Redding, 17 dogs total escaped the Carr Fire as the blaze burns closer to the shelter they've been staying in.
"A lot of the shelters are having to evacuate. They have no place to put the dogs," said Wraa.
Placer County SPCA Executive Director Leilani Fratis said, "It was quite a task. The last thing we wanted to be was something that was a further complication from the people of Redding."
Picked up by a transport team, the pups are now on safer ground as they take refuge in Roseville at the brand-new, not even officially open yet Placer County SPCA facility.
"In our old facility we just didn't have a facility that was capable of bringing in this number of animals," said Fratis.
The SPCA says it will first assess each pet's medical and behavioral needs. Then, it will determine if the dog is ready for adoption or if it was ripped from its owner by the fire and needs to be reunited.
"They all look like big healthy animals with a lot of energy and we're just happy to give them a safe place to be and the love and attention that they need," said Fratis.
Saving pets from a deadly wildfire, as an entire community copes with disaster.
"We knew we needed to be there to lend whatever hand we could."
Nine additional shelters from across Northern California picked up pets from the Redding shelter Monday. The SPCA says about 100 in total were rescued.