"Horses were knee-deep in water": Rush underway to help livestock and lost pets stuck from storms
GALT — Danielle Reed with the nonprofit Hope for Horses showed CBS13 the soggy ground at Reebok Ranch in Galt where they're doing everything they can to keep the horses safe from the storms.
"The horses were knee-deep in water," said Reed. "If there are road closures we're going to have a hard time getting staff and volunteers in as well, so we have a lot of hurdles to overcome."
They're not alone. Hold Your Horses, a livestock emergency response team, sent CBS13 video of some of the rescues they've been dealing with this week, and they're now bracing for more.
The Sacramento Zoo has had to weather storms before. They took their animals inside and shut down for the next two days. Considering they're in a wooded area, zoo officials say they've put a lot of effort into clearing trees and branches to keep the animal enclosures safe.
"Over the past ten years, we've very strategically removed branches and whole trees," said Lesley Kirrene, the director of institutional advancement and marketing at the Sacramento Zoo.
From big animals to small, many people are on edge. Several animal shelters have been overwhelmed with pets that got out during the storm.
"We definitely get concerned when we see forecasts, especially with high gusts of winds because that leads to fences blowing down and peoples' pets getting out of their yards," said Haley Waugh, Front Street Animal Shelter spokesperson.
Several local animal shelters are now inundated with lost pets and strays. Bradshaw Animal Shelter is asking for emergency foster homes to help with all the new animals coming in. Stockton Animal Services is asking for large plush blanket donations to keep the animals warm.
"We've had several dogs that came in covered head to toe in mud and we don't know how they got out or how they got here," said Meghan Ramczyk, a Stockton Animal Services supervisor.
As for larger animals, some organizations are helping but you'll need to call ahead for costs and requirements. El Dorado County Fairgrounds has one barn that can house large animals, but animal owners will have to provide their own enclosures and will have to pay $200 per day to house their animals there. Also, that is dependent on whether or not the barn stays dry. Their other barns are flooded. The number to contact is 530-621-5861.
County officials also said that Rancho Murieta's Equestrian Center will take horses, but the horses have to have a current certificate stating they are free from equine diseases. Their address is 7200 Lone Pine Dr., Rancho Murieta, and their contact number is 916-985-7334.