Hospital opens its doors to Colo. fire victims
A fire that has burned over 65,000 acres in Fort Collins, Colo. is forcing pets and their people from their homes and into temporary shelters.
In the midst of flame-fueled chaos, an AAHA-accredited pet hospital in Fort Collins is opening its doors to animals in need.
When the Larimer Humane Society became full with hundreds of evacuated animals on Sunday, June 10, Advanced Animal Care of Colorado (AACC) became its overflow facility, taking in the furry, feathered, and scaled family members affected by the High Park Fire.
"We have taken about 50 pets and are working round the clock to care for them," said Heather Steyn, DVM, owner of Advanced Animal Care of Colorado in Fort Collins. "They are being loved on, exercised, fed and any medical attention that they need is being provided."
Now that the hospital is at or near capacity, it has set up an online donation link, accessible through the AACC website and on its Facebook page (WARNING: the button currently only works in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers).
"My team is amazing and we are grateful that we can do something to help - but we are a bit overwhelmed," Steyn said.
Steyn and her team are looking for donations to help pay for the care of displaced animals. Steyn says her hospital does not need supplies or food, but just funds to help pay for the veterinary care of the evacuated animals.
The High Park fire in Fort Collins remains at only 55 percent containment. Fire command has more than 1,900 personnel battling the blaze centered about 15 miles northwest of Fort Collins. The cost of fighting the fire exceeds $17 million, according to the Forest Service. The fire is the states most destructive fire in its history, with over 189 homes destroyed.
Can you help the animal victims of the High Park Fire? Visit the AACC website to donate now!
Visit the AACC Facebook page to see photos of animals affected by the fire.