When devastating wildfires overtook Fort McMurray, in northearstern Alberta on Tuesday, evacuation was swift and mandatory. Tragically, that meant that a lot of pets were left behind—the risk of reentering homes was just too high. R.J. Bailot of the Alberta Spay Neuter Task Force said that animal rescue missions cannot take place until the evacuation order has been lifted. In the meantime, pet-owners are left feeling helpless and afraid. We at Modern Dog magazine are deeply sympathetic to this situation and hope that all of the pets and their people affected by the fires will be safely reunited.

Efforts to keep animals safe are being made by Animal Rescue organizations across Alberta, and calls for donations have and are already taking place. The Calgary Humane Society requested kennel donations to help transport pets from Fort McMurray to the southern part of the province for safety. 900 kennels have been donated already and they are still accepting kennels at their Calgary location (4455 – 110 Avenue SE). 

For people with pets left behind there is a Facebook page dedicated to reuniting pets and their owners. Once the evacuation order has been lifted, the information gathered therein will help rescue teams reunite dogs and their people.

To help support the Fort McMurray community and all those affected (both animal and human), the Red Cross has set up two ways for you to donate. Either text REDCROSS to 30333 to make a $5 donation, or head to their website to make a donation.