"Tails" from the Field - October 2020

Mission Viejo Animal Services responded to a call from the Butte County Emergency Operations Center to assist with the wildfire response in Northern California. The Butte County EOC requested 10 two-person teams from outside animal services agencies to assist in the rescue, care, and sheltering of animals displaced from the fires. Mission Viejo sent two animal services officers, one animal services technician, and a volunteer veterinarian from our local vet hospital, Animal Medical Center in Mission Viejo. They took two animal services trucks and the animal services emergency response trailer stocked with a cache of crates, pet food, personal protective equipment and other supplies. All costs associated with the September 20-29 deployment will be reimbursed by Butte County as part of the FEMA-funded presidential declaration. 

Initially, our teams worked in the field checking burnt out and evacuated areas for missing and injured animals. Our teams later split up with one team continuing to work in the field and the other working with the sheltering needs of the animals impacted by the fire. We were one of the few teams with a veterinarian and were able to set up a field hospital to tend to the animals suffering from burns and dehydration. We are so happy that we can help our neighbors to the north and provide our exceptional Mission Viejo animal care to creatures in crisis. It was a wonderful team effort as staff who stayed home rearranged schedules while staff was away to take of everything and continue to provide excellent service to the public and animals housed at the shelter.