Resources for people with pets caught up in the Camp fire

RedRover, a group that responds in emergencies to assist pet rescue groups and pet owners, has compiled a list of pet-friendly shelters (redrover.org/news/cafires) for those who have evacuated or lost their homes in the Camp, Hill and Woolsey wildfires in Northern and Southern California.

The website also includes links to the latest information on fires, how to mark yourself and your pets as “safe” on social media, links to emergency veterinarians and a way to apply for emergency funds for vet care. And the emergency planning tips will be useful to any pet owner.

Shelters that accept small animals in Butte County

• Old County Hospital, 2279 Del Oro Ave., Oroville

• Chico Airport, 150Airpark Boulevard, Chico

Shelters for large animals

• Butte County Fairgrounds, 199 E. Hazel Street, Gridley

• Rolling Hills Casino Equestrian Center off Highway 5 in Corning

• VCA Animal Hospitals offer free boarding for pets displaced by the fires in Northern California. Pet owners who need help boarding their pets are encouraged to find a hospital near them and call for boarding availability.

Evacuation tips

If you need to evacuate, RedRover offers this advice:

• Take your pets with you. If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for them and chances are high that you won’t be permitted back into an evacuation area to retrieve or care for them.

• Never leave a pet chained outdoors.

• If you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets. Consider family or friends outside of your immediate area who would be willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.

• The key to survival during a disaster or emergency is to be as prepared as possible before trouble strikes. Take the time to make a plan and assemble an emergency kit for you and your pet, and you will greatly increase your pet’s chances of survival.

• If you can leave the immediate area, but have no place to go, look for a pet-friendly hotel or motel at PetFriendlyTravel.com. Some hotels and motels will temporarily suspend their restrictions in times of emergency.

• If possible, bring a leash and collar, a crate, a twoweek supply of food and water, your pets’ vaccination records and a current rabies vaccination tag, medications and written instructions for feeding and administering medication. If you have cats, you’ll also need kitty litter and an appropriate container.

Ways to help

If you are not affected by the fires but want to help, Caring Choices, an emergency volunteer center at 1398 Ridgewood Ave., Chico, is looking for help at pet-friendly shelters. Call 530-899-3873 for more information.

The Chico Peace and Justice Center, 526 Broadway St., Chico, is accepting donations for victims of the fire. They are in need of food, blankets, water and clothing items. RedRover is a founding member of the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition that was established after Hurricane Katrina.

During RedRover’s 31-year history, the group and its volunteer emergency workers have responded to more than 190natural disasters and other crises including Hurricanes Florence, Harvey and Katrina, the Carr and Wall fires and many more.