SPOKANE, Wash. — 340 animals are sheltering in the Spokane County fairgrounds after multiple wildfires displaced their owners.
The Humane Evacuation Animal Rescue Team (HEART) cared for the animals. HEART helps communities impacted, and takes care of the animals that have to be evacuated.
Horses, cows, goats and livestock needing a safe space are accepted at the fairgrounds. Those animals will be cared for until their owners can return home or get back on their feet.
"My understanding is that we are going to do it as long as it's needed," said Marian Ortiz, HEART President. "Obviously a lot of these animals will be able to go home maybe with the rain, sooner rather than later but a lot of people have lost their homes, barns, and pastures. Those animals we're just going to take care of them until we figure out to get them home."
70 or more animals will be transferred from the Stevens County shelter to the fairgrounds. HEART also has a smaller shelter for dogs, cats and other pets operating at Spokane Falls Community College.
As for volunteers, each of the people at the fairgrounds were trained and certified by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) courses.
For interested volunteers, volunteers must attend those classes before signing up.
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