FILE PHOTO

Image Credit: Pixabay

A Kelowna woman is raising funds and collecting donations for animals that have been displaced due to Interior wildfires and she says farmers are in dire need of food and supplies.

Katie Pasitney’s parents have an ostrich farm in Edgewood in the Kootenays, and she decided to start the fundraiser since she experienced first-hand the stress trying to help fire proof their farm to save their birds.

“We were reached out to by Animal Auxiliary and my cousin set up a GoFundMe page and that saved us because we were able to get a stockpile of feed, should the highway close… When I came home to regroup with my family, this White Rock Lake fire was out of control,” she said.

READ MORE: Cooler temperatures, rain helping firefighters on White Rock Lake wildfire

Animal Auxiliary, an organization helping to supply food for evacuated pets and farm animals, reached out to Pasitney saying they were in dire need of resources due to the hundreds of animals that have been evacuated due to wildfires, Pasitney said.

This morning, she arranged for $300 worth of hay to be delivered to the Salmon Arm Fair Grounds from a farmer as animals there are in desperate need of food, she said. The grounds are currently open to evacuees and farm animals.

“They’re running out of resources since these animals have been moved around so much, they’re even running out of land,” she said, adding there are animals that are requiring medical attention due to the wildfires.

Pasitney set up a GoFundMe and will be purchasing animal food and supplies from Buckerfield's Monday morning, Aug. 9, with the money raised. The goal is to raise $2,000 but food and large animal donations are also being accepted at the fairgrounds.

Depending on how much is raised, she may do multiple trips bringing food and resources to Salmon Arm.

“Farmers are feeling desperate and helpless,” she said.

Pasitney believes there should be more resources and communication for farmers who need to evacuate their farm animals, who are pets and farmers’ livelihoods.

“There’s more resources needed to be given to farms and ranches in remote communities,” she said, adding there should be a government registry for remote farms as the evacuation of animals is hindered by the lack of communication.

To donate, visit the GoFundMe page.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2021