Currently there are five cats being taken care of at Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital. Owner Dr. Oz opens his doors to all displaced pets during wildfire season.
Image Credit: Sumbitted
August 07, 2021 - 3:29 PM
It’s the 10th summer of Dr. Oz rescuing animals at the Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital in West Kelowna.
“Everyone needs to help with everything they can,” he said about wildfire season. “This is the least I can do to help mitigate the pressure and stress.”
Any pet owners who have been displaced by natural disaster are welcome to stay with Dr. Oz.
Currently five cats are staying at the veterinarian hospital, all of which arrived after the White Rock Lake wildfire reached Monte Lake last night.
“We still have lots of space,” he said.
During his busiest summer over the past decade, Dr. Oz was looking after upwards of 40 pets.
“It was quite challenging,” he recalled. “By the time you finish cleaning, feeding and medicating that many, you need to go and do it all over again.”
Beyond the typical cat and dog house pets, Dr. Oz also has also fostered less common animals such as birds, lizards and snakes.
“People can be quite interesting with their pets,” he said. “We’re a full hospital and we will accommodate as much as we can.”
The pets can see and hear each other at the clinic, but without knowing much about their behaviours, they are prevented from physically interacting.
“Every one has its own room. They can see each other but they can’t touch each other.”
Many evacuees forget to grab their pet’s medication in the haste of being ordered to leave, but it doesn’t have to be an issue because Dr. Oz is well stocked with a wide variety of medicine for animals.
“When you need to get out fast, it’s easy to forget insulin, of medications for kidney, liver, heart medication,” he said. “Also some animals that come in require treatment after suffering from smoke inhalation.”
Between the medications, food and shelter – Dr. Oz provides it all at no cost because he feels like it’s the right thing to do.
The clinic is located at unit 112 of 2476 Westlake Road in West Kelowna. Accommodations can be provided for anybody who needs help transporting their pets.
READ MORE: West Kelowna vet saving the lives of raccoons he may have to kill
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