Animal Lovers to Lend a Paw in Areas Ravaged by Flooding

Volunteers from an Orange County animal rights group flew to Sacramento on Monday to assist in the rescue of family pets and farm animals trapped in flood-stricken areas.

Three members of the Orange County People for Animals emergency rescue team will work around the clock for at least three days, said spokeswoman Ava Park. She said the group’s assistance was requested by disaster officials in flood-ravaged Northern California, where local volunteers have rescued about 200 animals.

Dozens of families who fled the flood waters were forced to leave their pets behind. Farmers forced to evacuate had to leave their livestock to fend for themselves as water lapped around farm buildings.

“Our volunteers will go to areas where animals are in dire need,” said Park. “The need is so great right now. People were not prepared for the flooding and had to leave without their pets or [other] animals. Our assistance was requested [Monday] morning and our members did not waste any time responding to the request.”

This is not the first time that members of the Orange County group have rescued animals during a natural disaster. In 1993, the group rescued dozens of pets left behind when their owners fled the Laguna Beach fires.

In 1993, it was a loosely organized group of OCPA volunteers who performed the rescues. Last year, eight organization members went through special training to perform animal rescues during natural disasters.

“Our members are now professionally trained for this. That’s why our help was requested,” Park said. “We’re proud to send a professionally trained team from Orange County to help in this terrible disaster.”

She said the training was given by Terry Crisp, head of the national Emergency Animal Rescue Service. Crisp is in Sacramento to help coordinate animal rescues and asked for the Orange County volunteers, said Park.

The local volunteers are Pete Yelick, a flight attendant, Jane Garrison, employee of a car rental company, and Faye Schultz, a meeting site organizer for a local company. Each woman is paying for expenses.

Park said the three will work from boats that have been donated by Sacramento residents for the rescue effort. In many areas, houses and pets are accessible only by boat.

The OCPA, founded in 1988, is the county’s largest animal rights group. Park said that people wanting to help the rescue team with their expenses can send contributions marked “emergency animal rescue services only” to the group, which can be reached at (714) 751-6272.

The organization is also offering a free booklet that teaches people how to keep pets safe during emergencies.