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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

5039.0. "California Fire Storm" by WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JO (set home/cat_max=infinity) Fri Nov 01 1991 18:12

    Many of you may not know it, but a few weeks ago we had a horrible
    "fire storm" out here in California.  It occured on October 20th. 
    Thousands of people were left homeless and so were their pets.  The
    fire was horrible, frightening, devastating.  It was fanned by 35-40
    mph winds and high temperatures.  Many people had just minutes to get
    out of their homes and into their cars in order to escape harm.  Others
    weren't so lucky.  
    
    The fire occured in the Oakland Hills.  According to the San Jose
    Mercury News on October 24th:
    
    Persons Killed: 22
    Persons Missing: 25
    Injured: 148 civilians; 29 public safety officers
    Houses Destroyed: 2,318 single family homes; 443 apartments.
    Houses Damaged: 281 single family homes
    Estimated Damage: 1.5 BILLION and rising
    Area Burned: 1,900 acres
    People evacuated: 5,000
    
    Many pets have been found in the damaged area and some have to be
    housed and cared for until their owners find new housing.  Others
    haven't been reunited with their owners yet.
    
    Contributions for emergency services to animals can be made by check to
    the Oakland SPCA Fire Fund, 8323 Baldwin Street, Oakland, CA 94621.
    
    Jo
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5039.1SANFAN::FOSSATJUFri Nov 01 1991 19:5912
    Jo:
    
    While watching the news the other night, Ch. 2 I think it was, they did
    a whole segment on the animals and showed a beautiful Springer Sp.
    being reunited with its owner.  The dog ran towards his owner and
    jumped in her arms while wrapping his ront legs around her neck .  My
    husband and I sat there and cried.  The aslo showed some people being
    reunited with their cats - all the kitties has singed and curled
    wiskers and one had a bandaged paw.  It was very touching.  The East
    Bay SPCA and all volunteers and doing a wonderful job.
    
    Giudi
5039.2TENAYA::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Fri Nov 01 1991 20:273
    It's amazing how many cats apparently survived.  Someone on channel 2
    said they were thought to have hidden in storm drains.
    
5039.3SANFAN::BALZERMAFri Nov 01 1991 21:277
    
    Cats were also found up in chimneys.  In many places in the hills
    that was all that was left standing.  As I drove out to a customer 
    site in Walnut Creek in was heart wrenching to see the devastation.
    The once beautiful lush hillsides were nothing but ashes...
    
     
5039.4JUPITR::KAGNOKitties with an AttitudeMon Nov 04 1991 11:089
    My husband is in SF this week and called last night.  He and a
    colleague drove out to the damaged areas and were amazed at the
    destruction.  He was really saddened by it.
    
    I am glad to hear that the reunions with pets/owners are beginning to
    take place.
    
    --Roberta
    
5039.5community pulling together to help the animalsWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityMon Nov 04 1991 11:5734
    I was at Doc Rue's this weekend and she was telling me how all the vets
    in the area have been sent one burn victim to care for.  Her's is a
    tortie female that sustained very bad burns to all four feet, her ears,
    and nose.  Her whole coat is singed short, she has no whiskers.  Her
    ears are curled up and deformed.  Doc Rue named her "Cinder" and is
    taking very good care of her.  She is going to make it.  Cinder is the
    sweetest cat in the world.  We removed her bandages and soaked her
    burned paws in Nolvasan wash, and had to scrub the wounds.  She just
    sat there and purred, didn't try to pull away or anything.  She is
    truly a sweet cat.
    
    Doc Rue was thinking that she may have been a stray, but then I noticed
    that she had a claw that hadn't been burned off and it was clipped!! 
    So, to me, this is evidence that she was probably someone's indoor cat
    that was very loved and cared for.
    
    Mr. Dr. Rue (my vet's husband is also a vet) has a burn victim too. 
    They named him Burnie.  He is doing well too.
    
    Caring for the burn victims is very hard work.  There is so much that
    has to be done for them, soaking, cleaning the wounds, then
    rebandaging.  Plus,  The cats are under a great deal of stress and
    could become ill very easily, so they must be isolated.  The vets in
    the area are donating their services to this project.  
    
    Hopefully these cats will be reunited with their original owners.  If
    not, there are lots of people on waiting lists to adopt these cats.  I
    would have taken Cinder home in a minute.
    
    Jo
    
    PS - have Dana call me if he wants to see some Birmans!!
    
    
5039.6JUPITR::KAGNOKitties with an AttitudeMon Nov 04 1991 12:128
    Jo,
    
    Next year, when Dana is in SF again for a week I plan to go along with
    him.  Will keep you and Marlene posted.  Maybe the two of you can plan
    some vacation time and we can visit while Dana works!
    
    I would love to meet you in person!
    
5039.7CAPITN::CORDES_JASet Apt./Cat_Max=3..uh,I mean 4Thu Nov 07 1991 17:2024
    I heard on the new last night (Channel 4 I think) that there are 200
    or more animals still in shelters from the fire.  They're still finding
    animals that survived and bringing them in.  However, they're trying
    to get the word out to everyone that they have all these animals and
    people should come check to see if their pets are in the shelter.  
    They're talking like they may start opening them up to general 
    adoption soon and that they may end up having to euthanize some of
    them.  I suppose they're overwhelmed with animals to care for at this
    point.
    
    This disturbs me.  I hope that those animals did not survive the fire
    just to be euthanized later.  I imagine alot of people who lost
    everything in the fire may still be in shock and may not realize that
    their pets may have survived.  I'm hoping that the majority of pets
    will be reunited with their owners.  I also wonder how many shelters
    and vets they've been farmed out to.  And, how difficult is it to 
    figure out that your pet has survived if they've been spread out all
    over the county.
    
    Does anyone know if there is some kind of centralized place where
    people can go check for survivors.  It seems that having a central
    location with pictures of survivors they have rescued might help.
                                                                    
    Jan  
5039.8they are keeping track of the catsWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityThu Nov 07 1991 18:2316
    Jan, my friend Janet is working on that problem right now. She was
    contacted by the Oakland SPCA because she is involved in the cat fancy. 
    She and I were talking about putting together a photo album of all the
    cats that are being treated by individual vets.
    
    I do know that the cats that Dr. Rue and her husband have were sent to
    them by the county, and that the county calls daily to check their
    progress.  Doc Rue said that as far as she knows, the burn victims will
    not be euthanized because they have a waiting list of adopters who want
    to help out these cats.  Don't know what the situation is with the
    dogs.
    
    I will let you know if I learn anything else about it from either Janet
    or Dr. Rue.
    
    Jo
5039.9more informationWR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityThu Nov 07 1991 18:4311
    Janet says that they have created a photo album of the homeless fire
    victims.  The book is at the One-Stop Emergency Center (Red Cross),
    5354 Claremont Avenue, Oakland.  The photo book is at the lost and
    found pet table.  If you find an animal you send a photo to them, or
    they will send a volunteer photographer to your home to take a picture
    for the album. The number for that is (510)532-8186.
    
    The Humane shelters are telling Janet that they aren't euthanizing any
    animals that are found as survivors to the fire.
    
    Jo
5039.10YOSMTE::CORDES_JASet Apt./Cat_Max=3..uh,I mean 4Thu Nov 07 1991 19:285
    Thanks Jo, I knew someone out there in FELINE land would know.  Little
    did I know that all I had to do was ask my own sister.  I feel a lot
    better knowing this.
    
    Jan
5039.11WILLEE::MERRITTFri Nov 08 1991 08:258
    Please keep us posted on this situation....we don't read/hear
    to much about it on the East Coast.
    
    Give Janet a big hug from all of us for getting so involved....and
    all fingers and paws are crossed in hope we reunite most of these
    pets with their families.
    
    Sandy
5039.12WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityFri Nov 08 1991 11:3715
    Janet lives in the Oakland Hills, and for three days after the fire
    started I was unable to reach her and didn't know if she was okay or
    not.  The Red Cross finally reunited us.  They are doing a wonderful
    job!!  Janet and her infant daughter and cats had evacuated their home 
    and went to stay with a relative in the city.  Her husband remained at
    their house watering the house and yard down and clearing flamable
    items from the yard.  Their house did not burn.  They were very lucky. 
    Janet is the kind of person that gets involved when others need help.
    
    Some of you may recognize Janet as the owner of No Minor Dude!!  I will
    let her know that you all appreciate her efforts on behalf of the
    animals.
    
    Jo