'It's difficult': Group details tough conditions for dogs left behind in evacuated Manitoba communities

WINNIPEG -

With several communities across Manitoba being forced to evacuate due to wildfires, many pets are being left behind in potentially dangerous conditions.

Melanie Chudyk, the clinic coordinator for the Manitoba Animal Alliance, said the group is trying to help the evacuated northern communities by rescuing the animals, and reuniting them with their owners.

She said two communities are particularly close to the fires – Little Grand Rapids First Nation and Pauingassi First Nation. The Manitoba Animal Alliance has not been able to get into Little Grand Rapids due to the thickness of the smoke, but have managed to get to Pauingassi via helicopter.

“We’ve gone into the community twice now and removed dogs that were the youngest, the oldest, the sickest, the injured,” she said.

“Those who are most vulnerable have been removed from the community.”

Chudyk said they’ve managed to secure temporary housing for the animals, as the group just can’t take them all in.

“We suspect we’re going to be bringing in probably in the range of 40 to 50 animals that will need housing, and we just don’t have the capacity to house them right now,” she said.

“All of our fosters are completely full.”

CONDITIONS IN THE COMMUNITY

Chudyk said she’s been to Pauingassi twice and the smoke is so thick it’s hard to breathe.

She noted they’ve been finding animals starved for human attention, some that are forming packs and declaring certain areas as their own, and they are also finding some dogs that have already died.

“We have to make some really tough calls,” Chudyk said through tears.

“We have to say, ‘this one’s healthy enough to stay for another few days,’ but it’s difficult. It’s really difficult to make that decision, because we’ve had animals in crates ready to be loaded into helicopters and we’ve had to let them go because we just don’t have space for them.”

Anyone interested can contact the Manitoba Animal Alliance through its social media channels or its website. https://www.manitobaanimalalliance.com/ “We’re looking for fosters, we’re looking for funds to get back up there, we’re looking for volunteers to help transport dogs from planes and airports to fosters, to vet services. We need any help that anyone could give, basically,” Chudyk said.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.