Skip to content

UNDER EVACUATION: Livestock safe, well cared for by volunteers

In Prince George, volunteers are walking, feeding and cleaning up after about 250 evacuated animals
7766403_web1_20170717-KCN-M-AgriplexPG1C
Lexy Fowlie and Chelsea Wallach of Prince George are coordinating the care of hundreds of evacuated livestock.

One in a ten-part series showcasing the volunteerism, community and resilience surrounding those evacuated due to the wildfires engulfing parts of the B.C. Interior.

From pets to livestock, the recent weeks of evacuations have impacted more than just Cariboo residents.

More than 200 animals are temporarily living at the Prince George Agriplex, being looked after by dozens of volunteers.

RELATED: B.C. has spent $90 million fighting fires

Organized by local distaster centre coordinator Chelsea Wallach, the centre gives evacuees one less thing to worry about as they try to get comfortable in the town.

Volunteers have been walking, feeding and cleaning up after 178 horses, 36 chickens, 5 goats, 2 sheep and one pot-bellied pig.

RELATED: Langley shelter pitching in for displaced animals

“It’s gratifying to see a little bit of joy in a terrible situation, and that their babies are taken care of,” Wallach said out front the stables Monday, adding the centre is ready for however long it takes for owners to feel it’s safe to take them back home.



About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
Read more