‘It takes a whole bunch of stress off’: Interior wildfire evacuee pets given temporary shelter in Kamloops

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“Even if they do, then it’s an extra charge and unfortunately, the ESS money – the evacuation supports – doesn’t actually cover that sort of thing.”

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That’s where the Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team (CDART) steps in.

Working alongside Ruff Start Rescue and Four Paws Food Bank, staff and volunteers have transformed the Cooper Center on the North Shore of Kamloops into a temporary shelter where owners can leave their pets knowing they’ll be cared for.

“We received a phone call from emergency services that there was a need for sheltering for the evacuees. That’s what we do is we come in and we set up emergency sheltering,” Donna Wackerbauer, Okanagan regional coordinator with CDART, told CFJC Today.

Inside the facility are separate living spaces for dogs, cats and even livestock. 

Those assisting are working to care for animals while owners focus on the uncertainties ahead. 

“It takes a whole bunch of stress off and then they can worry about what they’ve got to worry about outside of their animals,” added Wackerbauer.

As of Thursday (July 30), the shelter was caring for 49 chickens, 17 cats and 11 dogs all sleeping overnight, with two other dogs enlisted in day-boarding. Beyond food and shelter, staff say they’re trying to give each animal a routine that feels as familiar as possible in an attempt to sustain normalcy.

“Lots of play time. Lots of cuddles. Just ensuring they feel well here, too,” says Tasha Bedd, with the Kamloops Ruff Start Rescue Society. “They’ve been displaced and [it is] super uncomfortable for them as well as their owners, so we just want to make sure their owners know they’re safe and being loved and, you know, they’re happy.“

Owners are encouraged to visit their pets while they wait for evacuation orders to be lifted. But until that day comes, the shelter will continue to provide one less thing for those affected to worry about.