Manitoba Wildfires: Evacuees Leave Pets Behind, Sparking Community Response

Wildfires Force Manitoba Evacuations, Leaving Pets Behind The recent wildfires in Manitoba have led to widespread evacuations, leaving many residents with the difficult decision of leaving their beloved pets behind. CTV News spoke with Heather Lazowski, an evacuee from Flin Flon, who described the harrowing experience of fleeing her home with only her family and pets. "We didn't have a lot of time to pack anything," she said, visibly emotional. "We had three dogs and two cats to bring with us and my child." Lazowski and her family found refuge at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg, which is pet-friendly. However, many other evacuees were not as fortunate, leading to concerns about the welfare of animals left in affected areas. K9 Advocacy Manitoba is actively working to address the crisis, collecting food and supplies and coordinating efforts to transport animals to safety. Chelsea Kork, director of K9 Advocacy Manitoba, explained, "The first responders are going to be feeding them, so I'm going to be going and trying to get as many pallets of food as we can to try to feed these animals for the indefinite amount of time that they might be up there alone." D'Arcy's Animal Rescue Centre is also playing a crucial role, receiving donations of food and supplies from Winnipeggers. Annie Johnston, the shelter manager, noted the outpouring of community support. "We are getting so many donations of food in the last weekend, and we have been able to send that and supplies like collars and leashes to some of the community centres that are housing some of the evacuees." Despite the challenges, the community's response has shown a strong commitment to helping both people and animals affected by the wildfires, offering a beacon of hope amidst the devastation.