Amid the mud and debris that plague Petrópolis, in the Serra do Rio de Janeiro, at least 50 animals were rescued in the region after the heavy rain this Tuesday (15th).
Through a partnership between the State Department of Agriculture and volunteers from the Disaster Animal Rescue Group (GRAD), dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and even chickens lost throughout the city are being taken by rescuers to veterinary clinics and hospitals.
The teams work together with non-governmental organizations, which have been in charge of directing the animals to temporary homes.
The idea is that, in the coming days, when the municipality is in a less critical situation, they will be put up for adoption.
In two days, with the help of the NGO Rio Eco Pets, the group has already collected a ton and a half of feed. More supplies are expected to arrive by Saturday (19).
The Secretary of State for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Supply, Marcelo Queiroz, highlights the importance not only of shelters, but also of drinking water and food for these animals.
“Any temporary home is welcome right now. And we, as a State, will offer all the logistics for any NGO that wants to collect food and bring it here to Petrópolis”, she claims.
This Thursday (17), the Federation of Commerce of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Fecomércio-RJ) and the National Service for Commercial Training (Senac) made available to the secretariat an adapted bus to assist in bathing and grooming the animals. The “Mobile Pet Mode”, as the vehicle is known, allows care to be carried out in different locations.
“This partnership is very important, because the rescued animals are very dirty, and this will speed up the process and help in the rescue of more animals”, says Queiroz, responsible for Public Policies for Animal Protection and Welfare in Rio.
The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, reinforces the need for attitudes towards the animal cause in the midst of the tragedy. “Animals deserve all our attention and affection right now. They are scared and far from those they trust the most. The teams welcome, care for and feed them,” he says.
Veterinary doctor and founding member of GRAD, Carla Sassi, draws attention to the delicate moment experienced by the city. “The situation really is a war scenario, very similar to what we found in 2011”, she compares.
“The demand is very high. There are many animals in risk areas, which have already been evacuated, and many in homes that are completely condemned”, he warns.
Sassi, who is also a civil firefighter, reports how the group has acted in the areas most affected by the rain. “Our job is to rescue these affected animals and, above all, to provide assistance to the families, so that they are no longer a concern at this difficult time”, she explains.
Source: CNN Brasil
