AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Families who were evacuated from their homes scrambled to gather their most important items including their pets, but pets left in the Willow Creek Kennels were unable to escape the flames on their own.
When safety officials arrived to the Willow Creek Area to protect people and houses, they made sure not to forget about the pets inside the Willow Creek Kennels.
"One of the state troopers actually put some of the dogs in his car and took them, and then animal control showed-up and then the rest we actually let out of the pen or out of the front yard area of the kennel. We let them out -- it's the only thing we could do," said Jason Segura, Amarillo Fire Department Firefighter.
One pet expert says our pets are a lot like us when it comes to disaster.
"People don't realize that it's not only people that are dislocated, but it's also the pet's and they're terrified. They're always had the security and safety of their home and the people who love them, and now all the sudden you know everything is just totally out of kilter so it's going to be frightening," said Judi Glidewell, Critter Camp Owner.
Regardless of top priorities our safety officials had home owners and all their loved ones in mind.
"The mission was to protect the houses, but we were able to have a little bit of time for the animals. We love animals too -- they're important to people and we understand that so we did what we could," said Segura.
Critter camp officials have offered to help out anyone affected by the fires by keeping their pets at no cost. You can also find photos of pets that have been found on their website as well.
Our friends at Swann Animal Clinic and Canine Country Clinic are still taking in pets being brought from the affected fire areas.
The clinic provides us with ways to identify if you pet has been affect by the smoke and fire.
Signs & Symptoms:
* coughing
* dark gums
* excessive drooling
* vomiting
* lethargy
Treatments include:
* supplemental oxygen
* IV fluids for dehydration
If you have concerns you should contact your regular veterinarian.
