VILOMARA I ROCAFORT – Like Extremadura and Galicia, Catalonia is also being hit by major fires. Some were created as a result of the heatwave, whereas others were ignited, such as the fire at Pont de Vilomara I Rocafort. Consequently, the animal shelter El Tuc is threatened by flames.
Employees had to watch the fire endanger the lives of their dogs. “Fears, nerves, despair, tears, flames,” the association wrote on Instagram. This was alongside the image which can also be seen on this page. The shelter put out a call on social media to help evacuate the dogs. Furthermore, there was a massive response to this.
Satisfying
El Tuc wrote a grateful response on Instagram: “Today we could say that we experienced the worst day in the history of Tuc. It was a day of fear, nerves, despair, tears, flames… But it was also a day of solidarity, community, gratitude and hope. We know you are there, but again you showed us! We are a great team! And, we didn’t want to end the day without saying THANK YOU ALL! to all of you who came to evacuate, to everyone who has welcomed a dog into their home, to everyone who has spread the word, to all the media, all the shelters that have welcomed our dogs. We can only say THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU!”
Residents helped to evacuate the dogs and they were all eventually brought to safety.
Rescue of dogs and cats nearby
As if this odyssey wasn’t enough, Refugi el Tuc also does its best to help every dog and cat affected by fires in the vicinity, such as this German Shepherd. Shirkan suffered severe burns and had to be admitted to the veterinary clinic. Fortunately, his lungs turned out to be good. The biggest problem was his legs. “He’s out of pads and the vet has to do a full sedation every day to heal him. He’s in a lot of pain,” Tuc explains on Instagram.
Hope
After many hours and days of terrible fear, good news finally arrived. On Wednesday 20 July, access to the shelter was reopened. “It seemed like a nightmare and we thought we were safe… but it seems we have been helped by our guardian angel”. Although the fire has not yet been extinguished, at least Refugi el Tuc knows that the facilities are safe, even though they still cannot go there with their dogs.
Fire under control
On Wednesday, the Generalitat fire brigade declared the fire in Pont de Vilomara I Rocafort that broke out on Sunday under control. The fire destroyed 1,743 acres and damaged dozens of homes. 200 residents had to be evacuated and residents of Rocafort and the Les Rocardes urbanization had to remain in their homes with windows and doors closed.
Refugi El Tuc’s latest Instagram post shows Shepherd Skirkan conscious with his four legs in bright pink and yellow bandages as he eats a cookie. He has a big burn on his side, but according to the vet, he is progressing well.
Also read: An estimated 250,000 animals in Galicia have died in the recent wildfires
