Thread by @AnimalsAus

Our hearts are aching.

Aching for this beautiful country we are watching turn to ash before our eyes.
For the people who have lost their lives, and the families left behind.
For the hundreds of millions of native animals who never stood a chance. #AustraliaBurning [thread 👇]

Our hearts are aching for the countless other animals – the cattle, sheep, horses, chickens, goats… the sheer scale of suffering and devastation of these catastrophic fires sweeping across the country is like nothing we have seen before.

To those who have contacted us asking how to help, thank you. We share your anguish & understand your feelings of helplessness. We are providing immediate support to wildlife vets to travel to fire-devastated Mallacoota to assist local carers dealing with injured koalas.

We're also working with authorities & organisations that are on the ground so that we can determine the most effective way for us to provide direct,meaningful assistance to animals in fire zones. We're urgently working on this plan & will reveal more details as they're finalised.

While this is a distressing time, everywhere we look we are seeing the very best of humanity – communities supporting each other, opening up their homes and properties, offering anything and everything they have to help others.

As thousands are forced to flee for their lives, we see firefighters running toward the danger – literally into deadly fires, some to never return. The bravery, compassion & sacrifice of EMS workers is unmatched. We stand extend our deepest gratitude to these heroes.

🐨 HOW TO HELP ANIMALS 🐨

1️⃣ We are taking donations for @vets_compassion to assist their efforts to reach & provide expert care for affected wildlife in Mallacoota, Victoria. Help us channel funds to emergency vets and carers here: animalsaus.org/D1t

2️⃣ Both of these organisations distribute funds to carers across NSW & Victoria and provide direct emergency assistance on the ground

🐨 WIRES (NSW) bit.ly/2NF7cSi
🐨 Wildlife Victoria bit.ly/2rNKI9u

3️⃣ Carers who have lost everything are heading out with only the clothes on their backs to help burned animals, and to do food drops for survivors. Please be as generous as possible to these remarkable individuals – donate to your nearest wildlife shelter: bit.ly/36YIa8n

Domestic animals like sheep and cattle that have managed to survive will likely require emergency veterinary intervention and food and water provision, so will require ongoing assistance and support too – we will update more on this when we can.

And of course, one small thing everyone can continue to do is to make sure that fresh water is freely available to birds and wildlife in their area – so please, make sure you leave water bowls out and keep them filled constantly for the next few months. 💦

This time of #climateemergency will require all of us to come together now more than ever to forge a path forward, and to develop meaningful solutions to the increasingly dangerous & volatile world in which we live.

But right now, there are people and animals whose lives are at stake and need all the help and support we can give them.

Please, look after each other, and support rescue and emergency efforts in any capacity you are able.