COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 26, 2012, as more than 32,000 people evacuated and 346 homes were being destroyed by the Waldo Canyon Fire, Yorkshire Veterinary Hospital in Colorado Springs opened its doors to shelter as many evacuated pets as it could hold. The animal hospital ended up boarding 47 pets pro bono during the evacuation period. While the staff worked overtime to help these animals and attend to their regular appointments, the hospital's clients helped by donating kennels and food supplies. Veterinarian and hospital owner Dr. Corrina Hamann says she is proud of how the community banded together to care for these animals during the evacuation.
The Colorado Springs veterinarian says she and the rest of the staff at the veterinary hospital are very grateful for the support their patients' families provided to those pets in need. "You see disasters like this in the news and never imagine something like this is going to happen to you. When it was clear that the scale of the evacuation and the fire were going to be huge, and that the Humane Society's shelters were overflowing, we didn't even give it a second thought that we were going to open our doors and take in as many pets as we could possibly hold."
Dr. Hamann says that their clients were heroic in supporting them in the effort. She explains that as evacuees were coming in, the families of their patients saw that the animal hospital needed extra kennels, food for all of the animals and help with clean up and time to take care of each of the evacuated pets. Some of their clients were evacuees themselves, and even they provided time and support to the hospital and the other pets in need.
The Waldo Canyon fire devastated 18,247 acres of land and displaced thousands of people and pets. The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region had two emergency shelters running at full capacity with hundreds of pets being brought in.
Dr. Scott Hamann, owner of the hospital, says he is grateful to be a part a community that loves its animals. "As a veterinarian, it was really amazing to see how everyone pulled together to help each other and to help these animals in need. We personally want to thank all of those who volunteered during what was a frightening time for everyone."
Yorkshire Veterinary Hospital has served area pets for more than 30 years with pet wellness programs, pet urgent care, surgery, exotic pet care and pet dental care. Their website is located at http://www.yorkshirevethospital.com.