Owners being reunited with rescued pets after chaos of wildfire evacuations

After learning that his mother's home in a Hammonds Plains, N.S., subdivision was being evacuated on Monday due to the wildfire raging nearby, Darian Savoie'stop priority was making sure her two cats got out OK.

His mother is out of town for a couple of weeks, so he sent a family friend who lives in the areato retrieve the cats, Callie and Maya.

The family friend was able to find Mayabut Callie was hiding and had to be left behind in the home becoming one of the many petstrapped in the evacuation zones.

Several organizations have stepped up to help get those animals to safety since the evacuation orders first came down over the weekend.

• Have you noticed the price of fire insurance going up? We want to hear from you for an upcoming story. Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.

In Savoie's case, after two days of worrying hecame across a Facebook pagecalled HRM-Tantallon Wildfire Lost Pets,where community volunteers are collaborating with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)and Halifax Regional Municipality's Animal Services to help retrieve thoseanimals.

Amy Wells started the group. She saidthat so far, they've managed to rescue approximately 50 to 60 petsincluding Callie.

"Now that everything's okay, I just feel like a weight's been lifted for sure," said Savoie,minutes after being reunited with Callie.

He said he wanted to give "the huge-ist shout-out to Amy and the team it's actually incredible what they're doing."

Wells saidshe's received hundreds of messages on Facebook. Some are messages of support, and others are desperate pet owners reaching out for help.

Once Wells and her team are given an address and information about a petby theirowner, they relay that information to DNR and Animal Services, who try to rescue them fromthe evacuation zones. If successful,Wells' volunteers then arrange for a heart-felt reunionwith owners at a safe location.

"We've had so many tears. [The reunions] are all happy stories," said Wells.

Retrieving Peppa the pot-belliedpig was certainly a highlight, she said.

"Peppa was very relieved to be out," said Wells. "She's probably 200 pounds."

"She had a few dog treats and she was happy," said Julie Clarke, one of the volunteers working with Wells.

The SPCA is also hard at work helping to save pets affected by the wildfires, in boththe Halifax area and Shelburne County.

As of Tuesday morning, the organization hadbeen involved with rescuingor sheltering 105 animals, said spokesperson Sarah Lyon, andthat number continues to grow.

"These last couple of days have been overwhelming," said Lyon. "They have been positive because we've been able to help animals and families as well. It's been tiring, but we absolutely feel we have the privilege to help these families."

On Wednesday morning, fire officials advisedmembers public to contact the SPCAif they have pets who are stillin the evacuation zones.

MORE TOP STORIES