Australian Animal Rescue Inc

Victorian Bushfires 2009

Australian Animal Rescue played an integral role from the outset in rescuing animals from the bushfire affected areas. Hundreds of animals have been retrieved from the bushfires, triaged and sent onto wildlife shelters for rehabilitation.

Australian Animal Rescue along with Help For Wildlife and Badger rescued or witnessed some of the following injured species that were retrieved from the bushfires.

Koalas: Sustained 1st to 3rd degree burns on front and rear paws as well as smoke inhalation.

Wombats: Sustained burnt feet singed fur and smoke inhalation. 

Kangaroos/Wallabies: Those that survived the horror were lucky, others had severely burnt feet, coats, legs and tails and generally traumatized as well as smoke inhalation.

Bird Species: Chooks, lyrebirds, parrots, peacocks etc those that survived incurred minor burns.

Echnidas: Fortunately, many survived the fires but some did sustain minor burns and had burnt quills.

This is a small amount of the animals that were saved, Nigel spent 2 weeks climbing trees up to 140ft to retrieve the surviving animals such as koala's, Nigel traveled over 5500 Km between Whittlesea and Gippsland areas. It was as arduous and dangerous task that had to undertaken to save the lives of our precious wildlife.

Australian Animal Rescue and team would like to give a special thanks to:-

• 3AW Radio (for getting the appeal out to the public)
• Casey Graphics (For designing and constantly updating the Nigel's Animal Rescue website)
• Robbo's Pet Barn (For donating animal food and supplies)
• Topdeck (For donating the ute tray needed for donating food for animals)
• Ruddocks (For supplying Cages, holding pens and dishes)
• Mornington Mazda (For supplying the Mazda Bravo to Help For Wildlife)
• Gary Lechte ( For organizing petrol vouchers)
• Castrol/BP service stations (For donating petrol vouchers)
• Oakleigh Police Station ( For organizing the public donations of food and supplies)
• Deals Direct ( For supplying cages)
• Traction Tyres ( For donating tyres for Nigel's car, so he could safely continue his work)
• Narre Warren Rotary ( For lending us a storage shed)
• Suppliers ( Hartmann Australia for supplying bandages and Atrauman and Baxter for supplying lifesaving fluids)
• Vets: Special thanks to Dr Howard Ralph (IFAW) Greencross vet clinics, The Ringwood vet, Hurdstbridge vet, Niddrie vet, and Whittlesea vet.
• And a special thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who helped out day and night during this devastating time of February 09.

Emergency Numbers for Wildlife.