Cats, dogs and other pets have been displaced and traumatised by the ongoing bushfire crisis. Fire, smoke, evacuation, loss of homes and stress have caused residents to report an increase in the number of lost pets throughout bushfire affected regions.
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A Southern Highlands resident from Wingello said more than seven well-groomed plump cats had appeared in her yard. She also commented that the wild rabbit population had dropped dramatically since their arrival.
Another resident from Bowral said she had set up two rescue traps to capture pets for people who were "trying to recover their injured and traumatised animals". In particular, the woman wanted to catch a kitten she could hear meowing. The scared animal could not be coaxed out from its hiding place among reeds at a nearby creek.
Unfortunately the traps, labelled as "checked regularly every few hours" and "attempting to rescue/recover an animal that had been traumatised in the recent fires", were stolen within an hour.
From further afield, one Braidwood local shared photos on social media of a Friesian cow who wandered into their backyard on January 23.
Despite resident reports of an increase in missing animals, a spokesperson from the animal shelter in Moss Vale said they hadn't received an influx of lost pets due to the bushfires.
The Wingecarribee Shire Council offered advice for people settling pets into new surroundings.
"[We] recommend that if possible they have a blanket or piece of clothing that smells familiar and try to keep pets confined to small areas at first so as to not overwhelm them with their new surroundings," they said.
"If the pet is showing signs of distress or being overly anxious for an extended period of time then a visit to their vet may be advisable to discuss ways to help the pet settle."
Additionally, staff from the Wingecarribee Animal Shelter advised people to be aware of the signs of smoke distress. They recommended keeping pets indoors during periods of heavy smoke pollution and if they showed signs of smoke distress such as red eyes, eyes running excessively, a cough or breathing distress then a visit to the vet would be advisable. The staff said to avoid exercising pets during periods of heavy smoke pollution.