Pets are family members. Just ask any pet owner.

When a family is thrust into a stressful situation like the Aspen Acres wildfire, worrying about their pets can make the stress much worse. According to a survey conducted following Hurricane Irene in 2011, more than half of pet owners did not evacuate their homes because they had no place to take their pets.

So when hundreds of families began evacuating from Pueblo and Custer counties, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region quickly set up an emergency pet shelter at 1521 Cooper Place in Pueblo, not far from a local American Red Cross shelter for displaced residents, so families can be near their pets.

“The first dog came in on Monday, June 29, at about 6:30 a.m.,” said Community Animal Response Team member Lori St. Arnault. “By 1 p.m. that day, we had three dogs and two cats.”

Since then, the number of displaced pets has exploded, according to HSPPR officials. On Tuesday, the team was housing 263 animals: 130 dogs, 129 cats, two snakes, a guinea pig and a rabbit.

“You do all the planning, you have scenario training, you do simulations – and then, there’s the reality,” said Jessica James, HSPPR’s vice president of philanthropy. “It’s hard to adequately prepare for an operation this size.”

About 85 of the animals have been moved to the HSPPR shelter on Eagleridge Drive in Pueblo, either because they had specific medical needs, or because they had trouble adjusting to their new environment.

As of Tuesday, 63 pets had been returned to their owners, James said.

Volunteers from across the Pikes Peak region have raised their hands, eager to help with feeding, walking, and other forms of care. But this has been a unique situation, with specialized needs.

Many of the displaced dogs and cats have spent their entire lives in rural surroundings, with plenty of room to roam. Some of the dogs are ranch animals, accustomed to having jobs. Before the wildfire forced them from their homes, many of them had never ridden in a car or slept in a pen.

“So many Good Samaritans have wanted to jump in and help,” James said. “But this is not an everyday situation. We need people with animal handling experience.”

CART team members and Humane Society staffers have been working around the clock, feeding, cleaning, comforting, and caring for animals that under a great deal of stress. Not wanting to leave the pets alone, the team also has an overnight shift of six caretakers.

“We have some people who are sleeping here for safety,” said Humane Society CEO Kelley Likes. “We also just put up safety cameras. Not that we’ve had any issues, but it’s just part of a good operation.”

Rural dogs are accustomed to lots of exercise, so team members have also been walking the dogs four to five times a day, which presents its own set of challenges, St. Arnault said. Many of these dogs had never been attached to a leash before.

On Tuesday, a team from the American Humane Society arrived in Pueblo to assist the Humane Society with animal care. The national organization maintains trained disaster response teams and specialized resources stationed across the country.

“Our rescue team is on the ground in Colorado with a single mission: providing a safe haven and compassionate care for more than 200 animals until they can be reunited with their families,” said Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Society.

Animal care specialists from the ASPCA are expected to arrive later this week.

As temperatures in Pueblo reached a searing 98 degrees on Tuesday afternoon, the pets were resting in shade, with large cooling fans facing their pens. In addition to food, water, and medical treatment, these pets need love – a fact that has not escaped the Pueblo team.

“We spend as much time with them as we can,” St. Arnault said. “We give them as much love as we can.”

Donations have flowed from Pikes Peak area residents and businesses, including several hotels, James said.

“We’ve received sheets and towels from the Best Western, The Antlers, and The Broadmoor,” she said. “Some of these animals are going to be living in luxury.”

The Humane Society’s greatest need, right now, is monetary donations, James said.

“Everyone is loking to pitch in, so we feel very supported,” she said. “But at the end of all this, it’s going to be a significant expense of overtimes, supplies, medical care, that HSPPR is footing the bill for.”

How you can help

Those wishing to make monetary donations can visit the Humane Society homepage, HSPPR.org, and click on the “Donate” button.

The Community Animal Response Team at the Pueblo County Fairgrounds needs senior horse grain and grass hay. Donations can be brought to gate 6 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Lost pets

If your pet went missing near the fire, please check the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region Lost and Found webpage. The nonprofit requests that owners come in as soon as possible to reclaim animals or call the shelter, so they can move the pets to the temporary shelter. 

Those looking for pets can fill out a lost report and contact Animal Law Enforcement dispatch at 719-302-8798.