Qld Horses Rescued - Flood Waters Continue to Rise

As water levels in Queensland continue to rise, with peaks not expected in some areas until tomorrow, RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty has confirmed that inspectors helped rescue around 20 horses in the last week, some forced to swim behind boats to escape the rising waters.

 

Rockhampton, one of the major danger areas for rising waters, normally has only one inspector, however, the RSPCA flew in several others before the airport was closed - Rockhampton is currently closed to all transport - with road, rail and air access points all flooded.

 

On the horse rescue front, all have been successfully rescued so far, however, Mr Beatty said one operation being undertaken today is high risk as the horse involved hasn't had much handling - this rescue is in the devastated Rockhampton area.

 

Across Queensland, the floodwaters have inundated 22 towns and cities, but attention is now firmly focused on Rockhampton, which is already severely flooded and with the Fitzroy River expected to peak tomorrow, more flooding seems imminent.

 

As per previous warnings, Mr Beatty reiterated that the RSPCA has stressed that animal owners needed to move their livestock to higher ground in anticipation of the heavy rain.

 

"A lot did manage to do that," he said, "some, however, did not have high ground available to which stock could be moved.  It is too early to give any indication of livestock losses in the flood, which has inundated an area the size of California, Nevada and Maine combined".  He added, "I know in a lot of cases [owners] thought they had gotten [their livestock] on to what was higher ground but then that ground went under as well."

 

Beatty said many owners of household pets had managed to evacuate with their animals across Queensland, however, this was not the case in Condamine, southern Queensland. "They [residents] had to get out too quickly."

 

Mr Beatty has advised that in Rockhampton, the RSPCA had set up a foster scheme through which people who had not been forced to evacuate could foster pets for a time.  However, it was unclear whether the scheme could ultimately meet the demand in the face of the rising Fitzroy.  The temporary animal shelter set up in Rockhampton is full - with 82 cats and dogs now in residence.  "The problem is some people would be happy to foster pets but the body corporates in some of these apartments and town houses are just saying 'no pets'," says Mr Beatty, "so we'd like them to show a bit of compassion to be honest. It is a fairly volatile and difficult situation, surely they can relax the rules for a couple of weeks?"

 

The evacuation centre for people has about 600 occupants, but this could rise to an estimated 1500 as the flooding worsens, and their pets will need homes.

 

The Queensland state government estimates more than 200,000 residents have been impacted by flood waters it described as unprecedented.  State disaster co-ordinator, Deputy Commissioner Ian Stewart, said more than 900 houses had been evacuated across the state, with many of those residents now being housed in evacuation centres.  "We encourage residents to ensure they have considered their evacuation plans," Stewart said.

 

People in the Rockhampton region who are able to help with fostering animals, even if it's only small pets, please contact the RSPCA on 07 3426 9999.