Animals rescued across NSW as groups share stories and advice

As flooding and heavy rain extends across NSW, animal protection groups are sharing their incredible stories of animal rescues and providing advice to affected pet owners.

Concerns remain among protection groups for animals – both domestic and wild – given the severe flooding across parts of NSW, with reports of rescues and the encroachment of wildlife to homes as they seek shelter.

Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) – Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation – believed the heavy rainfall could see an increase in waterlogged wildlife around the home, as their habitats were flooded.

“Animals will often choose a dry spot on verandas, porches, garages, under eaves and in garden sheds,” WIRES spokesman John Grant said.

“It is best to just leave them undisturbed and they will depart of their own accord when the weather clears.”

Bolt the brush-tailed possum was found injured and waterlogged on the front porch of a Mascot residence.

Mr Grant noted one particular case in Sydney’s southeastern suburbs where a wet and injured baby brush-tailed possum was rescued from a front porch at Mascot.

Mr Grant said the juvenile possum, nicknamed Bolt, was expected to make full recovery and be released back into the wild soon.

“He’s since been dried off, warmed up and eating well in the expert hands of WIRES carer Kirsten who is treating an infected wound on his back,” he said.

Two orphaned Red-necked wallaby joeys in care after their patch in a garden around the Northern Rivers was destroyed. Picture: Supplied

Fire and Rescue NSW have similarly been responding to cases of animal rescue across the week.

On Friday, firefighters overcame floodwaters to carry out a rescue of a furry kind at Wallacia, in Sydney’s west, where Teddy, an Irish Wolfhound, was having life-threatening complications after an operation a few days earlier.

Two firefighters accessed the property and successfully reached the dog, which was later treated by a veterinarian.

Seven puppies were also rescued from rugged terrain outside of Casino on Friday by the service.

Teddy rescued by local FRNSW staff in the floods on Friday. Picture: FRNSW

RSPCA NSW chief executive Steve Coleman said while people took priority, there had been a positive shift to the assistance given to pet owners affected by flooding.

“When ordered to leave a property, owners can be reluctant if they can’t take their pets,” Mr Coleman said.

“If we can help the services evacuating people by making sure that there are support networks for those owners and animals, it just makes everybody’s life easier.

“During this week it’s been incredible to see that animals and pets are very high on the list of what people need to think about now when they are preparing to evacuate.

“Pets never used to get mentioned, but it’s important for people on a lot of levels.”

Bolt the brush-tailed possum was found injured and waterlogged on the front porch of a Mascot resident. He has since dried off and is expected to make a full recovery. Picture: Supplied

The RSPCA do a lot of their flood work after the event, helping livestock owners and going in after to help animals, but also during the event at evacuation centres.

“We work quietly and carefully with people as they bring in animals so that they don‘t create additional stress for owners or other people in the evacuation centre,” he said.

“If we can even just provide a bit of guidance, such as making sure that different animals are separated – that sounds silly in the scheme of things but it just takes the edge and additional stress off people.”