Even with the reduction of rain in Rio Grande do Sul, the rescue of domestic animals continues to occur daily through the work of volunteers who work in areas that are still flooded in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre. In the Mathias Velho neighborhood, in Canoas, one of the most affected, boatmen and veterinarians have been called when they receive reports of an animal on the roof of houses. On the afternoon of this Tuesday (21), for example, Agência Brasil witnessed the arrival of a young woman with her cat.
Very close by, on land next to the train station in the Mathias Velho neighborhood, an improvised shelter exclusively made by volunteers has already sheltered more than 2,700 animals, most of them dogs. According to the state Civil Defense bulletin, released this Tuesday (21), 12,358 animals were rescued in the state. The majority are in temporary shelters like this one in Canoas.
“At first, we will wait for the water to recede and give people a period of time to visit the shelter and identify the animals. After this period passes, we think about releasing it for adoption. We know that many will not return home”, says veterinary student Katiuska Leivas, one of those responsible for the shelter. The area, which is around 2 thousand square meters, is full of corridors with dogs accommodated in wooden pallet structures. An emergency care area was set up, but the most serious cases have been referred to the veterinary hospital at the Universidade Luterana do Brasil (Ulbra), where the largest shelter for people in the state operates.
The Mathias Velho animal shelter space, however, is being transferred to another pavilion in Canoas, with a bigger and better structure, provided by the same owner of the current area. The city council provided buses for transportation. “It was the only help they have given so far,” says Katiuska.
To facilitate the reunion of animals with their owners, they created a page on the Instagram platform, called Wet Paw Shelter, where they publish photos of the animals and report on donations received. “We are going to have to become a shelter [permanente]. A month from now, we cannot turn our backs, go back to our lives and leave these animals,” she notes.
