By Ewen McRae
A local animal refuge has been inundated with help, after going on standby for bushfire affected animals in recent weeks.
The Coopers Animal Refuge in Bullengarook was put on standby at the start of the month, and has been ready to accept injured animals from bushfire affected areas to help nurse them back to health.
With some estimates putting the wildlife death toll in excess of 1.2 billion since the catastrophic fires began, refuge owner Christine Gilmore said the response from the community had been overwhelming.
“People just want to help out and help us in any way they can,” Ms Gilmore said.
“Just today we had a lady drop off 300 woollen pouches for animals, we’ve had bags and bags of kangaroo pellets, 40 bales of hay, just things that we need to keep up with the demand.
“At the moment there’s no animals coming out of the fire areas, because it’s too dangerous for people to enter the area to search for animals, but we’re ready to go and have lots of space for animals when that time comes.”
Other community groups have also stepped up to help out various wildlife workers in the region, including the Ballan Country Women’s Association, which has been sewing cloth pouches for joeys and other wildlife to be donated to the BADGAR Wildlife Rescue.
Ms Gilmore said more people were realising the importance of local wildlife following the bushfires.
“People have told me they want to help us, even if it’s not to do with the bushfires,” Ms Gilmore said.
“They say they’ve just now realised that what we’re doing is basically having to repopulate some of these species, like kangaroos and koalas.
“Whatever we rescue and rehabilitate will be released into the wild eventually.”
