By Ewen McRae
A downpour last week has led to a flood of support for a local animal rescue shelter.
The Bacchus Marsh region experienced a high amount of rainfall on June 3, with the Coopers Animal Refuge in Bullengarook recording 88 millimeters for the day.
It meant an unhappy time for the refuge’s many animals and owner Christine Gilmore as the whole refuge flooded.
“It was great to get the rain, but it was just too much, too quick,” Ms Gilmore said.
“We did lose one joey, but all the animals were like drowned rats. We’ve got joeys, wombats, sheep and chickens, so they were all in need of some help.
“The biggest concern was that we would lose more animals, which probably would have happened if we didn’t get the help.”
Ms Gilmore put a post on Facebook calling for help from the community, and was soon inundated with offers from across the region, with many now offering their help on a regular basis.
“All these people we didn’t know just showed up with drills and shovels and hoes, and they were trenching and patching and helping the animals get safe and dry,” Ms Gilmore said.
“We actually had to turn people away on the day because the response was so big, but since then we’ve had donations of beds and feed, and people wanting to help out in other ways.
“I was just gobsmacked by the response from the community.”
