A mobile clinic made from a van
In the fire-ravaged town of Lirquén in south-central Chile, veterinarians from Chile’s investigative police canine brigade and volunteers have set up a mobile, makeshift clinic to treat animals rescued from wildfire areas.
The clinic is treating cats, dogs and other animals that arrive with injuries consistent with the fires and their aftermath, including burned whiskers and paws, dehydration, and conjunctivitis linked to the toxic smoke.
Veterinarians work from inside a small van, providing care on the spot while residents continue to assess damage and remove debris.
‘Our main goal is to help animals’ found in rubble and ash
Veterinarian Angiella Scalpello, from the canine squad of the investigative police, described the clinic’s priority as helping animals that have been rescued or found in rubble or ash, or that escaped with their owners but were hurt by the fire.
Inside the van, the report said, veterinarians treat cases that have likely involved days under debris, including animals suffering after exposure to burning odors and fine ash dust.
Cats sheltering in corners; more survivors, and some losses
Veterinarian Juan Vivanco said the clinic usually finds cats sheltering in small corners that survived both the blaze and the days that followed.
Vivanco also warned that delays reduce survival chances, saying the team has found pets already deceased and that this happens regularly.
Once pets reach the mobile unit, the report said they receive IV fluids and a vital signs checkup, and that the most severe cases are sent to veterinary hospitals.
Volunteer reports on puppies and kittens delivered to emergency care
Volunteer Vanessa Morales said the clinic has transported four or five puppies and three kittens, describing a kitten brought the previous Monday to an emergency center after suffering burns to all four paws and its tail.
The mobile clinic also draws residents seeking help for pets experiencing stress or injuries related to the fires and evacuation.
Pet owners seek treatment and help finding missing animals
The report included an example of a senior poodle whose owner, Kevin Carrasco, said he sought help after noticing the dog’s eyes were sore with discharge, and that a veterinarian provided drops and gauze to clean her conjunctivitis.
Another resident, Yasna Hidalgo, told the report she was looking for her 85-year-old grandmother’s two dogs after the house where they lived was destroyed.
Fires ravage Lirquén and spur evacuations
Lirquén, with around 20,000 inhabitants, was described as the ground zero for the fires, with the blaze consuming 80% of the city.
Nationwide, official data cited in the report says the fires have left at least 20 dead and nearly 300 injured.
The report said that over the last three days, nearly 20,000 residents of Lirquén were affected by the Trinitarias fire, which had consumed more than 140 square kilometers (54 square miles) in the Bío Bío region and was described as the most devastating among the 30 fires currently burning in the country.
Evacuation losses include pets, residents say
Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate over the weekend, and the report said many lost pets during the chaos. Student María Paz, 21, said that everything burned and that all 200 houses in her town burned down.
She also recalled that people died, families died, neighbors died, and that many animals died, including her kitten.