03 January 2024 15:58
Over the course of the New Year, Animal Protection received sixty phone calls regarding needy or lost animals. A spokesperson for the organization reported this on Wednesday.
Most of the calls were about lost pets. For example, cats no longer returned home or dogs ran away while walking because they were scared of fireworks, the spokesperson says. The organization sent an animal ambulance ten times to actually intervene.
This made the control room particularly challenging. The spokesperson defines the number of phone calls as “fairly stable” compared to the approximately eighty phone calls of the previous New Year’s Eve.
Twice an ambulance left to rescue a water bird. One was dead on arrival, “but it is not clear whether he was hit by a car or died from fireworks or the flu,” according to the spokesperson. The other waterfowl was taken to a shelter.
Additionally, “a terrified cat” was picked up after a phone call and taken to a shelter, in the hope that the owner would come forward. The animal ambulance also once attended a house fire.
Other organizations have also witnessed incidents
The Animal Protection Organization has thirty animal ambulances operating throughout the Netherlands. Furthermore, there are animal rights organizations that are found, for example, in large cities, but are not affiliated with the Animal Protection Organization. An example of this is the animal ambulance in Amsterdam. The activity was similar to last year, but there were more incidents that made a big impression, a spokesperson says.
“For example, there have been several dogs that ran away from fireworks and were then hit by a car or drowned in a pool of water.” The organization helped a magpie with an eyelid damaged by fireworks and, together with the firefighters, saved a dog who, frightened by the fireworks, was stuck under the seat of the car.
The animal ambulance in Utrecht was not due to leave for the fireworks victims until closing time at 11pm. After this time another emergency number may be called. The New Year’s Eve damage occurred the next day, as all four tires of one of the two ambulances were punctured. The organization has submitted a report.
Get notifications for animal news Stay informed with notifications
Image: Getty Images
Learn more about:
AnimalsNew YearInterior
2024-01-03 14:58:38
#Animal #protection #busy #missing #people #emergencies #Years #Eve #Animals