Angora fire kittens rescued, doing well

Pet Network Animal Friends, a nonprofit rescue and adoption organization in Incline Village, is helping to meet the needs of four-legged victims of the Angora fire.

The first pets rescued were six 11-day old kittens whose mother had escaped from the temporary shelter in El Dorado County on Sunday. The kittens were packed in a cardboard carrier and bottle fed every couple hours by Susan Paul, Pet Network's director of Animal Welfare.

"It's a huge responsibility to take care of these infant cats, but I felt an immediate reward holding onto them and securing their lives amidst such heartbreaking disaster," she said.

After 24-hours of round the clock mothering, another animal organization was able to locate a cat in Gardnerville that had just weaned her 8-week-old kittens and still had milk to spare.

The fire kittens - Ember, Ash, Flame, Coal, Char and Soot - are now suckling from their foster mother and all are doing quite well at Pet Network.

Need help

A Lost-and-Found site has been set up to help reunite pets with their owners at: www.petnetwork.org. If your pet is missing, call (775) 832-4404 ext. 111, or e-mail a description of the animal and photo if available. to: charbert@petnetwork.org.

You can help

• Pet Network is collecting a database of volunteers who have expressed interest in helping with animal care and transportation. Call 832-4404.

• Drop off cites for pet food and supplies such as cat litter and all sizes of pet carriers, in addition to the Pet Network shelter, include: Atlantis Hotel and Casino in Reno; Fandango in Carson City; and Raley's at the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe.

More help for pets, pet owners

• Lake Tahoe Humane Society and S.P.C.A., 1221 Emerald Bay Road at the Y, will help with temporary ID tags, collars, leashes, etc.

• The society is also accepting donations and making distributions of dry name-brand dog and cat food, cat litter and pans and towels. Foster families are also needed. Call (530) 542-2857.

• El Dorado Animal Control 1120 Shakori Drive in Meyers will accept pets at the shelter for people who have been evacuated. Officers are also available to rescue animals. People who find animals displaced by the fire may take them to the shelter. Call (530) 577-1766.