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This breaks our hearts...
So sad

Photo by Fiona Hamilton
Ruth Lynn lost everything and believed Bruno to have perished in the fires

Reported By Sarah Gordon in Australia via Facebook:

As the nation mourns the devastation caused by these fires let us not forget the hundreds of thousands of animals affected as well. There is no way to know just how many thousands of animals have suffered. It is guaranteed though that even when the fires are extinguished, the suffering does not end there. The loss of their habitat, food and mates suggests the vast scale of the disaster. Those who have escaped the wrath of the flames now face the threat of starvation. What can we do?

Wildlife Victoria suggest... "At this stage for the public to be putting a lot of pressure on the Department for any culling permits within any of these fire areas to be revoked, to ensure whatever wildlife is salvaged and looked after,"

Populations of native animals in these areas will be greatly reduced by this tragedy. Anything we can do to ensure their survival should be done.

Wildlife Victoria also state
"The treatment and rehabilitation of a single burnt koala costs over $400 per week, and can last many, many months. Please help us continue to save animals' lives long after the camera and glare of the media have gone."

Any suggestions, links to organisations helping, are most appreciated.

There are roughly 500 Victorian Wild carers volunteering to help in this tragedy. they are working round the clock receiving over a thousand calls a day. The money they use comes directly from their own pockets. Even a small donation helps. The best links I have found are these, please feel free to post any others you find!

(If you can only donate to one fund I recommend taking the time to look through all links and discover which one you wish to help the most, All are in need, All are very grateful for even the smallest donation.)

Wildlife Victoria
http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/cms/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=43

Wildhaven Shelter rebuilding project
http://candobetter.org/node/1064

Animal Aid
http://www.animalaid.com.au/support-to-bushfire-victims.html

Nigel's Animal Rescue
http://www.animalrescue.com.au/fire_crisis.php

Wildlife Rescue and Protection
http://www.wrap.org.au/index.php

Help for Wildlife Victoria
http://www.helpforwildlife.com/help_for_wildlife.html

RSPCA Victoria
http://www.rspcavic.org/campaigns_news/news_bushfires.htm

Northeast Victoria Wildlife Rescue
http://www.wildliferescuenev.com/victorianbushfires.htm

Lort Smith Animal Hospital
http://www.lortsmith.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=449&srcid=397

Badgar Wildlife Rescue Victoria
http://www.wildlifeshelter.org.au/about.htm

Wildlife Rescuers Victoria
http://www.wildliferescuers.org.au/index.html

W.R.E.S.
http://www.wres.org.au/

Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter
http://www.samthekoala.com.au/

Operation Haybale (For the donation of HAY only)
http://www.operationhaybale.blogspot.com/

Fun4Paws (please follow link to see how you can help)
http://www.fun4paws.com.au/home

Green Cross Vets across the country are also collecting donations

From Tara Bramwell:
Found this link. It maybe useful for reuniting animals and their familes. It has a list of animals lost and found as well as a list of pounds and shelters. If you register, you can list animals too. Just click on the approriate tab.

http://www.doglost.com.au/class/index.html

I know many of us have had the email going around but fun4paws have now updated their webpage to include on online questioneer/ form for those willing to foster domestic animals -any of them. Please don't call the numbers, they sound like they are swamped and want to leave the numbers open for those needing the service.
http://www.fun4paws.com.au

/home

Amelia Fritz clings tightly to her teddy. It's a small conciliation for one who has lost so much at such a young age. But with the tender love and care of Sanctuary staff and wildlife carers, Amelia has a fighting chance.

Amelia was brought to the Healesville Sanctuary tired, hungry, dehydrated and traumatised after fires ravaged her habitat near Alexandra. Two staff from the Sanctuary negotiated road blocks and detours under the guidance of authorities to rescue Amelia and three other koalas. They had been taken in by wildlife triage points - make-shift clinics set up by the community to do all they can to help wildlife injured in the fires. These triage points are often staffed by people who themselves experienced their own losses in the fires.

Amelia is now being treated for dehydration and burns to her feet. Every 48 hours the veterinary team from the Australian Wildlife Health Centre change Amelia's bandages and clean her wounds with saline. This process takes almost an hour. She is now in the safe guardianship of wildlife carer Liz, who is also looking after another three koalas in her Healesville home.

With its lean, muscular body and strong limbs, Koalas like Amelia are well suited to life in the trees. Front and hind legs are almost equal in length, with five-digit paws specially adapted for grip. Rough pads on the palms and soles and long claws on each digit help her grip tree branches and trunks. These are essential for climbing and injuries to claws can hinder their survival. On each front paw, two fingers act like thumbs to enable a tighter grip.

Victoria has the highest population of koalas in the wild in Australia (and the world).

Amelia has been given the last name of Fritz in honour of the brave policeman who rescued her.

*From Melbourne Zoo's website (partner to Healesville Sanctuary)

link to site...
http://www.australianwildlifecentre.org.au/
I could not locate a donation page but you may have more luck then me! Follow the link to the website for the sanctuary