China's Earthquake: Beginning to Discover the Reality

Further reports from IFAW's Asia Regional Director, Grace Gabriel from China:

A journalist friend who got a lift from the military chopper into the epicenter sent some pictures back. Since we asked him to help us get first hand information about the situation on the ground, he took some pictures of animal rescue attempts. 

My heart almost jumped out of my mouth when I opened the picture. Kati was holding a small dog amid mountains of rubble. She is in Bei Chuan, the epicenter of the earthquake. (See photo on from previous blog post)

The town is located in the foot of the mountains and is surrounded by agricultural communities.  The town is completely devastated: there is very little left standing and the roads into it are completely blocked by rock slides.  One must hike in with all one's equipment and supplies for up to 2 hours, depending on how far into the community one tries to go. 

Kati and other rescue workers helped locate and rescue people that are buried, bringing them IV fluids, water and basic medical treatment. At the same time they provided assistance to the animals when they can.

As Kati reports, “I pulled one little lap dog from the rubble and stabilized him long enough for him to chew through the makeshift leash while I was away scouting and to run off.  I left bowls of water throughout the town, and I think that there is sufficient food to be found among the rubble for the pet dogs to survive for a while until they make their way elsewhere.”

Another rescue worker found a dog and a cat severely injured and he did what he felt the most humane thing. He killed them. A woman, perhaps herself homeless cupped water in her hands to feed a cat.