On May 11, a volunteer appreciation lunch was held for the people who took care of evacuated pets in Slave Lake. Slave Lake hosted wildfire evacuees and their pets from Whitefish Lake First Nation. The Town of Slave Lake peace officers (right), Town of Slave Lake councillor Kim Hughes (sixth from right), and the SPCA peace officer for northeastern Alberta (left) organized the pet care. They were helped by around 20 volunteers, who took care of the pets at the pound and Multi Rec Centre. Pet owners could visit twice a day. The dog in the photo is called Grout.
Whitefish Lake First Nation sisters Bobbi-Jo Laboucan and Gwen Grey check out some of the donated clothing being offered to evacuees at the Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre on May 8. Whitefish residents had been evacuated on May 5 due to the threat from one of the wildfires north of Lesser Slave Lake.
These two kittens and other Whitefish pets (mostly dogs) were evacuated. Any pets who couldn’t stay in hotel rooms or other shelter with their people were housed in the Slave Lake pound and Multi Rec Centre change rooms and hallways. The number fluctuated, but was often around 30 dogs and cats.
