Appeal for donations to Portugal forest fire relief fund

6 November 2017

The following is news of an appeal from the Portuguese Small Animal Veterinary Association (APMVEAC) to help animals and their owners affected by dreadful fires in Portugal last month.

On 15th October, forest fires in Portugal burned 200 000 hectares of land and 45 people lost their lives. Thousands of animals also died: mainly sheep, goats, poultry and dogs. In this region most people have small properties and depend on agriculture and cheese making and for a small country like Portugal, this is a catastrophe. The surviving farm animals now have nothing to eat as the pastures, hay and feed rooms have been burnt to the ground.

To tackle the devastation, hundreds of volunteers, including veterinary staff, have moved to the region. Eye witnesses are sadly encountering thousands of animals that have been burnt alive. Surviving sheep and goats have had their udders burned and are not only in pain from that, but they are unable to be milked, so are getting mastitis and are consequently dying.  Volunteers are also coming across dogs with burnt paws.

Local people are concerned that they are unable to feed the animals that have survived, as pastures have been destroyed plus there has been no rainfall in Portugal for the last six months.

As no plan has been put in place by the Portuguese Government yet, the Portuguese Small Animal Veterinarian Association (APMVEAC) has stepped in to offer support.  The organisation has already sent 14 tonnes of hay and one tonne of pet food to the area, with another 25 tonnes of hay being collected to send.

However, much more is needed.  The APMVEAC is therefore calling on all veterinary professionals to kindly donate to the relief fund urgently. The residents have already lost so much; family members, friends, property and their animals. The public have the power to make sure they rebuild their lives as quickly as they can before many more animals die.

UK based individuals can donate using the instructions below:

APMVEAC Portugal

IBAN: PT50003300004543553215705
SWIFT: BCOMPTPL

Bank Address:
Millennium BCP Bank
Avenida Álvares Cabral, 3a
1250 – 015 Lisbon
Portugal Beneficiary Millenium BCP Portugal

Sort Code: 60-00-04
Account number: 1001458
Reference: 0045435532157

To receive a receipt – please send the bank transfer confirmation to donativos@apmveac.pt

Thank you for helping.

Progress can be followed on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/APMVEAC/