Flood Update

It has been a crazy week for so many people who have been affected both directly and indirectly by the South East Queensland Floods ~ but for many Central and North Queenslander’s it has been a crazy month. There has been so much publicity about SE QLD but not much about the remainder of the state. Sadly, lives have been lost and the RSPCA has estimated that 3000 animals are missing throughout QLD which is just devastating. The rescue mission has only just begun and the water has subsided enough to allow rescue crews in without risking their own lives and many groups and individuals are out there helping the victims, searching for injured wildlife and domestic animals and volunteering with the cleanup which will take months. It will take QLD 2 years to fully recover from this disaster and with the human spirit at its highest there is much support and love flowing freely. After the floods the amount of people posting wanting to help was amazing and the RSPCA was inundated with emails and calls offering assistance and volunteering. But on the other hand it has brought out the worst in some people with looting, profiteering and scams so please be careful who you give your money to when wanting to donate to flood relief funds.


Jen Mallock and Yvonne Lucus are two very amazing women who have gone far beyond helping with arranging a helicopter to drop feed to stranded horses not once but twice and have now arranged for the QLD police to pull dinghy’s filled with feed out to them on police jet skis. This is just one story ~ The Burpengary RDA needed help urgently with donations of items and help with the cleanup of their grounds and during their first working B hundreds of people showed up which was more than amazing. The QLD Horse Council has developed a database for lost and found horses which will reunite animals and owners quicker. The RSPCA and Animals Welfare League have been working around the clock with rescues, injuries and emergency accommodation for all animals including horses. Becca Niit arranged for so much feed to be donated and she delivered it to the area in need the most at that time which was Gatton ~ she is still needing feed donations if you can help her please call 0433284725. Lynette Sutton and her daughter Steph from Hoofs2010 Inc have arranged for 1000 bales of hay to be sent from NSW to the most affected area as well and from what I have been told, she in on her way with it today ~ just amazing.

There are many more individuals reaching out their hands and their hearts in a time when so many people need it the most and for that we all have to be grateful. I have seen many comments saying “what about Rockhampton” and “who is helping the 30 horses stranded” or “why are you helping the RDA when they can fundraise themselves” the answer to all of this is “we are all doing the best we can with the recourses we have.” The media was in full swing when Toowoomba got flooded and the water started heading down the lockyer Valley which is why so many people have put their hand up to help SE QLD, instead of being negative it’s much more constructive to get your issue known. If you know of an issue/person/animals needing help ~ reach your hand out and ask for help. No one will know about it if the message isn’t shared with the wider community and I can assure you there will be 100 people willing to help with the issue at hand.

The RSPCA are an amazing organisation in times like this and they need recourses as well. If you can help with cash donations then please jump on the link below and help them rescue as many animals as they can. https://donate.rspcaqld.org.au/flood


Horse deals have also set up a flood appeal ~ please have a look at their website http://www.horsedeals.com.au/gallery.php?showID=12813


And Quest Horse Rescue have set up a flood appeal ~ please have a look at their website http://questequinewelfare.org/equine-flood-assistance.html


Please know that these groups are all set up professionally and all legally. There are many groups out there asking for donations and money but please be careful and make sure you are 100% comfortable with the organisation. Ask them for the not for profit number (this is not an ABN) and make sure they are registered with their governing body in the state they are fundraising in. In QLD this is the office of fair trading. The flood victims need all the help they can get so please just be careful were to send your money to.


Well done to each and every person who has donated time, money or items in this horrible time ~ well done to the people who have offered accommodation and housing for people and animals and well done to the thousands of people who are registered to volunteer ~ this is true human spirit, with no ego and no need for recognition but with and open, loving heart ready to give and expecting nothing in return.