Valencia’s pet victims: How dogs, cats and even an OSTRICH were found alone in the flood-ravaged Spanish city as rescue team launches desperate bid to reunite them with their owners
A dusty football field has been turned into a makeshift animal shelter for rescued pets after the devastating floods in Valencia that killed more than 200 people.
Dozens of dogs, cats, ferrets and even horses, donkeys, tortoises and an ostrich have been surrendered after being found by search teams in fields and faded houses.
An army of vets, animal psychologists and volunteers – including one of Spain’s biggest soap stars – have joined forces to help care for the animals who are cold, sick, hungry and disoriented.
When MailOnline visited Sporting Benimaclet in central Valencia, animals were scanned and those with microchips or tags were set aside while attempts were made to trace their owners.
So far, 30 dogs and cats have been reunited, but several calls have gone unanswered – raising fears that their owners may be among the victims of the disaster that occurred after more than 41 square kilometers of land was flooded.
One of the many rescued dogs at Sporting Benimaclet in the center of Valencia
A rescued cat is monitored by a worker at the makeshift shelter in Valencia
Volunteers with one of the rescued cats, who is now being cared for after the ordeal
A rescued dog in the makeshift camp, with piles of dog food and pet food
One of the dogs rescued during the major operation in Valencia after the catastrophic floods
Among those who have offered support is British maths teacher Andy Lofthouse, 45, who took in an American pit bull named Zeus
Market researcher Lucia Navarro, 35, one of the volunteers, told MailOnline: ‘So many animals have come here since the tragedy.
‘We have had dogs, cats and even an ostrich and we do our best to house them with their owners.
‘The animals are found by civil protection teams and brought here, but we also receive animals from the volunteers on site who bring them here to care for us.
‘The first thing we do is look for a chip or a tag so we can call the owners. We have had some success, but in some cases there has been no response, so we have to put the animal aside.
“Some of the people who respond are in tears, saying they can’t take their pet back because their house has been washed away and they just don’t know how to care for their animal, and they’re heartbroken.”
Volunteers also sift through dozens of social media posts in an attempt to match the arrivals with calls from owners looking for their missing pets.
If an owner is unable to pick up their pet, the animal is put up for adoption and there have been over a thousand registrations – more than three for everyone brought in.
Lucia joked: ‘It’s like Tinder for animals and owners.’
One of the rescued pets is pictured with volunteers at the center
One of the animals is being petted after its terrible ordeal during the floods
Among those who have offered support is British maths teacher Andy Lofthouse, 45, who took in an American pit bull named Zeus.
Andy, who is originally from Leicester but has lived in Valencia for 20 years, told MailOnline: ‘Our thoughts are with those affected by what has happened.
‘When you see the images it’s just terrible, but it’s good to see everyone working together and trying to help.
“We’ve had dogs before and one died last year and another last month. When we heard about the animal shelter, we contacted them.
‘When we went there we saw Zeus and he was walking across the field on a leash and he looked quite sad.
‘But when we went there he was so happy to see us and he’s actually a big softie. He has settled in with us and is now a much loved part of the family.’
A rescued dog is being cared for by two people at a center in Valencia after the city was hit by catastrophic flooding
Market researcher Lucia Navarro, 35, one of the volunteers, told MailOnline: ‘So many animals have come here since the tragedy’
Bird cages and other pet equipment are stored in tents at the campsite
The center, which houses dozens of animals, contains piles of donated pet food
Volunteers have brought in tons of pet food as well as leads, bowls and travel cages for the animals and all donations are being sorted into tents that have been set up.
Social researcher Carlos Perez, 28, who also volunteers, said: ‘We opened the day after the floods and are here from early morning to late evening.
‘Every few minutes people pass by with animals they have found from the flooded villages and towns.
“Several pounds of dogs have been washed away, and some are from those places, but other dogs are obviously people’s pets and it’s heartbreaking, but we’re trying to give them love.
‘Some are aggressive at first, but then the animal psychologist gets involved, takes them for a walk and they clamp down.’
He added: ‘Some of the dogs had been eating for days and were biting each other
Actress Sandra Cervera, 39, who appeared in top Spanish soap The Secret of Puente Viejo, and is from Valencia, told MailOnline: ‘I love animals and I just wanted to help.
The animal shelter was set up to accommodate the large number of pets that need to be rehomed or cared for until they can be reunited with their owners.
The center’s team works tirelessly to reunite pets with their owners
‘When the animals come here they are sad, but within a few hours they change and become so friendly and happy and it’s beautiful to see.
“The animals take care of us, so it’s only right that we take care of them when they’re in trouble.”
Veterinarian Fatima Azahar, who is also on site, said: ‘The animals that come here are very traumatized and we are doing our best to help them.
“We check on them, feed them, water them and give them love. Some have been in the water for several days, so they are cold and hungry.
‘The aim is to match them with their owners as quickly as possible, but in cases where there is no response because it is possible, they have drowned and we keep them aside.
‘By law, if a dog is found and it is microchipped, it must be reclaimed by its owners within 21 days, but the time limits are being extended to three or four months.’
The team is also assisted by an international animal rescue team from Portugal, which has recovered dozens of pets and in one case also uncovered a cannabis farm.
Images on their social media site showed dozens of cannabis plants being dried with an electric fan.