An uncontained wildfire four times the size of Paris has forced thousands to evacuate their homes in the fire-ravaged region of Gironde in southwestern France. Many of the evacuees were forced to leave their pets behind amid the ensuing chaos. Our special correspondent in Gironde reports on the volunteers dedicated to rescuing the four-legged victims of the catastrophic wildfires.
The "Cabanes de Tchanquées" – a canine boarding facility in the town of Créon on the northern outskirts of Bordeaux – is packed to the brim. Dogs bark on its grounds and occasionally, a few meows pierce through the din. The facility doesn’t normally house cats but the raging wildfires in the Gironde region have seen the kennel transformed into a vast refuge for pets.
