The Animal Rescue Craft Guild makes items for kangaroos, koalas and other animals affected by the ongoing bushfires
Animals in Australia are also victim of the wildfires. While Australia’s disastrous wild fires continue and we hear of the terrible toll on animals, an army of volunteers is working on a solution. The Animal Rescue Craft Guild has seen its membership explode as people from all over the world join the call to make pouches, wraps and nests for the animals in need.
CNN reports that in the middle of last year, the group had only around 1,000 members who were busy knitting blankets for rescued pets. But with the fires ravaging Australia, they switched their attention to help the wild animals which have been affected.
By New Year’s Day, the guild’s membership had swelled to 23,000 and now there are more than 120,000 crafters from all over the world.
Australia bushfires in pictures
They make joey pouches for orphaned kangaroos, wraps to comfort traumatised bats, mittens for injured koalas and nests for refugee birds. The initiative has brought together the elderly from care homes, kids at schools, and even men and women serving time in prison. And, it has spread to include people from places like Singapore and Finland.
The guild’s Facebook page has 229,000 members and offers patterns and advice for people who want to help. The items are sent to Australia by hitching a ride with people travelling to the country. Those with not-so-nimble fingers can donate money to help buy raw materials or pay for postage.
If you would like to know more, head to the Animal Rescue Craft Guild on Facebook and sign up.