Help for animal shelter

With the flood came the flood of animals

An exhausted deer also came to the Parndorf animal shelter. It has already been released back into the wild.(Bild: Tierheim Parndorf)

Swallows, pigeons, bunnies, hedgehogs and even a deer moved in with veterinarian Claudia Herka during the rain.

It's not just the fire department and police who have had trouble resting over the past few days. Claudia Herka from the Parndorf animal shelter and her helpers have also been in constant action. Around 400 swallows are and have been with her because they were held up by the storm on their way south. "I also took in animals from other animal welfare organizations because they didn't have the capacity for so many swallows. Unfortunately, some of the birds didn't make it. The others are in the process of regaining their strength," says the vet. They are to be released at the weekend.

Around 400 swallows ended up with Claudia Herka and her helper. Those that have survived are to be released again by the weekend so that they can continue their journey to warmer climes.(Bild: Tierheim Parndorf)

Pigeons that had been affected by the weather were also brought in.(Bild: Tierheim Parndorf)

An exhausted deer was brought in, as was a stork. While the deer has already been released back into its territory, the stork will spend the winter with Herka. "It was so exhausted and malnourished that it would not survive the journey to warmer climes," says Herka. A lot of hedgehogs have also been brought in. If anyone would like to help, the vet would ask for bowls of cat food for the hedgehogs. Brown hares, pigeons, falcons and even a kingfisher are also guests and are being nursed back to health.

Claudia Herka would be grateful for donations - both food and money. Donation account: Raiffeisenbank, IBAN: AT78 3300 0000 0103 4974