Rescued pets from Chaitén arrive in Puerto Montt

SANTIAGO.- Four days after their rescue, pets evacuated from the danger zone surrounding the Chaitén volcano finally arrived in Puerto Montt. The arrival has brought much joy not only to the owners of the animals, but also to the organizations that had petitioned authorities to evacuate them.

After leaving Chaitén, the 74 dogs were taken to Villa Santa Lucía, in the province of Palena, where they were housed at a military facility.  There, Army personnel fed and looked after the dogs for four days.

The dogs had to travel almost 36 hours in order to arrive to Puerto Montt.  At times, the animals could not even access water, since on their way through Argentina (where the truck transporting them was forced to pass), the Argentine National Health Service did not permit the cages to be opened due to the fact that the dogs lacked the required paperwork.

According to Bío Bío Radio, the animals are being examined by the San Sebastián University Department of Veterinary Medicine in Puerto Montt.