Cowboy 911: the rise of a Facebook group that helps animals and their owners during California wildfires

Cowboy 911: the rise of a Facebook group that helps animals and their owners during California wildfires

4 years ago
Anonymous $9ruWwTnhZq

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/20/cowboy-911/

After Justin Jones, a cowboy from Red Bluff, helped an elderly couple whose horse trailer had a flat tire on the side of the road, he decided to create a Facebook group dedicated to helping people with animals. Two weeks later, the deadly and destructive Carr Fire hit nearby Shasta and Trinity counties, forcing people from their homes. Not all of them were able to take their animals with them.

A year and a half later, Cowboy 911 has become a lifesaver for thousands of animals, using the power of social networking to help connect volunteers with those who need help during emergencies. The group has grown to more than 30,000 members on Facebook, become a nonprofit and received plenty of recognition. It now has chapters in three counties — Tehama, Shasta and Placer — and will have 10 more chapters after the beginning of the year, once other volunteers complete their training, which includes tips on evacuating animals.

Cowboy 911: the rise of a Facebook group that helps animals and their owners during California wildfires

Dec 20, 2019, 3:28pm UTC
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/20/cowboy-911/ > After Justin Jones, a cowboy from Red Bluff, helped an elderly couple whose horse trailer had a flat tire on the side of the road, he decided to create a Facebook group dedicated to helping people with animals. Two weeks later, the deadly and destructive Carr Fire hit nearby Shasta and Trinity counties, forcing people from their homes. Not all of them were able to take their animals with them. > A year and a half later, Cowboy 911 has become a lifesaver for thousands of animals, using the power of social networking to help connect volunteers with those who need help during emergencies. The group has grown to more than 30,000 members on Facebook, become a nonprofit and received plenty of recognition. It now has chapters in three counties — Tehama, Shasta and Placer — and will have 10 more chapters after the beginning of the year, once other volunteers complete their training, which includes tips on evacuating animals.