Animals Affected By Fire In Jeff Davis County
By: Jackie Smith
Updated: April 12, 2011
FORT DAVIS -- The Rock House Fire has destroyed homes, ranches, farms and livelihoods in Jeff Davis County. Lots of animals were affected by the flames.
"All my cattle and all the puppies both -- they've inhaled a lot of smoke and everything else." said Ginger McGough, who owns cattle in the area.
McGough lost her 130-year-old home in the fire, and all she has left are her animals.
"They came by a little while ago and said they were bringing hay and feed for the cattle," said McGough. "So that'll help a bunch."
The blaze burned pastures to a crisp. This is a big problem, since Fort Davis depends on animals to make a living. Donations of hay have been coming in, but still the farms remain empty.
"People leave their cattle to areas of the ranches that aren't burned," said Jeff Davis County agent Logan Boswell "Some don't have that luxury, because it burned all the grass on their ranches."
But for McGough -- who lost everything -- she's happy to have her animals.
"I found two dogs and lost a cat," McGough said. "And I'm hoping my cat will show up. I hope she got out. But other than that, this is my home and my life right here."
Some animals were lost and severely burned in the fires. But Boswell said the animal population wasn't as hard hit as it could have been.
"All my cattle and all the puppies both -- they've inhaled a lot of smoke and everything else." said Ginger McGough, who owns cattle in the area.
McGough lost her 130-year-old home in the fire, and all she has left are her animals.
"They came by a little while ago and said they were bringing hay and feed for the cattle," said McGough. "So that'll help a bunch."
The blaze burned pastures to a crisp. This is a big problem, since Fort Davis depends on animals to make a living. Donations of hay have been coming in, but still the farms remain empty.
"People leave their cattle to areas of the ranches that aren't burned," said Jeff Davis County agent Logan Boswell "Some don't have that luxury, because it burned all the grass on their ranches."
But for McGough -- who lost everything -- she's happy to have her animals.
"I found two dogs and lost a cat," McGough said. "And I'm hoping my cat will show up. I hope she got out. But other than that, this is my home and my life right here."
Some animals were lost and severely burned in the fires. But Boswell said the animal population wasn't as hard hit as it could have been.
