Last survivor of the Cedar Fire to leave Helen Woodward Animal Center
“YANKEE” GOES HOME ON VALENTINE’S DAY
Rancho Santa Fe, CA – “Yankee”, a 32 year old horse that sustained third degree burns over 30% of his body during the Cedar Fire, is scheduled to be released from Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Equine Hospital at 10:30 am this Saturday. Yankee is the last of several burn victims to be released from the facility.
Yankee sustained life-threatening injuries when fire consumed the Lakeside home of Carolyn and Ben Casbier. Veterinarians in Lakeside told Carolyn that Yankee needed hospitalization if there was any hope of survival. He was transported to Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe where Dr. Lynn Richardson and the hospital staff began round-the-clock treatment.
“It was touch and go for the first several days” says HWAC spokesman John Van Zante. “When he arrived his face was so swollen that we weren’t sure if he could breathe.”
Care providers administered antibiotics and salves to protect the burned areas. Later Yankee’s first “bath” loosened burned skin and revealed the seriousness of the injuries. One staff member described his badly burned face and neck as “hamburger”. Van Zante recalls, “The skin and hair were gone. We could see muscle tissue. It was awful.”
Carolyn Casbier lived in her Chevy Suburban outside of Yankee’s hospital stall. Asked about her house and other belongings she responded, “It’s just all gone”. Ben Casbier had only enough time to grab the couple’s two birds before escaping the fire, forced to leave behind Yankee, another 32 year old horse, and two goats. All other possessions were lost to the blaze.
Van Zante points out, “The fact that Yankee is 32 years old is remarkable. That’s very old for a horse. But to sustain these injuries and survive is almost unbelievable. He needed Carolyn to survive. But she also needed him to maintain her focus during this time. They saved each other.”
During a news conference this Saturday morning at 10:30 Dr. Lynn Richardson and the staff of Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Equine Hospital will say farewell to Yankee and Carolyn. Before they head for a new corral in Lakeside, Carolyn will be presented with a large Valentine’s Day card containing a bill for hospital services. The bill will be marked “Paid-In-Full” thanks to donations still being accepted by the Center.
For more information about the non-profit Helen Woodward Animal Center or to make a donation call 858-756-4117, visit the Center at 6461 El Apajo Road in Rancho Santa Fe, or log on to www.animalcenter.org.
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