Getting farm animals to dry land is "quite hairy"

Waters from the swollen Snohomish River crept steadily up the side of John Deck's barn Tuesday afternoon, threatening the dairy cows the Monroe farmer hadn't yet moved to higher ground.

Deck, who earlier had fretted because he hadn't been able to milk the relocated cattle, turned his full attention to moving the remaining animals out of harm's way.

"It's halfway up the barn," he said of the water. "We have calves in there."

Farmers and other owners of livestock in the rural areas of Snohomish and East King counties used boats, trailers and brute force Tuesday to move cows, horses, sheep, dogs, birds and an assortment of pets from flooded fields and barns and onto drier ground.

Animal-rescue teams with Pasado's Safe Haven in Monroe fielded frantic calls throughout the day from animal owners unable to get to their flooded properties and from passersby who saw animals stranded amid the rising waters.

Even standing in a few inches of water poses health concerns for animals, said Kim Sgro, executive director of Pasado's.

"They're unable to eat," she said. "Their hooves begin to rot, and that can lead to euthanasia. It can happen pretty quickly if they're submerged for a period of time."

Scores of animals were taken to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, which Snohomish County officials opened early Monday as an emergency camp for livestock.

By Tuesday afternoon, more than 175 horses, a dozen cows and goats, a handful of dogs and exotic waterfowl, three zebras and two reindeer were billeted there. Officials said they expected more than 240 stalls to be full by Tuesday evening.

Most of the animals came from farms and pastures near Monroe, Sultan and Gold Bar, where flooding was at it worst Monday. But as rivers crested farther downstream Tuesday, officials said animals were expected from Snohomish, parts of Marysville and elsewhere.

Inside one of the stalls at the fairgrounds, Janet Grinstead poured water for one of three horses she'd brought in from Startup. She said waters already were seeping into the barn as they made their escape.

"It was quite hairy for a while," she said. "By the time we were ready to leave, the water had totally flooded out the barn."