Rescued livestock now sheltering at Frontier Park in Graham and at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center owe their good fortune in part to animals that were killed in December 2007 when the Chehalis River flooded.

The dreadful stories of creatures trapped in barns or swept away by floodwaters inspired Pierce County emergency response planners to build a system for horses, cattle, goats, sheep, even llamas, alpacas and bunnies.

“In the Chehalis area of Lewis County, a lot of the cattle and other livestock were lost because they had no place to go,” Sheri Badger of Pierce County’s Emergency Management Department said Wednesday. “So here we are, opening two livestock-only shelters.”

As they ordered Orting evacuated, firefighters could offer livestock owners a stall-sized slice of comfort: Their animals had a place to stay.

Frontier Park, at 21718 Meridian Ave. E., had 53 horses in its 80 stalls Wednesday afternoon.

The Puyallup Fair & Events Center had five horses and plenty of room in its barns.

Animal owners need not call ahead to find shelter at either site.

“We will be open 24 hours a day through the flooding,” said Alan Baker, facilities manager at the Puyallup fairgrounds. “We have a gate guard who will direct them to the barns. We have lighting, water, even restroom facilities for the people who plan to stay with their animals.”

At Frontier Park, “the horses are coming in all types of trailers,” said Erin Benedict, who manages the park. “We have a goat barn with 100 stalls. We even have places for rabbits and cats and dogs.”

People, too.

“Frontier Park Lodge is ready if people need a place stay,” Benedict said. “Graham Fire Department is working on that. They’re working with the Red Cross to see if they have cots.”

People showed up all day, he said, offering to bring food to the shelter, or to say they have room in their homes for flood guests. People with horse trailers went into the Orting Valley to pick up animals whose owners couldn’t get them out.

Benedict and Baker are pleased to be part of the response. They’ve helped in past floods, but they weren’t part of the county’s coordinated response, so they got few animals.

“This is new,” Baker said. “Now we’re part of the program.”

Added Benedict: “We’re here and ready, however we can help anybody. It’s kind of neat. Everyone is kicking in. Pierce County is glad to help out. We’ve talked about it for years.”

Meanwhile, in Enumclaw, Greta Cook of the Washington State Animal Response Team stood ready to deploy 50 volunteers to rescue animals.

“We can come in with trucks and trailers to catch, load and evacuate the animals,” said Cook, who helped found the two-year-old nonprofit. “We can assist the shelters with water and feed distribution.”

Livestock owners who need help can contact her through Pierce County Emergency Management at 253-798-7470. They also can call her directly at 253- 569-7799.

Tragic as the livestock deaths were in 2007, those creatures’ legacy is saving lives today.

Kathleen Merryman: 253-597-8677

kathleen.merryman@thenewstribune.com">kathleen.merryman@thenewstribune.com