COUPLE LIVING OUT OF CAR WITH TWO CHILDREN AND 13 DOGS AFTER NSW FIRE DESTROYED THEIR HOME

Glenn and Sara Gardner saved their children and dogs, but everything else was destroyed.

The couple’s home in Mogo, on the NSW South Coast, was destroyed in the New Year’s Eve fires.

Since then, they’ve been living out of their car and a swag with their two daughters and 13 dogs.

Their home was one of over 400 destroyed on the South Coast since New Year’s Eve.

Fires tore through the small town of Mogo, destroying numerous buildings. Eight people have been killed by fires in NSW since New Year’s Eve.

Hundreds of animals had to be saved at Mogo Zoo with one staff member taking monkeys and a red panda home.

Ms Gardner said her family had lost everything — except their pets — in the blaze.

“We’ve lost our home, we’ve lost everything except for what we’ve got here, it’s just been horrendous,” she said.

“We’ve got nine dogs with us and four puppies, our two girls and we’ve got our health.”

The family is receiving help from the Batemans Bay evacuation centre.

“Stormy and Bear are chained up outside, Lucky stays with us and she roams around the car.

“We’ve got two more dogs [in the car] with four puppies and in the swag over there, there’s two more dogs,” Ms Gardner said.

“There’s one in there with my eldest daughter and one there with my youngest daughter.”

Ms Gardner said she was thinking about putting the dogs in a pen to help lift the spirits of other evacuees.

But, she said it’s been difficult getting help with all her animals.

“We’ve been told that there’s assistance out at Moruya, but we’ve also been told that Moruya is being evacuated to here, so we don’t know what’s happening so we’ll just keep the dogs with us,” Ms Gardner said.

Glenn Gardner said Tuesday’s fires were “hell”.

“We were surrounded by fire, I’ve never seen or experienced anything like it,” he said.

“It was horrific, it swept through so fast.

“They’re saying the fire front on Saturday is going to be worse than that, I can’t imagine anything worse.”

RSPCA NSW has urged people not to forget the wellbeing of their pets and other animals.

“If it is uncomfortable for a human to breathe, then it will be uncomfortable for pets too,” Sydney Animal Care Services Manager Sharon Andronicos said.

“If you are home, shut your pets inside the house to limit harm from smoke inhalation and so they are close by to exit with you once the danger has passed.”