Although the population near the erupting Chaiten volcano in southern Chile has been evacuated, the pets were left behind. The Coalition for Ethical Control of Urban Fauna didn’t accept the situation and requested that the pets be rescued as well.

Now, help is on the way for hundreds of household pets left behind. According to The Associated Press, about 450 dogs and 350 cats were left behind when the town's residents were evacuated after the initial eruption on May 2.

“They asked us to bring food for the pets, and police and soldiers would feed the animals,” said Alejandra Cassino, a representative of the animal welfare group, at a small demonstration in Santiago. The welfare group is also struggling to have access to the pets and is also hoping to have enough time to find them.

“There are some people among us thinking of a commando operation to reach the town,” Cassino said according to The Associated Press.

A 30 mile area around the volcano was planned for evacuation, although some of the farmers there had to be forced to leave. The government is also removing livestock and offering cash payments for animals that do not survive.

Cassino said that the operation of rescuing the cats and dogs would take 48 hours “because we would have to chase the pets, sedate many of them, separate them, put them in cages.”

President Michelle Bachelet visited the region Saturday as the volcano kept on spitting ashes and dense clouds of smoke. Officials said the volcanic emissions could continue for weeks or even months.