When Christchurch was hit by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake on 22 February 2011, hundreds of animals went missing or became trapped in homes after their owners were forced to leave. This special episode of SPCA Rescue sees a specialist team travel from Wellington to rescue trapped pets in the cordoned off Christchurch red zone. Cats are sought in upended apartments, and a variety of animals require rescue from the severely damaged vet school. Adding to the drama, search And rescue dog Sasha mysteriously falls ill, several other canines turn up lost, and a turtle sanctuary faces crisis as water becomes a rare commodity.