Leoni Byron-Jackson’s phone has been buzzing non-stop since Monday as people find injured wildlife around the Lismore area and many local vets remain closed.

In the days since a record-breaking deluge hit the area, Ms Byron-Jackson, a WIRES member, has sent dozens of alerts to an army of volunteers who are doing all they can to retrieve local animals.

“It’s 24/7 at the moment, but it’s fine because I am stuck at home,” she said. “We’re getting everything – birds, bandicoots, echidnas that are found swimming and exhausted and possums.”

Ms Byron-Jackson, a Goonellabah resident, is co-ordinating rescue efforts while also looking after a baby echidna that came into her care on Thursday.

“I am so proud of all of the rescuers and carers who are doing this work, especially in such shocking conditions. So many carers have lost everything: their homes and everything they have is gone.”

Meanwhile, social media videos show good Samaritans in boats guiding horses to safety through rushing floodwaters, while emergency services have been busy saving people and animals alike.

On Wednesday, Fire and Rescue NSW conducted a complex rescue in Casino, traversing a ravine to get three people and seven Chihuahua puppies to safety after they had been cut off when flash floods destroyed a bridge to their home

Meanwhile, Victorian Police have been sent to NSW to assist with rescue efforts, including that of a family of five stuck in floods near Ballina.