Follow up. Continuous coverage Wildfires in Southern California.
Nicole Montanez called four hotels Tuesday before finding a room where she could safely leave with her son and her 4-year-old pet, Diego. The dog continued to cough during the 75-minute car ride from Pacific Palisades to Marina del Rey, where the family was sheltering from wildfires en route to Los Angeles.
“I have to give him a bath,” Ms. Montanez, 42, said of Diego. “It smells like smoke too.”
The wildfires that have killed five people and displaced tens of thousands since Tuesday morning have also created chaos for the dogs, cats and other animals that call Los Angeles home. . While some owners have fled with their pets, a network of rescues and shelters in the Los Angeles area is straining to care for the hundreds of animals left behind.
More than 180 animals of all shapes and sizes have been released here. Pasadena Human As of Tuesday night, said Kevin McManus, the shelter’s public relations manager. “There is a pig on site at the moment,” she said. “We had a pony until about 15 minutes ago.”
Shelter staff are scrambling to make room for the incoming animals in the coming days, as locals learn the extent of the damage to their homes and businesses. A room often used for neutering dogs has been converted into additional kennel space. The shelter is asking for volunteers to foster animals to help with the influx.
“We’ve had to move everyone around like Tetris pieces,” Mr McManus said, adding, “We still have a queue of people out with their pets, Waiting to be brought in.”
Megan Fenner, Administrator for Lange FoundationThe animal shelter in West Los Angeles said it has received about 60 calls from terrified pet owners since the fire. The rescue is distributing pet food, blankets and medicine to owners who have been left in a hurry without essential supplies.
Ms Fenner said three dogs had been released as of Wednesday morning and more cats were on their way. She said she fears the shelter will soon run out of space. He said that if we need, we can make temporary pens.
Los Angeles Department of Animal Services. Instructing pet owners Westwood Recreation Center and Ritchie Wellness Recreation Center, which accept evacuees and their small pets. According to the department’s website, larger animals such as horses can be brought to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.
Jill Tucker, chief executive of the California Animal Welfare Association, said it’s hard to say how many pets have been displaced by the wildfires, but the number is likely in the thousands. She spent Wednesday in a Google group collaborating with more than 300 shelters and other animal welfare organizations in the state.
“There is always the risk that the winds will change, and the shelters that are taking care of the animals will then have to evacuate,” he said.
Ms. Montanez, starving in a hotel room in Marina del Rey, still doesn’t know whether her house burned or the clothing store she owned in Palisades was destroyed. “It’s not necessarily at the forefront of my mind as much as the importance of my dog and my baby being safe and with me,” she said.