Hundreds of displaced pets find refuge after being displaced in the LA wildfires

Written by on January 24, 2025

(Los Angeles) — Whimpers and whines can be heard long before the sad feline and canine faces are visible within one Los Angeles-area animal shelter that has been overflowing since the fires.

Nearly 1,000 displaced and stray animals have come through the Pasadena Humane Society, just half a mile from a stadium housing people displaced by the fire.

Hundreds of animals are unidentified and waiting to be found by their owners; others are being housed at the shelter while their families find a place to live.

Several of the four-legged guests are receiving urgent medical care for burn injuries.

Among those rescued is a mama dog that was nursing her tiny puppies against the back wall of her kennel when ABC News visited on Thursday.

A kitten named Angel had all four paws wrapped in casts, yet slept soundly in her kennel with a cone around her neck.

The unfortunate reality is that there are still many pets that have yet to be safely recovered and hundreds of pet owners have not located their beloved family members after losing their homes.

Lost-and-found pet posters stapled to telephone poles are no longer an option, especially in fire-ravaged neighborhoods in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, where over 10,000 structures have burned to the ground.

A handful of “lost and found” pet pages emerged on social media after the fires, aiming to reunite lost pets with their families.

Desperate owners have been posting photos of their pets, hoping someone has seen their beloved family member.

Pasadena Humane Society has taken to putting out food and water in their now-uninhabitable neighborhoods, hoping to lure pets back — or, at least, stay nourished until they are found and reunited with their owners.

Unclaimed animals — listed as strays — will be held at the Pasadena Humane Society for 30 days and then placed for adoption.

Animal volunteers are urging the parents of lost pets to check local shelters each day in the hope of being reunited with missing animals.

Meanwhile, other pet owners who evacuated and lost their homes are taking refuge at hotels across Los Angeles.

The famous Beverly Hilton, which is known for hosting both the Golden Globes and Daytime Emmy Awards, is currently housing hundreds of displaced residents and their four-legged friends.

A “glamorous zoo” is how Hilton spokesperson Cody LaGrow described the scene, with hotel staff doing everything possible to accommodate the animals from a hospitality perspective.

The hotel is providing “wee wee” pads, helping with pet food and buying pet beds for guests.

The “pooch invasion,” as LaGrow described it, is a story of hope — with the hotel becoming a site of coping, resilience and emotional support, for both people and their cherished pets.

ABC News’ Brandon Chase contributed to this report.

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