Pets board emergency flight out of California as wildfires rage across Los Angeles area

LOS ANGELES – When devastating wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area last week, residents across Southern California were given little or no time to pack up what they could and get out of harm’s way.

During disasters, pets can often escape or become separated from their owners, leading to additional stress for families who don’t want to leave their furry friends behind to fend for themselves.

It then becomes the work of first responders and animal shelter staff who work to locate lost pets and try to reunite them with their heartbroken and worried families.

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As the Palisades and Eaton fires continued to rage, the already cramped animal shelters in the Los Angeles area became even more crowded, and that’s when the Best Friends Animal Society sprang into action.

“We didn’t hesitate for a second,” said Holly Sizemore, the chief mission officer for the Best Friends Animal Society. “L.A. is a second home to Best Friends.”

The organization’s headquarters is located in Kanab, Utah, but it also has centers in New York City, Salt Lake City and Bentonville, Arkansas.

As the wildfires began in the Los Angeles area, Sizemore said they knew they had to help in any way they could.

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“We didn’t pause for a second,” she said. “The second those fires started, we were gathering together, figuring out how we could help.”

She said she was amazed by the team in Los Angeles who were personally impacted by the wildfires.

“They all have friends and family who have lost everything,” Sizemore said. “And yet, they’re still putting in the 12-hour days to help the animals and the people of (Los Angeles).”

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Emergency rescue flight helps free up space, resources at Los Angeles animal shelters

As the battle against the apocalyptic wildfires in the Los Angeles area continued, pets from animal shelters were loaded onto an emergency flight for a trip to the Best Friends sanctuary in Utah.

“Best Friends has helped transport hundreds of animals out of the L.A. area since the fires broke out,” Sizemore said. “We are taking pets that were already in shelters that were up for adoption, to make room for animals that are displaced by the fire, which these shelters desperately needed that help.”

The Best Friends headquarters in Utah is the largest animal sanctuary in the country, home to more than 1,000 cats, dogs and other animals.

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“Horses, pigs, birds,” she said. “It’s a place where we honor every animal.”

Through a partnership between Wings of Rescue and Best Friends Animal Society, an emergency flight out of Burbank, California, brought 84 pets, including 58 cats and 26 dogs, to the sanctuary in Kanab.

Those animals will now receive lifesaving care at the location and will continue their journey to find a loving family of their own.

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Best Friends has helped during previous disasters

This isn’t the first time that Best Friends has helped pets during a disaster.

“Best Friends has been helping with the hurricane season on the East Coast most recently,” Sizemore said.

That help has gone as far back as Hurricane Katrina.

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“In fact, it was Hurricane Katrina that helped pave the way for a lot of reform in government and emergency response to allow pets into emergency sheltering settings because we know people will not leave their homes if their pets can’t come with them,” Sizemore said.

According to Sizemore, Best Friends was part of the push to change those rules.

“Now we’re very grateful that there are many options for people who did have to evacuate with pets,” she said. “However, it was so chaotic. There’s still a long road ahead and there’s going to be a lot of pets in need.”

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What do I do if my pet is missing?

If you’re among those who evacuated and are missing pets in the wake of the historic wildfires in Southern California, Sizemore said the best thing to do is to contact your local shelter.

“All the shelters are talking to one another,” she said. “It’s a bit chaotic right now, but be patient. Best Friends isn’t taking any animals that were directly displaced by the fires. We want to get those animals back with their owners. And, so, the best place to do that, is to contact your local shelter.”

Although the situation is heartbreaking, Sizemore said it has been humbling to see such a tragic incident create such a feeling of resilience and togetherness.

“The people and pets of L.A. will never be the same again,” she said. “But we are there to help the community. And we’ve just been amazed at how the community itself has risen up to help the people in Los Angeles. Our hearts go out to them, and we’re going to do everything we can to help.”