Animals across California are experiencing a crisis due to the recent L.A. County wildfires, but organizations like Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue and L.A. County Animal Care & Control are working to ensure they get the help they need.
Jackie Mullaney arrived at the office of Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue in the Palisades the morning of Jan. 7. The smoke was already visible and planes in the distance worked to extinguish the fires, she said. Mullaney’s boss, who also lived there, was working remotely in Colorado, so Mullaney kept her informed with videos and messages.
“And everyone was kind of communicating, saying, like, ‘Do we evacuate? Should we leave?’” Mullaney said.
The animals the rescue cares for are all in foster care, so Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue didn’t have to load up any animals. However, they did need to grab all of the office’s files and important documents kept on hand in the office, Mullaney said. This would be the last time they saw their office.
The Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue has spent the past 25 years rescuing dogs from being euthanized by placing them in foster homes. Since the onset of the fires, Mullaney said her team has been busy reaching out to shelters impacted while also searching for a new office.
“That way, we can get some of those dogs out of the shelters and start putting them into foster homes,” Mullaney said.
The dog rescue works to ensure the animals they receive are up to date on vaccines and that any medical concerns are well taken care of, Mullaney said.
“We provide all of their food and supplies and take care of them while we look for their forever homes,” Mullaney said.
The Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue has an adoption event Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Petco in West Hollywood to raise donations, Mullaney said.
“We really need beds, toys,” Mullaney said. “We have tons of beds in our office that were completely destroyed.”
L.A. County Animal Care & Control is responsible for sheltering hundreds of displaced animals, big and small, across their seven care centers. Since the L.A County wildfires began, the L.A. County Animal Care & Control has sheltered over 200 livestock, including horses. They have also rescued 100 small animals including dogs, cats, turtles and chickens, Public Information Officer Chris Valles said.
Their staff works around the clock at all locations to provide the much-needed service for animals directly affected by the fires. Teams across the seven care centers work relentlessly during 12-hour shifts switching off continuously, Valles said.
The L.A. County Animal Care services six other communities outside of Agoura, but Valles said all of their care facilities have been overwhelmed since the beginning of the wildfires.
“It [the fires] has inundated our care centers,” Valles said.
However, they’ve received a lot of assistance from adoption partners, rescue organizations, Northern California animal care welfare agencies as well as out-of-state agencies, Valles said.
“They have stepped up tremendously and adopted and rescued many animals that have been in our care for such a long time,” Valles said.
Various organizations’ partnerships have allowed the L.A. County Animal Care centers to take in an influx of animals impacted by the wildfires, providing them a safe home until they can be adopted or returned to their original owners.
All seven locations including Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson, Castaic, Downey, Lancaster and Palmdale are open to animals affected by the fires. Valles said all seven of the L.A. County Animal Care centers offer shelter to small animals affected by the fires.
Valles said there are a few ways the public can get involved to help assist L.A. County Animal Care & Control in providing care to innocent animals.
“We’re asking the community to come forward and if you can adopt an animal, again that’s been in our care, that helps us tremendously,” Valles said.
Through January, L.A. County Animal Care & Control is working with Petco Love to make adopting an animal a little easier by reducing the adoption fees “to encourage people to come to adopt,” Valles said.
They are also calling willing community members who cannot adopt to consider fostering an animal instead.
“And fostering is just as good as adopting, because even though the animal may not be there long term or permanently, it does give them a sense of normalcy and great socialization skills,” Valles said.
For individuals who may have lost an animal due to the fires, Valles said to visit their website to see if the lost pet is listed. All residents living within regions impacted by the fires will not have to pay a fee so they may be reunited with their pets.
Valles strongly advises those evacuating and preparing to evacuate to pack an animal emergency kit just in case. Items he suggests including in the to-go kit include veterinarian paperwork, photos of the pet, microchip, any medication the pet is prescribed, leashes, food and a blanket.
“If an evacuation order is issued, you can just grab that and leave right away,” Valles said.
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