As firefighters are trying to contain fires in the Los Angeles region, tens of thousands of people and animals have been displaced by the devastating wildfires. Shelters across California are mobilizing to help.
At the San Francisco SPCA, we’ve been working with shelters across the state to assist our partner shelters in LA, which are grappling with an influx of displaced and injured animals.
Soon after the fires started, we dispatched a team to LA, bringing essential supplies and staff support to help local shelters manage the growing crisis. This effort resulted in an airlift operation from Chino Airport to Moffett Federal Airfield to transport adoptable animals to Bay Area shelters. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our friends at Amelia Air Rescue and Mission Flight.
“This trip is a collaborative effort across shelters and teams,” said Aeris Velasco, Assistant Manager of Adoptions here at the SF SPCA. “We’re working together to transport adoptable dogs and cats to the Bay Area so LA shelters can focus on reconnecting displaced pets with their families.”
Many of these animals are now in our system, receiving health checks, and should be available for adoption in the next few days. All animals from LA will have their adoption fees sponsored due to the generosity of our donors.
Improving access to care—even in a disaster
Our primary focus during the LA wildfires is helping our partner shelters accommodate animals displaced and injured by the fires. However, our efforts extend beyond immediate disaster relief.
The recent LA wildfires highlight the urgent need to address systemic issues like access to veterinary care and shelter overpopulation, which have compounded the current animal welfare crisis in LA. Even before the LA wildfires, California had already been experiencing an unprecedented animal crisis, with overcrowding in many shelters—especially those in LA and the Central Valley. Improving access to essential veterinary care, like spay and neuter programs, is critical to breaking the cycle of overpopulation.
Our hearts are in LA right now and our organization will continue our mission to ensure that every companion animal has access to quality medical care, compassionate shelter, and a loving home.
A network of compassion
This emergency response exemplifies how communities can work together to save lives. We are so grateful to our network of volunteers, fosters, adopters, donors, and supporters who have come together to support disaster relief efforts.
When the LA wildfires started, we reached out to our community to help us clear our shelter to make space for adoptable animals coming up from LA. As a result, we were able to adopt out 123 animals into loving homes. Foster volunteers also stepped up to host animals in their homes, and we received an overwhelming number of new foster applications. We are so grateful for your support and assistance!
Our online community has also helped tremendously by spreading the word about our needs and efforts. Thank you for your likes, comments, and shares! We will continue to keep our community updated as the LA wildfire situation develops. Stay in touch with the SF SPCA by signing up for our newsletter and following us on social.