Eaton Fire aftermath: Over 400 pets reunited, over 100 still awaiting their families

Pasadena Humane has been working to care for and reunite animals displaced by the devastating Eaton Fire.

With over 400 pets having already been successfully reunited with their families, the rescue’s efforts have brought immense relief to the community, described as a “huge lift” by Kevin McManus of Pasadena Humane.

However, the shelter still cares for over 100 pets that remain separated from their owners.

The chaos of the fire and subsequent evacuations led to many pets escaping or being left behind, and they are now being sheltered at Pasadena Humane. These animals have sustained various injuries including smoke inhalation, singed paws, burns and dehydration. McManus said the shelter’s priority has been to treat these conditions with necessary medical interventions such as fluids, oxygen and pain medications.

McManus acknowledged that identifying and reuniting pets with their owners remains a complex task. The shelter initially extended the stray hold period from the typical California norm of five days to 21, and recently decided to extend it further to 30 days. This step is aimed at providing owners more time to locate and claim their pets.

“We right away knew that five days, which is kind of the norm in California, was not long enough,” McManus said.

Microchipping has played a crucial role in facilitating quicker reunions. According to McManus, over the past two and a half weeks, microchip technology enabled the shelter to reunite pets with their families without detours to the shelter.

Despite these remarkable efforts, McManus highlighted the distressing reality that over 100 animals remain without identified owners.

“We are still facing over 100 stray animals who we have not been able to identify their owners, probably impacted by the fire,” he said, prompting a call for assistance from the public. The shelter hopes to avoid opening the adoption process immediately after the extended period, wishing instead for all pets to find their rightful homes.

Pasadena Humane, supported by volunteers, strives to provide a comforting environment for the animals, ensuring regular exercise for dogs and stress relief for cats, a task that McManus emphasizes is crucial to the wellbeing of the animals.

“We are really trying to make it as safe and as homelike as possible,” he said.

For those who have information on lost or found animals, or if animals are discovered in evacuated areas, the Eaton Fire Animal Rescue Hotline remains operational and encourages reports at 626-577-3752. As the community continues to recover, Pasadena Humane relies on collaborative efforts to bring every pet back to its family.

Visit Pasadena Humane online for more information.

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