When residents throughout Los Angeles were suddenly forced to evacuate due to the fires, countless animals were also in dire need of a safe place to escape. Unfortunately, many pets became separated from their owners during the chaos, adding even more concern to an already alarming situation. But thanks to the help of community members and volunteers, animals are starting to find their way back to the safety and comfort of their families. Below you’ll find some heartwarming reunions between Los Angeles pets and their owners.
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A reunion with a dog that survived after five days alone
Casey Colvin, a Pacific Palisades resident, was desperate to find his beloved pup Oreo after the small dog ran away during the fires on January 7. He had been at work when the evacuation alert was issued and spent five hours in traffic trying to get home so he could save his two dogs. Though a firefighter was able to rescue his other dog Tika, Oreo had taken off.
Naturally, Colvin was devastated and began making posters and taking to social media to try and find him. After five nights, Colvin received the news he had been hoping for: Oreo was okay.
According to NBC Los Angeles, a dog tracker found the pup sleeping on the rubble of his neighbor’s house. When Colvin called from outside the gate, Oreo went happily running through the property to see both him and an equally excited Tika.
“You’re alive, you’re alive,” Colvin cried out as he made contact with his furry friend. “Thank you, Jesus, thank you, God.”
Watch a clip of the emotional and heartwarming reunion below:
An animal shelter shares reunion news
Pasadena Humane, an animal shelter in Pasadena, California, has been treating and housing local animals since the fires broke out. But amid the stressful time, there have been some happy tales shared on the nonprofit’s Facebook page.
The first involved a dog named Canelo who was brought to the shelter with singed paw pads and bad burns. After being treated in the ICU, the pup’s owner reached out looking for him. “Canelo’s family had to evacuate the fires, and Canelo had jumped out of the car in the chaos of the evacuation,” a post from January 9 reads. “Their reunion was an emotional one. Canelo will continue to stay at Pasadena Humane until he can safely return home with his dad.”
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Another positive reunion took place with a couple of kitties who are now able to return to a permanent residence. “Mr. Butter and Oreo were able to head home recently after their family had brought them to us for emergency boarding once they were evacuated,” the shelter wrote. “We’re so happy these cats had a safe place to wait out the situation at Pasadena Humane.”
The organization’s hard work has certainly not gone unnoticed, as many commenters expressed gratitude for everything staff has done for the furry friends.
How the community is helping lost pets
Other reunions around Los Angeles have been possible thanks to the efforts of residents of the community. Multiple Facebook groups (with some, like Save LA Fire Pets, created specifically after the disaster) have been tirelessly posting about lost and found animals with the hopes of reuniting pets with their owners.
PawBoost has been particularly helpful for people, with listings blowing up on the respective community Facebook pages. (Oreo the dog was even reported as lost via the platform before his heartwarming reunion with Colvin).
In one post, a black cat named Midnight was reported as lost on January 8 by her owner. She had gone missing during the evacuation process in Altadena and her dark color made it impossible to find her.
After 19 hours of worrying, an update was shared that she was home safe and sound. “Thank you to Kimberly and to Pasadena Humane!!!” shared the cat’s owner. “We got our Midnight back and it’s an utter miracle. Our house is gone but because we have our beloved pet back nothing else matters right now. My heart goes out to those still looking for their pets.”
Another post stated that a cat by the name of Dizzy escaped in Los Angeles on January 11 during the chaos. Though the kitty was only gone for 40 minutes, it didn’t make the reunion any less sweet.
“Thank you so much for all of our neighbors who sprung into action,” Dizzy’s owner wrote. “We are so relieved to have our girl back!”
With residents so eager to help reunite pets with their owners, here’s hoping more animals will soon be safe and sound back with their families.
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