This week’s Pasadena Humane column is written by Dr. Maria Pyrdek, chief veterinarian and animal care officer at Pasadena Humane.
By Maria Pyrdek
As I drove home from the shelter on the evening of January 7, I saw flames racing down the hillside, transformers blowing out, and the sounds of sirens and hurricane force winds forewarning the disaster that would come to be known as the Eaton fire.
By the time I arrived home, our leadership team was already convening to discuss how to prepare for the emergent situation. Even our planning for the worst-case scenario could not have prepared us for the scale of destruction and displacement of people and animals the following day.
I returned to the shelter at 5 a.m. to find a long line of people who had evacuated with their pets and were seeking shelter for their animals. The staggering weight of the disaster, and the resilience of our community, dawned on me while I was waiting on the corner of Del Mar and Raymond for an owner and their pony. The fire had moved swiftly during the night leaving them no other option than to walk their pony four miles through Old Town Pasadena to the shelter.
Every single person I spoke to that day had a heartbreaking story of running from the flames as their homes were menaced by fire.
While I shared in people’s feelings of powerlessness against the growing fire, we at least had the power to offer people the peace of mind that their pets would be safe and cared for so they could focus on the things they needed to do in the immediate aftermath.
To deliver on our promise to our community, we needed to house more animals than ever before at an unprecedented rate. Within 24-hours, we were housing six times as many animals compared to our average population.
The effort required obtaining additional kennels, coordinating with other shelters, and converting offices and communal spaces into housing for displaced animals. In addition to dogs and cats, our shelter was filled to the brim with parrots, cockatoos, goats, chickens, wild finches, squirrels, a bobcat, a pony and even Koi fish.
Over the next week, we worked alongside national disaster response teams and continued to accept evacuated and displaced pets.
We also started to receive animals from the burn area who needed medical attention. Their medical needs were significant.
Our veterinarians and health staff bandaged burned paws and skin, provided oxygen assistance to animals suffering from smoke inhalation, and removed toxic ash that smothered their bodies.
On day two, I provided care to a husky who had blistered paw pads, corneal ulcers, singed fur covered in ash and burns from embers that had penetrated all the way through his thick fur. He was exhausted and could barely lift his head off the triage floor. As a husky owner myself, it struck me that with just a quick shift in wind direction, this could’ve been my pet needing care.
That husky is one of more than 1,000 animals who have come through our doors since January 7. Each one has a story of survival, and every single one received compassion and care through the extraordinary response from our staff, volunteers, and the broader community.
Volunteers have stepped up to provide enrichment, walks, and out-of-kennel time; organizations like the ASPCA and American Humane have sent experienced teams to assist and through it all, the unwavering generosity of donors has made this lifesaving work possible.
Providing this level of care has been an immense responsibility, but also an incredible honor. I am deeply grateful for our courageous staff, dedicated volunteers, and the community that has stood by us in the face of tragedy.
No matter the species, no matter the circumstance, we have been here for all animals in need from the Eaton fire.
If you know of pets still missing or found in the Eaton fire zone, call the Eaton Fire Animal Rescue Hotline, 626-577-3752. In addition, check the Pasadena Humane website to search for your missing pet, pasadenahumane.org