Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (Jan. 14, 2025) – Everyone knows that Southern California has some of the most beautiful weather in the world, but over the last several days Helen Woodward Animal Center has discovered the true beauty lies in the heartwarming generosity of its community. An enormous amount of requested donations for the LA County fire victims and their pets have come pouring through the Center doors, filling up multiple box trucks, the Center’s Rescue RV, and any remaining storage space. Now at max capacity, the Center is pausing its donation drive while the Rescue RV delivers the much-needed supplies over multiple trips north. Still aiming to make a difference in the on-going efforts, Helen Woodward Animal Center is donating a check of $50,000 to SCPA Los Angeles and is asking the community to match it.
The fires that erupted across Los Angeles last Tuesday, are said to have been fueled by powerful winds and extensive drought conditions resulting in a perfect and devastating storm of apocalyptic proportions. The unprecedented result was the destruction of thousands of infrastructures, hundreds of homes and the death of at least sixteen people. Shelters are set up around Los Angeles County to provide a space for the now homeless families but the need is great.
Last Thursday, Helen Woodward Animal Center set up a donation drop outside the adoptions building and hit the road in its Rescue RV (with gratitude to the Linda C. Scott Fund for Animal Welfare, The San Diego Foundation, and the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust). Blue Buffalo, Barons Market and Midwest Vet immediately provided needed pet food, crates, snacks and bottled water and the San Diego community came out in full force over the weekend, providing an endless stream of crucial items from paper towels, to pet food, to bedding, to clothing, to kitty litter.
With most donation centers running out of storage space and pausing on the receiving of tangible goods, heartbroken San Diegans are asking what they can do to help. Helen Woodward Animal Center hopes to lead by example by making a $50,000 donation to SPCA Los Angeles. The organization that is heading Los Angeles animal search and rescue, veterinary care for lost animals in the area and the sheltering of community pets, is in desperate need of monetary assistance. Those who are able are asked to donate directly to https://spcala.com/.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP:
- Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Club Pet facility is offering free kennel space to pets of those who lost their homes in the Los Angeles County Fires. If you know someone sheltering in the San Diego area who is seeking kennel space for their pet, please contact Club Pet at (858) 756-4117 x 2.
- Helen Woodward Animal Center and Feeding San Diego will be partnering THIS morning (Jan. 14th @ 9:30 a.m.) to support human fire victims. Feeding San Diego is working with their colleagues at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, who are facing urgent need due to the wildfires. Right now, they are in critical need of Bottled water/hydrating beverages; Snacks – protein bars/granola bars, fruit snacks etc.; and Ready-to-eat meals. Donation items can be dropped off at Feeding San Diego in Sorrento Valley (9477 Waples St. Ste. 100 San Diego, CA 92121). Drop off hours 8am-4pm Monday-Friday this week.
- Please take care of you and your pets by having a FIRE SAFETY PLAN in place.
- Place a pet alert sticker in the window of your home.
Include how many pets are in the home, what types, and any important information for locating them.
- Keep pets near entrances when away from home.
Close off back bedrooms and bathrooms where pets may hide. This will make it easier for firefighters to find them. Make sure collars and leashes are easily accessible.
- Include pets in your escape plan.
Create an escape plan and practice it regularly. Someone will need to be in charge of getting your pet out of the house if there is reasonable time to do so.
- Keep important supplies in the trunk of your car.
If your pets have special items that would be hard to obtain when escaping a house fire (medicine, special food, etc.), make sure to have a small supply in the trunk of your car for emergency escapes.
- Have your pet microchipped and keep tags up to date.
In the event your pet is able to escape, this will make it easier to find him or her after the fire.
- Do a fire prevention scan of your home.
Inquisitive pets can start fires. Never leave open flames unattended, consider removing stove knobs, and invest in flameless candles.
For more information on Helen Woodward Animal Center, please call (858) 756-4117, or go online at https://animalcenter.org.
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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: https://animalcenter.org.
