Nicole Montanez called four hotels on Tuesday before finding a room where she could safely evacuate with her son and her 4-year-old Havanese, Diego. The dog coughed throughout the 75-minute car ride from Pacific Palisades to Marina del Rey, where the family was taking shelter from the wildfires searing through Los Angeles.
“I’ve got to give him a bath,” Ms. Montanez, 42, said of Diego. “He smells like smoke, too.”
The wildfires that have killed five people and forced tens of thousands to evacuate since Tuesday morning have also created chaos for the dogs, cats and other animals that consider Los Angeles home. While some owners have fled with their pets in tow, a network of rescues and shelters in the Los Angeles area is straining to deva for the hundreds of animals that have been left behind.
More than 180 animals of all shapes and sizes have been dropped off at Pasadena Humane since Tuesday night, said Kevin McManus, the public relations manager for the shelter. “There is a pig here on site right now,” he said. “We had a pony up until about 15 minutes ago.”
The shelter’s staff is scrambling to make room for the animals that it expects will arrive in the coming days, as locals discover the extent of the damage to their homes and businesses. A room often used for neutering dogs has been converted into extra kennel space. The shelter is asking volunteers to foster animals to help with overflow.
“We’ve had to start moving everybody around like Tetris pieces,” Mr. McManus said, adding, “We still have a line of people with their pets outside, waiting to bring them in.”
Megan Fenner, the administrator for the Lange Foundation, an animal shelter in West Los Angeles, said she had gotten close to 60 calls from panicked pet owners since the fires began. The rescue is distributing pet food, blankets and medication to owners who may have left in a hurry without necessary supplies.