As the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and other fires spread in the Los Angeles area, Alley Cat Allies is reaching out to local advocates and strategizing how to protect cats and kittens impacted by the disaster. Our Rapid Response Team is on the ground providing supplies including cat food, and we are gearing up to cover costs of medical care for affected cats and kittens. We will keep our supporters updated.
Right now, we encourage all who live in fire-threatened areas to evacuate immediately when orders come in and to bring their animals with you. Never evacuate without them.
We have guidelines on what to bring during evacuation, how to help community cats, and more at alleycat.org/DisasterTips. Among those guidelines…
Prepare to evacuate ALWAYS with your indoor animals
Even if your house is spared, it could be a long time before you are authorized to return. Your pets could be trapped for a prolonged period without care if they are left behind. NEVER evacuate without your cats, dogs, or other animals.
Identify where you can evacuate
Plan as best you can ahead of time by consulting with friends and family who are out of your immediate area. Identifying a pet-friendly hotel or boarding facility outside the area is also recommended. Research where your community sets up evacuation shelters, keeping in mind that some shelters do not accept animals (American Red Cross shelters, for example, do not usually accept pets).
Check online or ask in your community if shelters that help animals will be set up in the event of emergency and where. As another accommodation option, Airbnb and similar platforms may be a source for people offering shelter for those evacuating from the fires. Be discerning and use your best judgment, and make contact to ensure they will accept animals.
Call on friends or family to help
If you are not home, your house is in the path of the fire, and there are animals within, call any friends, family, or others who may be caring for your animals and ask them to evacuate those animals.
Bring evacuation essentials
When evacuating with your animal, do your best to ensure you have:
- Cage/carrier, one for each animal, labeled with your contact information
- Pet food and bottles of water (at least a five-day supply)
- Medications
- Cat litter/pan
- Food/water dishes
- Blankets and toys
- Paper towels and plastic bags for clean-up
- Collars and tags for each pet, leashes for dogs, harnesses for cats
- Vaccination/veterinary records, photos, and descriptions of each of your pets in a waterproof zip-lock bag
Learn more with our Including Pets in Your Family’s Disaster Plan guide.