How animal groups teamed up to save L.A. pets

When devastating wildfires started in the Los Angeles area in early January, wheels started turning throughout Best Friends to support area shelters, rescue groups, pets, and people. And Best Friends Network Partners were right alongside us the whole way. Across the country, these organizations make a difference every single day for animals in so many ways. As the nation watched the terrible fires put people’s and pets’ lives at risk, the question coming from network partners was: “How can we help?”

The teamwork and collaboration immediately after the fires were truly awe-inspiring. Network partners from 19 states came to L.A.’s aid, moving more than 1,700 pets to safety in a transport stipend program sponsored by Best Friends. There’s no question that as L.A. begins the long process of rebuilding, they won’t do so alone.

Here are highlights from just a few of the partners that supported the animals in Los Angeles when they needed it most.

A Friend of Jack Rescue in Colorado assisted L.A.’s animals in several ways. Founder Allie Bradshaw personally flew in to assist with relief efforts on the ground. And the rescue group took in 26 adoptable dogs from L.A. shelters to relieve pressure and create space for fire-related emergencies. Each dog they took in from L.A. was met by a foster volunteer, eager to take them home and care for them until adopted.

Upon hearing cats would be coming up from Los Angeles amid the wildfires, the people at Celestial Zoo Pet Rescue went to work. They posted details in their foster Facebook group to get an idea of how many cats they could support through their network of foster homes. It was a resounding success; many people responded, including some who hadn’t fostered for a while. The eager responses made it possible for the group to take in 45 adoptable cats from L.A. in less than a week.

San Diego Humane Society, located about 120 miles from L.A., was among the first to respond in the city’s time of need, despite facing its own fire threats. They assisted L.A. shelters by taking in 47 adoptable pets who arrived before the fires; sending veterinarians and other staff for on-site support; and deploying an emergency response team to go behind fire lines for eight days for evacuations, search and rescue, and welfare checks in the Eaton fire impact area.

Angel City Pit Bulls in Los Angeles has worked tirelessly to provide relief during the wildfires, and as a result, they’ve saved so many lives. In the first 16 days after the fires broke out, they took in 65 dogs (about twice the number they typically welcome in a month) and moved 39 dogs who had been with them before the fires to out-of-state partners. They also redoubled their community outreach efforts, and people answered the call. That meant a big increase in local adoptions, 150 new foster applications, and 100 new volunteer applications.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2025 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.