L.A. fire evacuee finds hope at Best Friends

Tara Pope never meant to end up in Kanab, Utah. When the Los Angeles wildfires turned the air thick with smoke, she had no choice but to flee. Her medical condition made it impossible to breathe the air, so she scrambled for an escape, booking an Airbnb in a quiet town she’d never even heard of, a twist of fate that would soon shape her journey.

“I had a Sedona, Arizona, ‘wish list’ on my Airbnb account, and they listed Kanab as part of a Sedona trip for some reason,” says Tara. Even after realizing the mix-up, she decided to take a leap of faith and see what Kanab had to offer.

For four days, Tara explored the vast desert landscapes of southern Utah, filling her time with hikes through Zion National Park. The scenery was breathtaking, but her mind was still tangled with worry — about where she’d go next, about how she’d afford to keep running. The Airbnb was a temporary haven, but her budget was stretched too thin to extend her stay. Tomorrow, she’d have to figure something else out.

As she drove back from Zion on her last evening in Kanab, an orange-and-white sign caught her eye: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. She had always loved animals, and the words “free tour” intrigued her. On a whim, she turned down the road and pulled up to the welcome center.

Joy Vaughn, the staff member at the front desk, greeted her warmly. Tara inquired about the tour, and as they chatted, she mentioned that she was in town because of the fires but that she had to leave the next morning. Joy’s face lit up.

“You won’t believe this,” she said.

As of that very morning, Best Friends was offering a free week’s stay at the Roadhouse to people affected by the L.A. fires. The Roadhouse is a Best Friends-owned boutique hotel in Kanab that caters to animal lovers.

[Puppies on the run at Best Friends Roadhouse]

Tara’s breath caught. “Are you serious?”

Joy nodded, and in that moment, Tara felt the weight of uncertainty lift. She had somewhere to go. Somewhere safe. And it wasn’t just a roof over her head — it was a place built for people who loved animals as much as she did.

“With the Sanctuary’s slower tourism season, we had available rooms and saw an opportunity to help,” says Julie Barger, Best Friends visitor experience director. “We wanted to welcome people and their pets in need, offering them a place to rest and recover during such a difficult time.”

Joy helped connect Tara with staff at the Roadhouse, and she moved into her cozy new digs the next morning. “I’m still in shock by the kindness of offering me a free room for a whole week,” says Tara. “It reminds me that there’s still so much good in the world.”

Once she was settled in her room at the Roadhouse, Tara wanted to give back. She signed up for volunteer shifts at the Sanctuary, eager to repay the kindness she’d been shown. She spent her first morning at Horse Haven — the area of the Sanctuary where the horses reside — brushing sleek coats and learning their stories. Horses had always fascinated her — their strength, their gentleness — and this was her favorite shift of all. But then came her volunteer shift in Dogtown, the canines’ home-between-homes at the Sanctuary.

That’s when she met Bella.

[Volunteers power efforts to help pets amid L.A. fires]

Bella, a striking husky with piercing blue eyes, had just arrived on a flight from L.A. She was one of hundreds of adoptable animals Best Friends took in from Los Angeles-area shelters to help free up space and alleviate stress in the shelters during the wildfire crisis.

Bella had an uncertain past but an undeniable spirit. The moment Tara knelt beside her, Bella leaned in, gently resting her paws on Tara’s knee. It was as if she understood — two souls displaced by disaster, finding solace in each other.

For the first time in weeks, Tara felt something settle inside her. She had lost her way and ended up in a place she never intended to be. And yet, somehow, she had landed exactly where she was meant to be.  

“Best Friends gives me hope,” she says. “It's funny how life happens sometimes — I'm so glad I stumbled upon Best Friends and found some kindness in the wake of this tragedy.”

With the wildfires contained, Tara headed back to L.A., finding her home remarkably undamaged. And, as fate would have it, Bella was adopted a few days later.

Tara’s not sure what comes next, but she’s confident she’ll be back to visit the Sanctuary soon. Because sometimes, getting lost is the best way to be found.

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.