MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
When natural disasters like these fires in southern California strike, animal rescue operations kick into high gear. KQED's Rachael Myrow reports from an animal care center in Pasadena, not far from where the Eaton fire is burning.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOGS BARKING)
RACHAEL MYROW, BYLINE: In the week since the Eaton fire began to rage, Pasadena Humane took in more than 400 animals, including the kinds the nonprofit usually cares for - dogs, cats, bunnies - but also...
DIA DUVERNET: We had eight cockatoos come in. We've had goats come in.
MYROW: That's Dia DuVernet, the CEO of Pasadena Humane.
DUVERNET: We had one family in Altadena that had a pony, and they walked the pony down from Altadena to our shelter.
MYROW: DuVernet says the initial surge of pets deposited by evacuees on the run gave way shortly thereafter to those found and brought in by animal search and rescue teams.
DUVERNET: We're seeing burns. We're seeing singed paws. We're seeing singed whiskers. We're seeing smoke inhalation problems. We had one dog come in that appeared to be a dark gray dog, and after we gave it a bath, we realized the dog was a white dog.
MYROW: We found Roxie in the intensive care unit.
DUVERNET: That's Roxie.
MYROW: Wow, Roxie still looks pretty gray. Hi, sweetheart.
These animals don't have the energy to bark or meow. They just lie there, exhausted.
DUVERNET: We also think that there will be some animals that miraculously survived - and especially cats - they're going to be very frightened. We will be putting out traps.
(SOUNDBITE OF DOGS BARKING)
MYROW: Outside in the courtyard, I'd say it's a zoo, but there's clearly a method to the madness. There are 150 employees, including five full-time veterinarians working around the clock, but also scores of volunteers. They greet people pulling up in their vehicles to donate food, bowls, blankets, carriers and so on. The volunteers sift through it all; like Connor McPherson of Pasadena, who, with a chihuahua terrier mix of his own at home, couldn't stand by knowing how great the need is.
CONNOR MCPHERSON: Yeah, I just felt that, you know, I need to help in some way. And so the fire, you know, it was - I just felt compelled to help.
MYROW: Over the course of the next few weeks, some evacuees will come back to claim their pets. Others will have to rely on Humane to hold on to their loved ones until things are sorted out. Still other animals will need new homes.
For NPR News, I'm Rachael Myrow in Pasadena. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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