LOS ANGELES, CA January 14, 2025 – In response to the devastating wildfires currently sweeping across Southern California, LA Animal Services and Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control are joining forces and urgently appealing to the everyday heroes in the community to help provide temporary homes for pets, adopt animals in need and assist in reuniting lost pets with their families.

As fires ravage local communities, many pets have been displaced from their homes or may have gone missing, leaving them in need of immediate care and shelter. The teams at LA Animal Services and Los Angeles County Animal Care are responsible for addressing the needs of pets in the Los Angeles community and are urging those not impacted by the fires to help, as they continue to support emergency sheltering needs. In an effort to support both the animals and their families during this crisis, the City and County of Los Angeles animal are offering fee-waived adoptions for dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens through the month of January and are urging the public to foster animals in need.

 

How You Can Be a Hero for Pets:

1. Foster a Pet

With hundreds of animals impacted by the fires, local shelters are reaching capacity. Residents are encouraged to temporarily open their homes and hearts to a pet in need. Fostering helps relieve overcrowding in shelters and provides a safe, loving environment for pets until they can be safely returned to their owners or adopted into new homes. The fostering process has been streamlined, and starting Wednesday, January 15th, additional volunteers will be on hand from 11am - 2pm at all LA Animal Services shelters to assist with the selection of the perfect pet for your family.  

• LA Animal Services: Foster a pet from any of the six LA City shelters by going to: LAAanimalServices.com/about-fostering
• Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control: To foster a pet from Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, visit: animalcare.lacounty.gov/become-a-foster-caretaker

2. Adopt a Pet - No Fees

To encourage adoption during this critical time, non-profit organizations Petco Love and Annenberg Pet Space are sponsoring all no-fee adoptions at both the LA City and County Animal Shelters through the month of January. By adopting, you not only provide a forever home for a deserving pet but also help make room for other displaced animals in need of care.

• LA Animal Services: View pets available for adoption, by going to: LAAnimalservices.com/pets
• Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control: View pets available for adoption, by going to: animalcare.lacounty.gov/view-our-animals/

3. Help Reunite Lost and Found Pets

If you have lost or found a pet, the City and County of Los Angeles Animal Shelters are partnering with Petco Love Lost a free national lost-and-found pet database, to help reunite pets with their families. By uploading a photo of your lost or found pet to Petco Love Lost, you can increase the chances of a successful reunion. The platform uses photo- matching technology to help reunite lost pets with their pet parents. The community may also view LA Animal Services’ Lost Pet Search page and Los Angeles Animal Care and Control’s Lost Pet page.

 

“Together, We Can Make a Difference”

"We are committed to protecting animals during emergencies, and with the continuing devastating fire disaster, partnership with other organizations and our community is essential to support people and pets,” said Marcia Mayeda, Director for the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control.

"By fostering, adopting, or helping to reunite lost pets with their families, we can provide some relief to the many animals who are affected by these fires. We know Los Angeles is a compassionate city, and we are counting on our residents to help us in this critical moment,” added Annette Ramirez, Interim General Manager for LA Animal Services.

 

Visit Our Shelters and Learn More

With a total of 13 shelters throughout the City and the County of LA, there are plenty of facilities to visit for those interested in fostering or adopting a pet. For more information about the location of all the shelters and how you can adopt and foster, please visit City of Los Angeles Animal Services and County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control.

 

Hours of Operation:

Both LA City and County locations will help you find the right pet or foster opportunity, and staff are ready to assist with the process and answer any questions you may have.

The six LA Animal Services are open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 8am to 5pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11am to 5pm; and closed on Mondays.

The seven LA County Animal Care and Control are open Monday through Saturday, from 11am to 5pm, with limited hours on Sundays and holidays.

 

How You Can Contribute Further:

• Donate: Consider donating to support the emergency response efforts of local animal shelters. 
• LA Animal Services: View ways to donate
• Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control: View ways to donate 
• Share: Help spread the word! Share this call for assistance on social media and with friends and family. The more people who know about these opportunities, the more pets can be helped.

Thank you for your compassion and support during this difficult time. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of the animals who need us most.

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For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:

LA Animal Services

Agnes Sibal-von Debschitz, agnes.sibal@lacity.org, 213-482-9512

Justin Khosrowabadi, justin.khosrowabadi@lacity.org, 213-952-9551

 

Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control

Media to contact: ACCPIO@animalcare.lacounty.gov, 562-706-8458

 

Petco Love

Jennifer Schulz: media@petcolove.org, 908-208-1195

Jeff Hare: jeff@theartemis.agency, 818-726-9238