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Los Angeles Times
22-04-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Finding Shelter for You and Your Pet After a Wildfire
After a wildfire, many families face the dual challenge of finding stable housing and caring for beloved pets. Whether you're trying to reunite with a missing animal or searching for long-term pet-friendly housing, use this guide to understand the resources and rules in place to help. If you're staying with someone after evacuating — or have opened your home to displaced friends, relatives, or their animals — emergency ordinances may protect you from eviction. The Los Angeles City Council passed a one-year ordinance that prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for temporarily housing unauthorized pets or people displaced by the Palisades and Eaton fires. Rent increases tied solely to new occupants are also paused for rent-stabilized units. 'Acts of kindness and compassion should not be punished,' said Councilwoman Traci Park, who introduced the measure. 'Anyone who has opened up their home to provide shelter, peace, and security should not have to worry about risking eviction for taking on additional pets or occupants.' L.A. County enacted similar protections in unincorporated areas, preventing evictions related to hosting displaced pets or people through May 31, 2026. 'These are targeted, common-sense measures,' Park said, 'to keep impacted residents housed while they navigate the recovery process.' Finding temporary or permanent housing after a wildfire is already difficult — having a pet can make it harder. Here are lists and resources to help find rentals and hotels that allow pets. Even when you find housing that meets your budget and needs, there may still be some pet restrictions in place. When viewing a new rental unit or neighborhood, be sure to check for breed or size limit restrictions, pet deposits, or Homeowner Association rules. Apartment complexes may have stricter policies about cleaning after a pet and areas where they can be off-leash. Always communicate with property managers before signing a lease, and make sure the space is suitable for your animal's needs and comfort. Fast-moving fires can separate families from their pets. Fortunately, several free tools and services can help reunite them. The Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control Center advises anyone who lost a pet to use social platforms like Nextdoor, PetFinder, Craigslist and Facebook groups to get help from the local community. Services like Petco Love Lost, a national facial-recognition database for lost pets, and Pawboost, a free alert system for pets, can also help reunite you and your pet. Other tips include posting flyers in high-traffic areas, such as grocery stores, libraries, and gas stations. Delivery drivers and mail carriers may also encounter your pet on their routes, as the animal may return to your area if it is out on its own. Wildfire survivors can claim a lost pet by searching the databases below or by contacting a shelter or fire-specific hotlines to ask about your pet: Ways to Help Shelters across Los Angeles County are stretched beyond capacity. Fostering or adopting an animal is one of the best ways to help right now. Another option is to shelter at home with any found pets instead of taking them to a shelter. You will need to register the pet with animal services, but keep it at home until it is claimed. Anyone who wants to help can also volunteer at pet shelters or donate funds to these organizations. They also need supplies such as food, bedding, or crates, medical supplies, or transportation assistance.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sad Senior Cat Who's Waited for Home for Over 700 Days Keeps Getting Overlooked
Whenever you consider adding four more paws to your family, please remember to meet the older, larger, and most overlooked pets in the animal shelter. Even if they don't possess all of the qualities you're looking for, the short interaction will still make their day! The best part about meeting the unsung heroes of the shelter is that you just might fall in love with someone you never expected. This is exactly what shelter cat Polka Dot is wishing for! This sweet and loyal cat has been waiting over 780 days (that's over 2 years) for her 'purr-fect' adopter since being abandoned at a Chicago firehouse, but she's been overlooked time and time again. Sadly, the repeated rejection has caused her to begin shutting down, and her friends at NAWS in Makena, Illinois, know that she needs to get out of the shelter as soon as possible. That's why shelter volunteer Fran shared Polka Dot's story on her TikTok page, @frangrzesik, on April 2. Could Polka Dot be your new feline friend? What a beautiful cat! Polka Dot is perfectly named after her captivating black and white fur pattern, though maybe a name like 'Lovie' would showcase her sweet personality instead. No matter what her name is, the right cat adopter will look past their furry friends' names and looks when selecting their new Polka Dot has been overlooked due to her age and her dislike for being picked up, but this is hardly fair to her. There are an endless number of ways to show a cat love without their paws leaving the ground! Similarly, 8 years old is not all that old for a cat, but senior cats can also be just as jovial, loving, and entertaining. "She still has a long life and lots of love ahead of her," agreed a commenter and cat mom. "Adopting a 10-year-old Calico boy was the best decision I ever made." A male calico cat is extremely rare, so that sounds like it was simply meant to be! Polka Dot's forever person or family is meant to be, too, but they just haven't found her yet. If you think her adopter could be you, check out her PetFinder profile and visit NAWS to meet her in person! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
