01/10/2025
Advice from those who endured the Maui fires.
LA ANIMAL LOVERS / RESCUES -
This is off the top of my head, being altered even as I post it, but I wanted to get it into your hands ASAP in case it helps anyone get started. The animals need you to mobilize! PLEASE SHARE.
WHAT Kitty Charm Farm LEARNED FROM THE MAUI FIRES
CATS SURVIVE.
We were told no one could have survived. We were told not to come. But nearly 1000 survivors were trapped in Lahaina area alone. So many cats were rescued that we needed a warehouse here on Maui. Many animals perished because food and help did not come quick enough. This is always the case- there are ALWAYS animals waiting for rescue. Some dogs, some wildlife- but most will be cats.
DO NOT ASSUME YOUR PET DIED.
Pets often 'go feral' after severe trauma. It will never hurt to call them, but most won't show face. Don't give up! They need to be trapped. Pets are STILL being found after the Maui fires. Alert your microchip company that your cat is missing and make sure they have multiple contacts for you. Create a lost pet flier with original address, photo, chip #, collar description, any special marks cat may have, and all the ways to reach you. Soon there will be hubs to post these (there are a handful of people who work on all fires nationwide, databases are being created now).
FEEDING STATIONS ARE NEEDED RIGHT NOW.
The animals need to be sustained until trappers can get in. They hunker under burned cars, climb down into storm drains, and make themselves invisible - but they are there, and they will come out at night looking for food. YOU can set up feeding stations right now, please do!
-> FOR AREAS NOT ON LOCKDOWN: Set up food & water on street corners. It helps to hang a sign “LOST PET FEEDING STATION- PLEASE FILL”. You can leave a few gallon jugs of water & a giant bag of food under each sign. Knock on doors of homes still standing to see if you can “assign” someone to fill the stations each night (cats come out PMs). Swap phone numbers & track location. Traps & motion detection cameras can be added in the future- for now, these animals need to be sustained. Some may have serious injuries and will need to get out.
-> FOR AREAS THAT ARE ON LOCKDOWN: If it's only cars on lockdown, consider bikes or electric bikes with carts to hold traps and supplies. If foot traffic is stopped, as was the case in Lahaina after 3 days, please know that the individual army national guards were very helpful! Unannounced/unapproved, we brought 50 pound bags of food, empty plastic bags, plastic bowls & gallon jugs of water to each security entrance, and asked them to offer it to front line workers who are driving in to place inside. If they dont agree, remain friendly and come back and meet the next one. The job gets boring and visitors become welcome. We also set up a sample feeding station which cats used AT the security checkpoint which we manned ourselves. Place a rock inside the bowls so they don’t blow away- then fill. Many animals had to make it the boarders to sustain themselves as no one was allowed in and it was many miles square.
At every security checkpoint, we posted a flier facing the cars driving in:
“FRONTLINE WORKERS - PLEASE TAKE PET FEEDING KITS TO PLACE ON THE INSIDE. IF AN ANIMAL IS SPOTTED THERE ARE CARRIERS STATIONED HERE FOR YOUR USE. IF YOU SEE OR CATCH AN ANIMAL IN NEED, CALL ###-###-###X. WE CAN PROVIDE TRAPPING, SCANNING, VET.”
NOTE: Traps should be covered with a towel, labeled with your rescue name & a phone number that is ALWAYS answered. If they are willing to bring you in to man it, that’s best. If not, make sure a trap is never left unattended, uncovered or is forgotten about. Wait until the trap is brought back out. The workers don’t have time to take animals to the vet. You’ll need to be ready to mobilize if they catch them. Keep impeccable notes about who has what, but don’t expect to get anything back. LA doesn’t have the death toll we had here on Maui so security may be more relaxed, they may let animal rescuers in.
MUNICIPAL SHELTERS, LARGE RESCUES AND VETS OFTEN GET FEMA FUNDING.
Find out the closest 24 hr emergency vet and see if they are taking in victims for free. If not, suggest they check into FEMA funding. Open admission shelters must take any animal you find, but they can also euthanize them when they could be treatable. If you are an individual helping, or your rescue does not have a vet on staff, start networking with nonprofits who have access to vet care. Burned animals require a lot of care.
POST WHAT YOU NEED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
People are generous! Ask for a warehouse, cages, scanners, fosters, vets, vet techs, cages, food, litter – ask and you shall receive! Set up an amazon wish list. Be prepared for A LOT of supplies to arrive. If you have available housing, open it to experienced rescuers who can help you. 90% of our expenses were vet related, but we also took in a lot of injured animals. Cash is the best donation – open a fundraiser. It’s best to declare where any extra funds will go in advance so people feel safe to donate. Example, 100% of the money will be used for LA fire rescue - if there are any unused funds they will be donated to our local pet food bank.
IF YOU ARE DONATING
The large municipal shelters and national rescues will receive a lot of funding, possibly more than they can spend. Many also get FEMA funding and grants. Any donation is a great one, but we encourage you to look for grassroots organizations to support who are already out there feeding and trapping. Look for the doers who dont have time to do the PR, but will need your support. Be sure to label your donation "for LA fire rescue 2025" if you dont want your money used for other purposes. It's the law that is used as you designate. No designation, it can be used for anything. General fund donations are also needed - it's up to you where it goes.
IF YOU LIVE IN LA & WANT TO HELP.
Get food & water out in the burned areas where you are allowed to be, every block.Place food and water on the boarders if you cant get in. Give feeding kits to guard stations to place. Place rocks in bowls to keep them in place (high winds). If you spot an animal TAKE A PICTURE and post on missing pet pages in case it's someone's pet. If it is hurt (or not), call your local feral cat trapping organization, they are usually scrappy, move quickly, and can help. Large organizations can be harder to navigate.
We have set up a fostering page for those who can offer their home, or need one. It's LA Fire Fosters
* Photo is a live shot of a Lahaina resident running cats out to our rescue van. Her house burned to the ground. While looking for her own cats who sadly perished, she saved countless others who did not. She is a great example that you dont have to work in rescue, to be a rescuer.
PLEASE SHARE
(1/9 12:30pm hawaii time- A WORK IN PROGRESS- UPDATED VERSIONS WILL BE POSTED)
