11/01/2025
Also, if you are looking for a cat lost in the fire, here;s a good quick training sheet: Please share all this info to LA peeps STAT. Time is of essence.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gvWJxYcvNtEGGUExydPJOP0B_NMtoi8RMCHkECy9o_w/edit?usp=sharing
PLEASE SHARE FOR LA RESCUES & MISSING PET OWNERS.
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, 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 links are now posted below)
FEEDING STATIONS ARE NEEDED RIGHT NOW.
The animals need to be sustained with water and food until professional 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. In our case, the county made it very hard for our local humane society to get in and sustain the animals - is was 3 weeks after the fire was out that they finally got in, and that was after pet owners began protesting at City Hall every day & going on the news demanding that their animals be rescued. You would think large organizations like Humane Society's would be considered first responders and have ample access, but that is not often the case.
**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 all traffic is stopped, as was the case in Lahaina after 3 days, please know that the individual army national guards were very helpful. 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. Unfortunately LA has a much bigger and less defined boarder so a boarder feeding program will only work in some areas.
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.”
MUNICIPAL SHELTERS, LARGE RESCUES OFTEN GET FEMA FUNDING.
Find out the closest 24 hr emergency vet and see if they are taking in victims for free. 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. Place food and water on the boarders if you cant get in. Give feeding kits to guard stations to place. If you spot an animal TAKE A PICTURE and call your local feral cat trapping organization, they are usually scrappy, move quickly, and can help. (Update- for Pasadena there is a dispatch line through Pasadena Humane)
We have set up a fostering page for those who can offer their home, or need one. It's LA Fire Fosters
If you have a missing pet, be sure to fill out the following database form, which is accessed by experienced fire rescuers who match unrecognizable pets and pets with bad microchip information.
LOST CAT FORM
https://bit.ly/LAlostcatform
LOST DOG FORM
https://bit.ly/LAlostdogform
LOST OTHER ANIMAL FORM
https://bit.ly/LAlostanimalform
FOUND CAT FORM
https://bit.ly/LAfoundcatform
FOUND DOG FORM
https://bit.ly/LAfounddogform
FOUND OTHER ANIMAL FORM
https://bit.ly/LAfoundanimalform
* Photo is a live shot of a Lahaina resident running cats out to our rescue van once the fire was out. Her house burned to the ground. While looking for her own cats who sadly perished, she saved countless others who did not.
Every fire is different. These are the things that worked for us.
PLEASE SHARE
A Maui homeowner/past vet tech offering private, clean, quiet rooms in her home for cat boarding.
