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- The Humane Society of Utah and Best Friends Animal Society relocated pets from the California fires.
- They brought in 20 cats and three litters of puppies from Los Angeles shelters.
- Finding homes for large-breed dogs remains challenging, despite successful cat adoptions.
MURRAY — As Utah firefighters helped to battle raging wildfires in Southern California, local animal advocates were taking steps to show support by creating space for displaced pets.
The Humane Society of Utah and Best Friends Animal Society started in recent days to bring in displaced animals as the fires raged.
According to resource center Director Juli Ulvestad, the Humane Society of Utah brought in 20 cats on Friday from Los Angeles-area shelters, while also welcoming three litters of puppies Saturday from the Best Friends animal sanctuary in Kanab as that organization also looked to make room for displaced animals.
"Our transfer partners in the L.A. area — we were obviously worried," Ulvestad said. "When they reached out and said some of their shelters were actually in the line of fire and they needed to evacuate animals, of course, we jumped into action."
Ulvestad said there were already plans in the coming week to bring in at least 14 large breed dogs in partnership with the Cache Humane Society in Logan, as well as Wings of Rescue out of Southern California.
Ulvestad said the shelter was also attempting to transplant additional cats as well.
As of Sunday afternoon, Ulvestad said most of the initial 20 cats brought in from Los Angeles had already been adopted.
Tayler Daybell and her family adopted a three-legged cat named Marble.
"She kind of just like meowed at (my kids) and walked up to us and she was just really sweet," Daybell said.
Daybell seemed moved by the Humane Society of Utah working to find homes for the Southern California cats.
"We had no idea until we got here and then they told us they were getting a bunch of cats in and trying to adopt so they could get more in, and dogs too," Daybell said. "That was really exciting to find out they were putting forth such effort."
Ulvestad said it was proving more difficult to find new homes for large-breed puppies.
"It sure is hard to watch these little guys knowing that they need a good home, too," Ulvestad said. "Where we're really struggling is adopting out large breed dogs and that seems to be the case nationwide."
Ulvestad was hopeful more people would step to the plate in helping to find homes for pets.
"I think so many of us feel so helpless when you read about things and you're like, 'what can I do?'" Ulvestad said. "Adopting, fostering — particularly those large breed dogs — you can help right here and that helps the animals who are in the L.A. fires."
