Through Smoke and Fire: The Daring Rescue of Four Dogs and Their Owner in LA’s Devastating Wildfires
Driving through thick smoke and swirling fiery embers in the Pacific Palisades, Caleb Zerban-Lawler saw a woman dart into the road, running for his truck. Caleb is a producer, videographer, and photographer from Los Angeles who was on his way out of the hills after a day of helping people escape the fire, described as one of the most destructive natural disasters in Los Angeles history. As the woman approached she knocked frantically on his truck, and Caleb stopped to ask if she was alright. (watch video below)
@misssamarraya credits for @socals @Caleb Serban-Lawler #palisade #palisadefire #california #wildfire #LA #fypシ #unitedstates #losangeles #fyp ♬ original sound – Miss Samarraya
“My car won’t start cuz it’s a hybrid and I have my dogs in my car!” she said, sounding frantic. “Can you please help me get my dogs, they’re in my garage!”
With no hesitation, Caleb agreed, and the woman pointed him back up the hill from where he had come. Her house was dangerously close to being ablaze, but she had managed to get all of her dogs—all four of them—safely to her car. Together, she and Caleb gathered all four dogs and got them into his truck for the journey back down the mountain.
Getting To Safety Through a Labyrinth of Fire
The scene on the drive to safety was horrific. Fires burst to life around them, sparks skidded across the road, and the billowing waves of smoke made it impossible to see more than a few yards ahead. Persistent, Caleb forged ahead and was able to deliver his distressed passenger and her four dogs to safety.
“I don’t know how you drove. You couldn’t see anything,” the dog owner said as she and Caleb arrived at a safe drop off point where she and her dogs transferred to another car. “I’m just so grateful to be alive!”
The smoke and embers were far too thick for someone to walk through, let alone with four dogs. Had Caleb not driven past in that exact moment, who knows when rescue would have arrived or whether it would have been fast enough? Thanks to the owner’s quick thinking and Caleb’s bravery, these four dogs escaped the fires safely with their human.
Currently, Los Angeles County shelters and animal rescues in surrounding areas are struggling with the massive influx of displaced animals. Many of the pets coming into local shelters have been injured by the smoke and/or fires, overextending veterinary resources. Caleb helped to keep four dogs and their human together, but not everyone has been or will be so lucky.
Resources for Pet Owners Affected By Los Angeles Fires
If you or a loved one have been affected by the Los Angeles fires and need assistance for your pets, local and nearby animal rescues and shelters are there to help.
Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control has a regularly updated list of emergency shelters for animals affected by the wildfires. If you find a displaced pet, please bring them to one of the shelters listed. These shelters may also offer temporary shelter for pets whose humans have been displaced but have not yet secured pet-friendly lodging. More free pet boarding and other emergency pet services (like pet food pantries) can be found in this Google Document.
To find lodging for yourself and your pets if you have been displaced by the Los Angeles fires, consult this list of pet-friendly hotels and motels created by Los Angeles Animal Services:
- America’s Best Value Inn
- Best Western
- Econo Lodge
- Kimpton Group Hotels
- La Quinta Inn & Suites
- Marriott
- Motel 6
- Radisson
- Red Roof Inn
How To Help: Donate or Volunteer For Animals in Los Angeles
Many Los Angeles and nearby animal rescues are asking for donations and emergency foster families. If you are able and wish to donate, here are several funds dedicated to helping animals displaced or injured by the LA fires:
- Pasadena Humane Emergency Wildfire Relief Fund
- Lange Foundation
- Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation
If you live near the Los Angeles area and have not been affected by the wildfires, consider reaching out to a Los Angeles shelter to learn about their foster program. Pets going to foster homes frees space for new surrenders and displaced pets, and allows rescues and shelters to expand their reach and the number of pets they can help.
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