Incredible stories of pet survival and rescues are coming out of northern California.
At least 23 people have been killed, hundreds more are missing and thousands of homes and businesses have burned as wildfire rage. Pets have also been separate from their families amid the chaos.
A number of sites on social media have been set up to reunite them.
Brad Sherwood found one such lost cat in Santa Rosa.
As he was fleeing the wildfires, he whisked a burned cat to the Sonoma Humane Center for treatment.
“I’ve seen this cat in our neighborhood before so I know he belongs to someone near my home,” he wrote and posted an image of the poor kitty.
And the best new: the cat’s owners have been found.
Sherwood’s home was not so lucky. It was burned to the ground.
The Facebook page set up to locate lost and found animals for the residents of Lake and Napa Counties has both glimmers of hope and some heartbreaking stories.
There are lost dogs.
Blind dogs.
Singed cats.
Birds doing just fine.
Horses that were set loose.
Horse owners found.
Reunions are the best news.
Fundraisers have also been set up to help treat injured animals or help those hit by the fires. Here are other ways and places to help.
And, the fires have no end in sight.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and fires are burning out of control. The wind is gusting and there’s no rain in the immediate forecast.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has put together tips for helping your pets when fire strikes. Every animal lover should have an evacuation plan to help them survive a wildfire.
Main photo Sonoma County Animal Services/Facebook
