Northern California Wildfires: Livermore Animal Control Officers Help With Pet Rescues

LIVERMORE, CA — Animal control officers from the Livermore Police Department were sent to Napa County to help with animal rescues on Monday, police officials said. Two officers were sent with Alameda County Animal Services as part of the mutual aid response. Officer helped rescue pets and large animals from homes and properties in evacuated areas.

“Our officers also navigated through dangerous and fiery terrain to assist residents in rural areas with evacuating their horses,” police said via social media. “The majority of their time was spent helping horse owners load and transport their horses, and identifying resources to transport horses that had no means available to them.”

Officials said rescued animals are staying at several shelters waiting to eventually be reunited with their owners.

“The scene was very surreal,” Animal Control Officer Kathy Stiles-Holmes said. “You don’t really get how devastating fires are until you see it up close. I have an even deeper respect for the men and women who run toward these fires when everyone else is running away to seek cover. It was definitely a reminder to make sure that you have a plan in place prior to when a disaster strikes.”

Police shared the following tips to help those with animals prepare in case of an emergency evacuation:

• Know ahead of time how you will transport your animals.
• Make sure that you have cages, trailers, or anything else needed to be able to get animals out in a hurry.
• Make sure that you have several days worth of food, water, and medication if necessary, for your pets.
• Practice your emergency plan, including hitching the trailer, catching horses, loading the horses, etc.
• Practice loading horses in different stressful situations in advance.
• Make sure your pets are microchipped in the event that you are separated.
• Don’t wait. Nobody ever thinks it will happen until it actually does.

See Also:

• Northern California Wildfires: 21 Dead; Thousands Of Structures Destroyed; 'Pure Devastation'

Photo: A couple of sad but safe evacuees at the Napa Fire Evacuation Center are with their owners rather then inside the animal section, Oct. 11, 2017. The little cat and big dog were in their crates. (Contributed photo/Al Francis)