Dr. Annie Harvilicz’s brother, fleeing his Palisades home during the Los Angeles Palisades Fire, needed shelter for his cat and rabbit. This prompted Harvilicz, a Los Angeles veterinarian, to utilize her recently relocated, larger veterinary hospital’s empty exam rooms, x-ray room, and pharmacy to house displaced animals.
“My veterinary hospital has empty rooms,” Harvilicz, 47, explained. “We could put animals in these rooms.”
After offering the old Marina del Rey location of her veterinary hospital as temporary shelter, the response was overwhelming. Harvilicz works at the Animal Wellness Centers in Marina del Rey and Laguna Vista Veterinary Center in Harbor City.
By Thursday afternoon, the clinic housed 14 dogs, 12 cats, and a rabbit, with potential for more. Her team had also provided temporary overnight care for numerous other animals that have since returned home.
Harvilicz now manages a flood of emails and coordinates pet drop-offs, aided by community volunteers. Over 170,000 Los Angeles County residents faced evacuation orders due to five active fires, with many remaining at risk due to high winds (reaching 60 mph on Thursday).
Despite the situation, Harvilicz is heartened by the community’s support, receiving far more offers of assistance than she anticipated. “I got substantially more emails from people calling to help, volunteer, bring food, help animals,” she said.
Others are also helping; David Dimeno, president of Coachella Valley Horse Rescue, is sheltering displaced horses.
Larger animals can find shelter at the Lancaster Animal Care Center, Industry Hills Expo, Pomona Fairplex, and Antelope Valley Fair. Smaller animals can be housed at the Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson, Downey, Lancaster, and Palmdale Animal Care Centers, among other local shelters. Specific guidelines are available online.
Harvilicz advises owners of small pets to explore pet-friendly hotels or rentals. “There are a lot of hotels that are becoming pet friendly. There are a lot of rental units that are accepting pets,” she says. “It’s better for the family and it’s better for the pets.”
While the number of animals affected remains unknown, Harvilicz is starting to receive emails from owners searching for lost pets, indicating the scale of the impact.
So far, Harvilicz has treated only one animal with visible fire-related injuries. To support her efforts in providing free or low-cost care, she encourages donations to her nonprofit, the Animal Wellness Foundation, which has served low-income families for 15 years.
Despite the anxieties, Harvilicz is heartened by community support. “It made me feel proud to be an Angeleno,” she says. “I was so impressed with how people were helping each other.”
