Multiple trucks full of relief items have already made their way down south, with more on the way

by Camille DeVaul and Christianna Marks

NORTH COUNTY — The community in San Luis Obispo County has been rallying together to support those affected by the fires in Los Angeles County. Together, efforts have been made to collect multiple truckloads of supplies and relocate animals.

On Jan. 7, a fire erupted in the Palisades, followed by at least four other fires in the Greater Los Angeles area. Since then, more than 12,000 homes and other structures have been destroyed. So far, 24 people have lost their lives in the fire, and over 100,000 people have been displaced.

Woods Humane Society (Woods) has helped relocate over 30 cats and dogs to SLO County from LA County animal shelters.

“Something that Woods has done in times of need, like responding to natural disasters, is to offer support by taking in animals that were already existing in those local shelters prior to the emergency,” Woods CEO Emily L’Heureux told Atascadero News.

Woods helped shelters during natural disasters all over California and even other states. L’Heureux explains that by taking in pre-existing animals at the shelters, that allows them more kennel space to be available to take in animals displaced, lost, or strayed as a result of the wildfires.

“There is a real need in real time for kenneling emergency boarding and for lost and stray animals to be able to be safely housed until they can get reunited … on our first trip down there, we did take a bunch of essential supplies, which were welcomed at that time, but we have been told by our shelter partners down there, they’re just overwhelmed by in kind donations,” says L’Heureux who adds they will continue to take in dogs and cats from the LA County shelters for as long as needed.

L’Heureux says that animals have been coming into LA County shelters with severe injuries needing emergency care. Taking some of the adoption operations off of their plate helps put the focus on the emergency cases. L’Heureux emphasizes that in these times of need, all of the shelters know how to work together and pitch in where they can. She says it’s been a collaborative effort with some shelters and rescues sending staff members to help on the ground.

“I will say that to work in animal welfare is to be surrounded by true kindness and compassion at all times for all living things. I cannot express enough how catastrophic and devastating the damage is down there,” says L’Heureux.

All animals coming into Woods will first go through their medical check prior to being available for adoption. And adoption, L’Heureux says, is the best way to help right now. The best way to stay up to date with Woods is through their social media @woodshumanesociety and their website woodshumanesociety.org where adoptable animals will have notes indicating if their were transferred from an LA County shelter.

Main Street Small Animal Hospital in Templeton has also been doing their part to bring together supplies for the Pasadena Humane Society, which is helping to distribute all donated items to the surrounding shelters.

Dr. Ryan Ehlinger and his wife Courtney were able to bring a full 20-foot trailer full of dog food, water, crates, and other supplies to the Pasadena Humane Society on Monday, Jan. 13. Members of the community continued to bring supplies to the office until they quickly met their capacity. Further donations were directed to the Cambria Vet Clinic and Behind the Barn Consignment in Atascadero, who were also taking donations to fire victims.

“Almost immediately on arriving, a team of firemen took many of the carriers that were donated as they were headed back to the fire zone and needed them on the truck for any animals that they encountered on their next shift,” said Ehlinger in a social media post. “You could see the look of gratitude on the faces of the other volunteers when they learned that we drove down from SLO County to donate the supplies. It definitely energized their efforts and helped them in supporting their community. We are so fortunate that our area has been spared this type of devastation, as their struggle could easily be ours in the coming years. Our hearts are full of gratitude to share this community with all of you and to see the outpouring of support.”

Mark Luna and Anissa Hedges, both in the local wedding industry, organized another donation drive at Idler’s Home throughout the county.

“I was asking the wedding industry if they had any resources and any sources that we could [use] to somehow help those down south,” said Luna. “Then, Anissa reached out to me, and she helped me organize this whole donation drive. We kind of had the whole wedding industry come together as a whole.”

Hedges’ husband is the general manager of Idler’s Home in Paso Robles, so she reached out to Jennifer Idler and asked if they could set up all the SLO County stores to collect donations.

“I think I and every single person was feeling a need last week to do something to help, and I didn’t really know what to do. Mark and Anissa, they’re dear friends, and first thing in the morning last week, I think it was Wednesday or Thursday, they started texting me if Idler’s could be the drop-off location for donated items that were needed down south, and I said absolutely,” stated Idler.

At the same time, Luna spoke to All About Events and Got You Cover’D, two local event companies, and they donated trucks to take the donations down to LA County.

“I did some research, and I kind of talked to different shelters to see what they needed, and I finally got connected with The Dream Center in LA, so that’s where two trucks will go, and then one truck will also head down to Pasadena to the Santa Anita Racetrack, as well,” added Luna.

The Idler’s drive, which took place on Sunday, Jan. 12, filled up all three trucks by 2 p.m. The Paso Robles, SLO, and Santa Maria Ider’s all participated in the drive.

“We’re so thankful for all the volunteers that came out and supported and for the whole community just coming together as one and donating all these items and just helping each other out in times like this. It’s just amazing,” Luna continued. “It honestly brought tears to my eyes to see everyone bring all these items and come together.”

Blacksheep in Atascadero, Costa Gallery in Los Osos, and the VFW Auxiliary Association brought bags of donations to the Paso Idler’s.

“The amount of people who showed up to volunteer that day because we sorted through everything. We wanted to make sure we weren’t sending expired food or anything that they would have to sort through again,” added Idler. “So we must have had 20 or 30 volunteers. Kids and teenagers, and to just see that love being outpoured was really cool.”

Atascadero record store Traffic Records was one of the drop-off points for Xochitl Wines and Paco Winery in Paso Robles, who organized their own mutual aid drive for the fire victims. Their drive was held on Sunday, Jan. 12, though the drop-off points, like Traffic Records, started collecting items earlier in the week.

“It filled the entire sidewalk in front of our store,” Traffic Records General Manager Chad Fortin said of the donations. “Everything from baby food to pillows and blankets to water. Toiletries, everything you could possibly imagine. It was really an amazing response.”

Fortin went on to say most of the items left in front of the store were new items, and a lot of people he knows locally told him that they stopped by the store and donated. On Sunday, the record store took their donations to Paco Winery, and Fortin commented on how there was an even larger haul of items there.

“It was amazing because it was very fast. It (the drive) didn’t go over the course of a couple weeks. It literally was a few days,” Fortin added.

Brittany Banda from Xochitl Wines told Atascadero News that they had so many donations that they headed down to LA on Tuesday, Jan. 14, instead of the 13 because they needed an extra day to sort it all. They ended up needing to rent a 22-foot truck to get everything packed.

At the showing of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” by the Monday Night Movie Club (MNMC) at Colony Cinemas in Atascadero, the co-hosts announced that community members could drop off items at the movie theater through Thursday and that those donations would be taken down Lonely Palm Ranch in Arroyo Grande on Friday, as one of the members is helping with their relief efforts. Midstate Containers out of Santa Maria are providing containers and transportation to LA County. To see a list of needed items, go to MNMC’s FaceBook page: facebook.com/groups/1953067815137184

Feature Image: A pile of items to help out the victims of the LA-area fires is shown at Atascadero record store Traffic Records, one of the drop-off points for Xochitl Wines and Paco Winery in Paso Robles, who organized their own mutual aid drive for the victims. Photo courtesy of Traffic Records