Kitties and humans amid the LA fires

[doomsdave]

I live in southern California just east of Los Angeles and we've been having a bad time with wildfires. Went to the doctor's office and the lady nurse who took my blood pressure lived in Altadena, which is a city near Pasadena, affected by the Eaton Fire. She told me her sister and mother both lost their houses, but everyone's okay, and all moved in with the nurse and her kids. (Didn't ask how many and she didn't say.)

The nurse and her mom and sister also rescued cats from the devastation and now the nurse shares her house with her mom, sister, children and their joint "pride" of 20 cats.

I know others among us have had cats in the disaster tales, maybe share, wherever you are, or were. I hope the tales have a happy ending.

Hoping for the best for the nurse and her family, too.

 

[iPappy]

Stay safe, please, to all those affected by these horrible fires. There have been postings online of people finding burnt and/or injured pets and taking them to safety. Hopefully, at some point, they will be reunited with their families.

 

[doomsdave]

Anyone in out here in California have anything to report?

 

[betsygee]

Our local pet rescues have taken in about 15 adoptable cats and dogs to help ease the crowding in southern California shelters. These were animals already up for adoption in southern CA, not evacuee animals, of course. Hopefully they'll find homes here soon.

 

[doomsdave]

Hoo, boy. The torrent of tears is just starting. (Like so many other times in the past.)

Letters to the Editor: 'RIP to our town, one of the best, Pacific Palisades' — a reader grieves for the loss of her home

Her house burned to the ground, like so many others. I suspect her cats, or at least "Blue" didn't make it either.

I think of anyone adrift in a landscape like this and it makes me sad. These were burned out cars on Sunset Boulevard, in Pacific Palisades.

 

[fionasmom]

Shelters are sending dogs and cats up to Seattle to ease the overflow here and AC has increased the holding time for all animals in the shelters and is waiving all recovery or adoption fees.

Wind is picking up again, which is not a good sign.

 

[neely]

Anyone in out here in California have anything to report?

The wife of my husband's cousin lives in Pacific Palisades. She spent almost two years renovating their house which was bought quite a while ago and it was in desperate need of a makeover. Unfortunately she had to evacuate and the last I heard she tried to go back but couldn't stay because there was no electricity or running water. Plus the police told her there were looters all over the area.

 

[doomsdave]

Shelters are sending dogs and cats up to Seattle to ease the overflow here and AC has increased the holding time for all animals in the shelters and is waiving all recovery or adoption fees.

Wind is picking up again, which is not a good sign.

Hope you're okay!

 

[doomsdave]

The wife of my husband's cousin lives in Pacific Palisades. She spent almost two years renovating their house which was bought quite a while ago and it was in desperate need of a makeover. Unfortunately she had to evacuate and the last I heard she tried to go back but couldn't stay because there was no electricity or running water. Plus the police told her there were looters all over the area.

I have a former client who lost two houses in Pacific Palisades. While the guy's obviously not starving, it still sucks.

 

[fionasmom]

There is definitely looting in some areas and a few residents have stayed behind to try to protect their houses, apparently ones that were spared, because if they leave the area they will not be allowed back in. My count so far is about 15 people I know of who lost houses in the Eaton fire.

VCA hospitals in the area are all giving free boarding for people with no where to go with a pet.

The closest that anything got to me was about 2 miles away from an evacuation warning zone, so I consider myself lucky.

It is not just losing a house; those remaining are smoke and water damaged if nothing else.

 

[denice]

I have a former client who lost two houses in Pacific Palisades. While the guy's obviously not starving, it still sucks.

From what I understand not everyone in Pacific Palisades is wealthy. There were people who had been in their home for decades and people who inherited childhood homes. Even with adjusting for inflation those homes were originally bought for much less than they are worth now.

 

[doomsdave]

From what I understand not everyone in Pacific Palisades is wealthy. There were people who had been in their home for decades and people who inherited childhood homes. Even with adjusting for inflation those homes were originally bought for much less than they are worth now.

There's a lot of workers and others who live in apartment buildings. Some of them, now displaced, are in a very very bad way.

Homeowners there, as a group are wealthy or filthy rich. The great thing about inheriting a residence in CA is that you'll get grandfathered into the benefactor's tax rate based on the original purchase price, which if it's long enough ago, is figured from 1975 values onward. Heirs pick up. I know a couple young dudes who inherited a house near me that's worth about 1 million dollars, which their parents got for like 42K in 1974. Add 1.5% per year to the taxes and while it adds up, it's nowhere near what the house is worth.

 

[iPappy]

Hoo, boy. The torrent of tears is just starting. (Like so many other times in the past.)

Letters to the Editor: 'RIP to our town, one of the best, Pacific Palisades' — a reader grieves for the loss of her home

Her house burned to the ground, like so many others. I suspect her cats, or at least "Blue" didn't make it either.

I think of anyone adrift in a landscape like this and it makes me sad. These were burned out cars on Sunset Boulevard, in Pacific Palisades.

View attachment 492679

I have no words... What a horrible, horrible situation....

 

[doomsdave]

Column: After years of helping the homeless, he's one of them after Altadena fire destroys his house

Social worker loses his house and one of his cats. He really tried to help!

 

[fionasmom]

On a somewhat brighter note, World Central Kitchen is everywhere right now. Maybe it is time to give Chef Jose Andres the Nobel Peace Prize.

I went out shopping today and there is huge support for everyone in stores in the area. Strangers asking each other if they are okay, sharing stories and hugs. Lots of comments about how well the communities came together. National Guard presence, some undercover to catch looters.

 

[denice]

World Kitchen was in western North Carolina. They were there through the holidays. I don't know if they are still there or not.