Utah pet shelters house Southern California pets amid wildfires, ask locals to adopt
Jan 12, 2025, 1:53 PM | Updated: 2:57 pm

The Best Friend Animal Society Sanctuary and Pet Adoption Center are housing displaced shelter pets from Southern California. Now, they're asking Utahns to foster and adopt. (Best Friends Pet Adoption Center)
(Best Friends Pet Adoption Center)
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah pet shelters opened their doors to Southern California animals in need of a safe place to stay. Now, they’re asking Utahns to do the same.
As Southern California wildfires continue to burn, evacuation orders have displaced many people and pets. Now, animal shelters are running out of space, so Utah’s Best Friends Animal Society Sanctuary offered a helping hand.
On Thursday, the Sanctuary in Kanab celebrated the arrival of 60 cats and 14 dogs from the Best Friends Adoption Center in Los Angeles, a release said.
“Just yesterday, (the sanctuary) brought in 17 cats and dogs from Pasadena Humane that were under the care of the shelter before the Eaton fire began,” the release said. “With many pets being boarded at Pasadena Humane while their families are under evacuation orders, Best Friends taking in these pets creates more space for Pasadena-area residents to keep their pets safe.”
Sunday, the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Salt Lake City took in 40 cats from the Sanctuary. Now, the organization is calling on locals to consider adopting the animals, who are “seeking refuge from the wildfires.”
“Now, the national animal welfare organization is calling on Utahns to step-up and foster or adopt to play a critical role in the lifesaving process,” the organization said.
Best Friends is a no-kill shelter working to find homes for animals in need. To find out more about the adoption process, click here.
The organization has an Amazon Wishlist where those who are not able to adopt can donate supplies to their Utah shelters, as well as the Los Angeles Pet Adoption Center should it be placed under evacuation orders.
How to donate: Local Utahns rally to support Southern California wildfire victims