At a Glance
- The January 2025 Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of Altadena homes
- Pasadena Humane took in hundreds of burned, lost pets within hours of ignition
- A new state law now forces cities to write pet-evacuation plans modeled on the shelter’s response
- Why it matters: Owners facing total loss can know their animals have a guaranteed refuge in the next wildfire
One year after the Eaton Fire emptied Altadena neighborhoods, the same Pasadena Humane kennels that sheltered singed paws and singed hearts are still quietly rebuilding what 500-mile-per-hour flames erased in minutes. Staff who worked 48-hour shifts recall the first morning as a blur of soot-covered animals and owners clutching the only family members they had left.
Chaos at the Gates
Tom Ratanavraha spotted the orange glow from his balcony and drove straight to the shelter.
“That very first day, it was just chaos,” the volunteer said. “Droves of people were just coming in.”
By noon, every exam room held whimpering dogs, wide-eyed cats and singed rabbits. One-year anniversary interviews with Olivia M. Hartwell for News Of Losangeles describe volunteers lining carriers along hallways normally reserved for routine check-ups.
Ratanavraha remembers a boxer mix named Rocco who arrived exhausted, burned and covered in ash.
“You knew that he was probably running, you know, scared for his life,” he said.
With daily wound care, pain meds and donated blankets, Rocco regained weight and trust; adoption paperwork was finalized in March 2025.
Families Lose Everything but Their Pets
The fire moved so fast that many evacuees reached the shelter with leashes but no wallets, carriers but no cash. Kevin McManus, PR & Communications Director at Pasadena Humane, watched owners confront an impossible math.
“People just could not find a place to live and ultimately, heartbreakingly made the decision to surrender their pets to us,” McManus said.
For weeks, the shelter waived fees, extended boarding and posted daily “safe and searching” photos so owners couch-surfing or sleeping in cars could see their animals alive.
Key assistance numbers:
- 327 animals admitted the first week
- 0 adoption fees for fire-affected pets through June 2025
- $1.2 million in donated medical supplies and food
The shelter also opened emergency kennels normally reserved for court-case evidence animals, squeezing an additional 40 dogs into converted storage rooms lined with industrial fans to filter lingering smoke.
A State Law Is Born
Oreo, a tuxedo cat pulled from a burned front porch, became the face of Senate Bill 412, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2025. Starting July 1, 2026, every city and county must file a pet-evacuation annex with Cal OES; Pasadena Humane’s intake forms, field triage color codes and social-media reunification posts are cited as best practice.
Lingering Needs
While headline donations have slowed, 43 Eaton animals remain unclaimed and 12 surrendered pets are still adoptable. Daily volunteers continue the same walks, play sessions and photo shoots, now under the banner “Eaton Ready,” the shelter’s wildfire-prep program launched after the disaster.
McManus sums up the year in a single sentence: “We’re just doing the best we can to make sure they’re getting out of their kennel, they’re getting exercise, they’re getting love and hoping for the best that their families are able to find a place where they can take their family members back home with them.”
For owners like the woman who handed over a bearded dragon while fire engines screamed up Lake Avenue, the promise is simple: the next time flames race down hillside streets, every city in California must already know where frightened pets can go.
Key Takeaways
- January 7, 2025 the Eaton Fire claimed 19 lives and displaced thousands of families in Altadena
- Pasadena Humane accepted hundreds of injured pets within hours, treating burns and smoke damage
- New state law requires all local governments to pre-plan animal evacuations using the shelter’s protocol
- Dozens of displaced pets are still available for adoption one year later
