Southern California Wildfires

We are closely monitoring the situation in Southern California. We’re communicating with the Petfinder.com shelter and rescue members in the impacted areas and offering our support.

Donations can help us provide more disaster grants.

The Petfinder.com Foundation Disaster Fund is designated to assist animal shelters and placement groups affected or impacted by disasters, significant emergencies or crises. This special fund provides direct financial and technical assistance where needed.

Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund and Impact, 2005-06

"No one could ever realize the impact that Petfinder had in the Katrina disaster. Words fail me in commending your efforts."
"Petfinder.com has done so much to reunite animals with their guardians and to address many of the long-term medical needs for the animals. It has been refreshing to see so many organizations all over the country work together, and I certainly applaud Petfinder.com and the Petfinder.com Foundation's leadership in these efforts."

The most successful collaboration in disaster response
In only days, with Petfinder.com's programmers working 20-hour shifts, the Animal Emergency Response Network system (AERN) went online. Rescue data from over eight databases from HSUS, ASPCA, United Animal Nations (UAN) and others were imported, cleaned up and made public. The common goal: to save pets.

The Dish Network launched and installed the Katrina Information Network in over 200 human shelters and partnered with Petfinder.com to develop daily two-hour slideshows of "found" pets housed in the temporary shelters along the Gulf Coast states.


AERN Results
Over 17,000 found/temporarily sheltered pets were posted. Almost 60% went through Lamar-Dixon or LSU Vet School. Twenty percent were posted by small groups and individuals posting less than five found pets each.
Of the pets that were sheltered and posted, 70% were dogs and 25% were cats.
Over 700 (five percent) were birds, small furry pets, reptiles and/or barnyard pets.
Many pets that weren't entered into AERN at Lamar-Dixon were later posted by receiving shelters.

Over 22,000 rescue requests were entered by individuals.

Nearly 3,200 companion animals were reunited with their families through the national database (other reunions occurred but were not recorded or traced back to AERN).

Over 20,000 offers to volunteer or to foster were entered.

Subsequent to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita made landfall. During the Rita evacuation, up to 50 people a day called the AERN Foster Match hotline to make their own preparations for their displaced pets.

We also partnered with Merial®, a maker of trusted animal care products and a world-leading animal health company, and provided almost $1 million in flea, tick and heartworm control products as well as vaccinations with our Race to Save Pets initiative.

A big round of ap-paws for the generosity of our disaster fund supporters - you made a difference in the lives of the animals as well as the volunteers and staff that rescued, cared and placed them in new caring surroundings!