Name: LA area wildfires impact on wildlife, pets one year later
Uploaded: 2026-01-08T01:14:42.228Z
Duration: 3 min
Description: Wednesday marked one year since devastating wildfires broke out across parts of Los Angeles. At least 31 people were killed and thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed. Chris Ramon, President and CEO of Pasadena Humane, which provides animal care and services in the greater LA area, joins CBS to discuss.

Wednesday marked one year since devastating wildfires broke out across parts of Los Angeles. At least 31 people were killed and thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed. Chris Ramon, President and CEO of Pasadena Humane, which provides animal care and services in the greater LA area, joins CBS to discuss.

Los Angeles

One year after wildfires swept through parts of Los Angeles, the impact on both people and animals remains significant. Pasadena Humane, a local animal welfare organization, provided shelter and medical care to over 1,500 animals affected by the fires, and continues to support displaced pets and their owners.

Many residents are still unable to return to their homes, and some animals remain in the organization's care. Pasadena Humane emphasizes the importance of emergency preparedness for pet owners, sharing stories like that of Skinny Minnie the cat, who was rescued and eventually reunited with her caregivers.

LA area wildfires' impact on wildlife, pets one year later

Today marks one year since devastating wildfires broke out across parts of Los Angeles. At least 31 people were killed and thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed. In addition to people, homes and businesses, the fires also significantly impacted wildlife and pets. One local organization provided shelter, medical care and emergency resources for more than 1,500 animals in the wake of the Eden fire. Joining us right now is Chris Ramon. He is the CEO and president of Pasadena Humane, which provides animal care and services in the greater Los Angeles area. And Chris, I hope I pronounced your last name correctly. You did. Thank you. Okay, good. It's so good to have you here. Please take us back to the day that the fire broke out. What did that look like for your organization? It looked like devastation. The staff and volunteers of Pasadena Humane pride ourselves on being in service to the community. So seeing what was happening in Altadena was a jarring moment, but it was also an opportunity for us to live our mission. What are still the lingering issues that have to be resolved? Well, to this day, we still have animals in our care that came to us during the fire. It's been a slow build in Altadena. There's still a lot of people who have been displaced who have not been able to move back into their homes. And so as an organization, we've been doing everything we can to support those efforts, either through emergency boarding or providing programs and services that allow people to keep their animals in temporary housing that they have. Are there any stories, any animals in particular that stand out to you? Yes, there was a cat that was in our care. Her name is Skinny Minnie, and she was a great reminder of what we were able to accomplish through the generosity of our community, but also through compassion and collaboration. This was a cat that came to us who was unrecognizable. She lived in our ICU for several months, and it took the will and the mission of our entire organization to bring her out of the shell. And we were rewarded with a beautiful reunification when her caregivers finally were able to find her and take her home. Oh, that is a great story. What are the lessons learned, and what needs to be done in preparation for anything that might happen in the future? Things can happen quickly, I think is one of the biggest lessons, and having an evacuation plan that involves taking your pets with you and making sure you have the right equipment and having that stuff ready, because one of the things that we saw during the Eaton fire was things happen very quickly, and sometimes there isn't a warning. Well said. Chris Ramone, thank you, and thank you for sharing the story of Skinny Minnie with us. We appreciate your time. Thank you for having me.

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