As the California fires burn through thousands of homes, thousands more have been displaced and evacuated. When the fire reaches people’s homes, pets can be left behind in the chaos.
It can be hard to hear about these pets’ devastating circumstances when it feels like Indiana is too far to help. The thousands of miles can make it seem impossible when one doesn’t live close enough to help.
But there are always ways to contribute.
As wildfires continue, equipping California animal shelters with the tools needed to effectively care for the displaced animals is becoming a priority. Also, animals are being flown out of California in the hopes that they will be adopted and find new homes.
Fostering or adopting is much easier for Californians, making opportunities to help in other states more limited, though invaluable. People across the country can give donations and spread the word about the cause.
“Find animal shelters in that area and send pet supplies like blankets and pet food,” HSE Senior Serena Zentz said about how people can help from afar. She uses her senior flex this year to intern at the local veterinary office. “Or donate money, because lots of animals shelters are purely donation-based and do not receive funding otherwise.”
When donating to online charities, especially in wake of natural disasters, it is important to beware of scammers. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), “Scammers commonly set up fake charities to take advantage of peoples’ generosity during natural disasters.””. The IRS suggests using the Tax-Exempt Organization Search, called TEOS, tool on IRS.gov to check the validity of a site. They also encourage people not to give out any personal information unless necessary for the transaction.
Senior Hayley Hall, the President of Pawsitive Paws Club, recommended the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles (SPCALA) and Red Cross LA as two organizations that are safe from online scams.
While this tragedy may seem far away, students have the opportunity to take initiative and make a difference. Contributing to an overlooked cause is a great way to give back and bring more attention to the issue.
