ASPCA Assists Oakland Animal Services in Transport of Homeless Animals Amid California Wildfires

Oakland, Calif. — On Thursday, Nov. 2, at the request of Oakland Animal Services (OAS), the ASPCA^® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) will be assisting with the transport of a dozen homeless cats from OAS to animal shelters in Washington. The ASPCA Relocation team is collaborating with Alaska Airlines to transport these cats from Northern California to create room at OAS for animals displaced by the wildfires and to give these cats a better chance of adoption.

These homeless shelter cats are being transported to Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale, Wash., PAWS in Lynwood, Wash., and Seattle Area Feline Rescue in Seattle, Wash., where they will be made available for adoption.

This transport is part of the ASPCA’s recent disaster relief efforts to help care for hundreds of animals impacted by the wildfires that have devastated Northern California. As part of that effort, the ASPCA assisted with assessments, coordinated resources and logistics, and conducted welfare checks for displaced animals. The ASPCA also sent critical pet supplies to Sonoma and Mendocino counties to help shelter and care for the influx of animals affected by the catastrophic fires. To date, the ASPCA Relocation team has assisted nearly 100 animals displaced by the recent string of disasters to states throughout the Northwest.

“In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Northern California, the ASPCA is dedicated to continue helping at-risk animals in the communities that need it most,” said Lance Hunter, Director of ASPCA Relocation Team, Los Angeles. “Our work with Alaska Airlines to transport cats from Oakland Animal Services to shelters in the Northwest will not only enable OAS to take in more animals impacted by the fires, but will also give these cats a greater opportunity to find safe and loving homes at lesser-crowded shelters in Washington.”

The ASPCA deploys its Field Investigations & Response team nationwide to assist in relocation, search-and-rescue, sheltering, and reunification efforts during disaster situations including wildfires, tornadoes, and floods. Most recently, the ASPCA has assisted more than 20,000 animals—mainly through distribution of critical pet supplies—in communities impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and continues to provide emergency sheltering for animals displaced by Hurricane Maria in U.S. Virgin Island St. Croix.