She is a rare type of hero.
A brave Los Angeles veterinarian who adopted dozens of animals as their owners evacuated from the raging Palisades fires says he sacrificed his health and safety to care for them. It was revealed on Wednesday.
Annie Havilich, 47, has split her home and empty pet clinic into more than 40 dogs, cats and a rabbit named Oreo because their owners don't have the space or resources to take them. It has opened up, Harvilich said. Wednesday post.
“We had a family bring 10 dogs, but they had to leave their horses behind,” she said. “For me, this is a no-brainer. I looked around and said, 'There's a lot of space here.' I can help you.” ”
Havilich, who owns two animal hospitals in the Los Angeles area, began welcoming pets evacuated by the fire to the Marina Del Rey Animal Wellness Center shortly after Tuesday's fire.
She also adopted four animals at her home near Los Angeles Airport.
The hospital is about 19 miles from a rapidly growing wildfire that has forced tens of thousands of people in Southern California to evacuate their homes as powerful Santa Ana winds fanned the flames.
Hervilitz's efforts to coordinate pet rescue and animal care as ash rains from an “apocalyptic” sky are exhausting, but worth it, she said.
“I haven't slept at all and the smoke hurts my eyes,” she said. “I do this job because I love animals and want to take care of them.”
Some of the pets she has rescued include a cat named Pumpkin and a pit bull named Daisy, but larger animals are more difficult to rescue.
“A woman asked me to help her take care of nine donkeys, but the problem was that she didn't have a trailer,” Hervilitz said. “They had to release them, but they probably didn't make it in time.”
“The real animal tragedy is the large animals,” she says.
Posted by Havilitz Facebook message On Tuesday morning, her brother called to look after cats and rabbits while he evacuated, so she offered to house the animals evacuated by the fire.
“I said, 'There's going to be a lot more people like my brother who need help,'” she said.
Since then, others have volunteered to help Mr. Hurvilitz run the nonprofit organization. Animal Wellness Foundation.
Many of the pet owners who fled the fire had multiple dogs and cats and were unable to take them to the hotels where they were temporarily staying.
“If you have a pet that needs help, contact your veterinarian, even if you think you can't afford treatment,” she said. “There are veterans out there who are just as happy to help as I am.”
The wildfire has burned 15,000 acres and killed at least two people as of Wednesday afternoon.
