Shelter Dogs Displaced By Holy Fire Arrive In San Diego County

ENCINITAS, CA – Shelter dogs displaced by the devastating Holy Fire in Orange and Riverside counties have been transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas.

The first of the dogs – now named Ash, Ember, Flame, Smokey, Kona, Hook and Ladder – will be available for adoption starting Thursday.

"These are indirect victims of the Holy Fire," said Kathy Zerkle, Rancho Coastal Humane Society's vice president of adoption services.

"They were already being care for by our rescue partners at Animal Friends of the Valley in Wildomar. They had more fire victims pouring in with no place to care for them. They asked if we could take some of their animals to create space for the new victims."

Zerkle added that the dogs are fire victims, even though they weren't evacuated from their homes.

"With the smell and the sense of urgency in the shelter, they knew that something was wrong. We got them out of there as soon as possible, before any permanent damage could take place."

The new arrivals at Rancho Coastal Humane Society include:

• Ash: 1 1/2-year-old male Siberian husky
• Ember: 4-year-old female Shepherd mix
• Flame: 4-year-old male Chow Chow mix
• Smokey: 6-year-old male Akita mix
• Kona: 2-year-old female Labrador mix
• Hook and Ladder: 2-month-old Shepherd mix puppies

Members of the public can visit the shelter to see the dogs in their kennels and fill out adoption applications now, Zerkle said. The puppies will be isolated until they have had their medical and behavioral examinations.

Rancho Coastal Humane Society is accepting donations to help cover the costs associated with the Holy Fire dogs and others arriving at the shelter in the future.

Rancho Coastal Humane Society is located at 389 Requeza Street in Encinitas. The kennels and cattery are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday.

For more information, call 760-753-6413 or visit SDpets.org.

Photos credit: Rancho Coastal Humane Society