Trailers arrived all at once, carrying hundreds of horses fleeing the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles.
Some horses came alone, others in trailers crammed with other animals. Many had their owners, but others arrived on their own, brought by their rescuers or animal control. One horse, according to volunteers, actually carried its owner all the way from Altadena — which would have taken five hours on foot. Pigs, donkeys and miniature horses followed.
Within 24 hours, the Los Angeles Equestrian Center was transformed into a modern-day Noah's Ark. Over the past week, he has sheltered hundreds of animals from the disaster as part of his official role as one of the city's major animal shelters.
The facility, tucked in the shadow of Griffith Park, has taken in more than 200 horses, in addition to the 500 or so already living there.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday was “chaos,” said Jenny Nevin, spokeswoman for the horse base. The facility catalogs every horse that arrives, making sure they can be reunited. Housing the animals was free for the owners, thanks to the support of public donations and frequent deliveries of free hay, feed and other supplies.
Sergio Martial was one of dozens of people who brought animals here after their own facilities were destroyed or threatened.
A week ago, he and his girlfriend Jenny Bacon raced to help save more than 70 animals from Eaton Dam Stableswhile battling flames so intense that his face mask caught fire and his glasses shattered and distorted.
His efforts landed him in the hospital, his lungs and throat burned after inhaling the burned air.
A week later, Mr Martial, 29, and Ms Bacon, 30, were walking Arthur and Playboy – two miniature horses he helped rescue that night – around their new home. Here they were safe from the fires and seemed calm and friendly despite all they had been through.
“It still hurts to swallow,” Mr. Martial said, pointing to a face mask he must wear to prevent infections. “I would do it all over again – no doubt.”
Most of the owners of the shelter animals have been identified, and several owners spent Tuesday afternoon walking their horses around the stables.
Dozens of volunteers cared for the remaining animals housed at the center. Some had become local celebrities.
Two donkeys, Maurice and Micah, often poked their heads out of their stables to seek attention. They had run down the mountain with their owner as the Palisades fire approached and were reunited because he had spray painted his number on the side.
“They like you to sing to them,” volunteer Lucena Herrera said. “We all just adopt them and take care of them.”
But a handful of animals have yet to be claimed. A miniature horse named Izzy still hadn't found his owner a week after the fires. The volunteers collectively adopted her until she found a new, permanent home.
So many volunteers came forward to help the animals that staff had to turn some away, Ms Nevin said. Between 50-100 volunteers were now rowing stalls, feeding the animals, spreading hay and serenading Maurice and Micah when they got fired up.
Watching owners reunite with their horses was one of the most rewarding experiences for the volunteers, said London Scott, founder of the local Cali Cowboy Club.
“It's a really beautiful process to go through,” Ms. Scott said, “To be able to see that first hand and know that you have a small part in helping someone have a little bit of peace at a tragic moment in time .”
Those here describe a deep bond with their animals and say the burned-out farms are a place of peace in this busy urban area.
“They are my safe place,” said Catherine Armenta, 42. “It's like a connection, a connection that I don't really have with anything else on this planet.”
Many of those here don't know what will happen next, where they might take their animals after the chaos of the ongoing wildfires burning around the Los Angeles area is over.
“I haven't even been able to process any of it. I have 40 horses to look after,” Ms Bacon said. “When it's all said and done, I think we're all going to go get margaritas and just have a good cry.”
