HOUSING EQUITY & ADVOCACY RESOURCE TEAM (HEART) TO HELP LOS ANGELES WITH DISASTER RESPONSE WITH HELP OF $25,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release 

In January 2025, Los Angeles County faced a catastrophic convergence of wildfires and severe windstorms, leading to widespread devastation and loss. The crisis began on January 7, 2025, when the Palisades Fire ignited in the Pacific Palisades area. Fueled by powerful Santa Ana wind, the fire rapidly spread prompting mass evacuations. Simultaneously, the Eaton Fire erupted near Altadena, further straining emergency response efforts. Tragically, these fires resulted in at least five confirmed fatalities. 

The destruction of homes and infrastructure led to an even more severe housing crisis, exacerbating the plight of displaced residents and animals seeking shelter. As housing options decrease, families are shut out from housing options because of their pets and are faced with additional costs or flat-out denials. This increases the risk of pets ending up in animal shelters as families exhaust their options.  

April 1, 2025, Los Angeles, CA – In the wake of the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires that made a devastating impact on people and their pets, HEART has mobilized to provide rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. With a $25,000 grant made immediately available by PetSmart Charities, HEART will aid impacted pets.  

As housing advocates, HEART is uniquely positioned to support impacted families and their companion animals by offering housing navigation support and connecting clients to emergency resources. HEART will support efforts to reunite families and provide on-going support to displaced community members by appointing a Caseworker to develop partnerships with impacted shelters and local organizations to support families in need. Legal counsel will also be offered to individuals requesting our services. This funding will impact an estimated 50 pets per month. 

Disaster response grants made by PetSmart Charities promote people and pets staying together during crises, when they need each other most. When people suffer during natural disasters, their pets often suffer too. As important members of the family, pets, too, have urgent needs for shelter, medical care, nutritious food, and social support. 

Since January, HEART has continued to respond to urgent requests from tenants, community organizations, and emergency response agencies to assist individuals facing housing insecurity with their pets. “Housing issues are a leading cause of owner surrenders at shelters, straining facilities that are already operating at capacity,” said Zaira Bernal, Co-Director at HEART. “Many individuals remain unhoused due to their commitment to keeping their pets, and others risk losing their housing because of the presence of pets and support animals.”  

To learn more about HEART’s programming for people and pets or request legal services, visit www.heartla.org.  

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About Housing Equity & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART) 

HEART LA is a legal nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles County dedicated to preventing animal surrenders in shelters and keeping people and pets together. HEART addresses the gap between animal and human wellbeing by helping low-income individuals, families, and their pets maintain stable housing. Our programming includes pet-inclusive legal advocacy, housing rights education and resource navigation, and shelter and service provider trainings. 

Follow our work on Instagram or Meta @HEARTLosAngeles 

About PetSmart Charities® PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart® stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org. 

Follow PetSmart Charities on Instagram: @PetSmartCharities 

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc 

Media Contact: 

Diana Cruz, Director

info@heartla.org

24-Hour PetSmart Charities 

Media Line: 

623-587-2177