⏳They’re Still Waiting: Help Sean Rescue LA’s Fire Pets ⛑

⛑ Emergency Fire Zone Animal Rescue – Help Save Lives ⏳

Imagine if this was your pet. The one who greets you at the door, curls up beside you at night, and trusts you with their life. Now imagine they were left behind in a disaster zone, alone, terrified, and injured—waiting for someone to come back.

Thousands of beloved pets were trapped behind fire lines when the Los Angeles wildfires tore through our communities. These animals aren’t just pets—they are family members. They were raised in homes filled with love, and now, many are hiding in the rubble, hungry, dehydrated, and suffering from burns and toxic smoke inhalation.

Why I’m Rescuing Animals from the Fire Zones

My name is Sean Garrison, and I’ve spent over 20 years as a photojournalist documenting wildfires in Los Angeles. When I learned that animals were being left behind—and that rescue organizations weren’t being allowed behind the fire lines—I knew I had to act.

I made a post online offering to help, and pet owners immediately began reaching out. At first, I was doing this alone, using my press credentials to access burned-out neighborhoods and search for stranded animals. Soon, an organization called WUFAW (Women United for Animal Welfare) contacted me, asking if I could help behind the lines and save the animals they couldn’t reach.

I came up with an idea to use trail cameras and later thermal drones to track survivors, helping to expand search efforts far beyond what was previously possible. What started as one person trying to help turned into a massive coordinated rescue operation. Thanks to the combined efforts of WUFAW, LAAS, other animal rescue organizations, and volunteers, close to 1,000 animals have been reunited with their families. Some were burned, others were hiding in the wreckage, and many were just waiting for someone to come find them.

Time is Running Out ⌛️

The EPA and demolition crews have begun cleanup, and now that bulldozers and other heavy equipment have started, these animals are becoming even harder to find. Many are hiding in fear or hunted by displaced predators like coyotes and bobcats. Time is running out.

As of today 2/28, LAAS and all of the major organizations have withdrawn efforts. This week we are still having new sightings of cats we've never seen… and there are countless more out there across these massive burn zones. It takes a lot of patience and effort to go out and re-bait/set new traps daily. With manpower and resources dwindling, our odds are stacking against us.

The rescue organizations are spread thin as is, and understandably they had to shift their focus back to the rest of the SoCal animals that desperately need their help. You can count on one hand how many volunteers are till working on bringing these animals home. I am still out there day and night setting traps, but I have run out of cameras/traps. My mission remains the same. With your help we don’t have to give up on our furry friends.

I’ve sacrificed a lot for this cause. I put my career on hold, spent weeks on the frontlines away from my family, living out of my car, breathing toxic ash, and working around the clock to save these animals. I’ve put over 1,000 miles on my personal vehicle, patched multiple flat tires from fire debris, suffered staph infections, and tapped into my savings—all to continue this mission. I have a wife and 2-year-old daughter at home, and I was not able to work for over a month. Now, I’m falling behind on my bills, and my car—critical for rescue efforts—is breaking down.

This was never about money. I had no idea how big this operation was going to become, otherwise I would have asked for support when I first started. Because we’ve reached such a critical point in our efforts, we still need to be out there around the clock before we lose our window to save them. I want to continue this operation full-time, but in order to do so, I will have to keep my business on hold.

I will not stop fighting for these animals. But I need your help.

You can be part of this mission. Your support will help me continue working full-time to locate, rescue, and reunite pets with their owners.

How Your Donation Will Save Lives:

✅ Continue full-time rescue efforts in the fire zones

✅ Fix my vehicle so I can keep transporting animals to safety

✅ Expand the search with more trail cameras and humane traps

✅ Fund thermal drone operations to scan fire zones for animals trapped in rubble

✅ Cover basic living expenses so I can keep working without financial collapse

Just a few examples of operational costs to continue the mission:

Cost Breakdown

* $35 – Covers gas for one rescue run into the fire zone

* $20 – Provides food and fresh water to bait traps and feed rescued animals for a day

* $10 – Buys batteries to power one trail camera for a week to monitor animal movement

* $250 – Buys a large animal trap and cellular trail camera setup

* $1,000 – Repairs my Land Rover, which has been running almost nonstop for six weeks

* $5,000 – Covers basic living expenses so I can continue full-time (rent, bills, groceries, and rent for my photo studio which has been completely shut down)

* $2,000 per night – Funds a thermal drone and two operators to scan fire zones for animals trapped in rubble (we need at least six nights of scanning)

Be the Reason an Animal Survives

Even $5 can make a difference. If you can’t donate, please share this fundraiser. Every share spreads awareness and helps bring these pets home.

Let’s show these animals that they haven’t been forgotten. Donate today.

Thank you for your kindness and support.

For updates, please follow my journey on IG and TikTok:

Instagram: @TheScaryGary

TikTok: @TheScaryGary1