This Rescue Organization’s Offices Burned in the Palisades Fire. The Community Stepped Up to Keep Them Going

On January 7, the Los Angeles–area offices of Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue burned in the Palisades Fire. The offices were also the California home of the foster-based rescue’s founder, Kari Whitman.

“It was a devastating day,” said Whitman, who was in Colorado at the time. “Nothing [was] left. Not even a spoon. Not even my car. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through.”

Fortunately, as a foster-based organization, Ace of Hearts did not have any dogs on site. Though a tremendous amount of property was destroyed, Whitman said, “it’s just stuff,” and no dogs were harmed. But Ace of Hearts did lose paperwork and supplies including medicine, treats, and food—all important to their mission of helping dogs in need.

Amazingly, despite the magnitude of this loss, the rescue was able to run an adoption event the next week. One big reason is that the community came out in force to help them. Here’s how that happened.

“The rescue has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Whitman started Ace of Hearts almost three decades ago, after the death of her beloved dog Ace.

“He was just the most loving, kind, compassionate dog,” she told us. “I was going through a crazy time in my life [when I got him], and I really believe that dogs are [among] the best antidotes to loneliness.”
Now, 28 years later, Whitman estimates that the organization she named in Ace’s honor has saved 11,000 dogs.

“I think LA needed us,” Whitman said. “The rescue has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Whitman is proud of running a foster-based organization, and told us that they have a return rate of less than 1% in part because, by the time a dog is adopted out to their forever family, the organization and fosters know so much about them and where they’ll be a good fit.

“I could not believe the outreach.”

“We lost everything in the Palisades Fire,” Whitman said of the organization after its offices burned. “But I could not believe the outreach. People volunteering. People fostering.”

Because so many people donated money and supplies, and gave their time as fosters and volunteers, Ace of Hearts was back on its feet quickly.

“We did an adoption event the Saturday after the fire,” Whitman said. “And then the Saturday after, we kept it going—because the community needed us. So many dogs were displaced.”

Chip and Dale

Whitman ran off a list of dogs the organization was able to help who were injured or lost because of the fire. There was a terrier who required surgery for burns on his legs and feet. There was 13-year-old named Brownie who was found wandering the streets. There was a bonded pair named Chip and Dale. And there were the two senior dogs who belonged to a resident of an assisted-living facility that burned down. The community’s support for Ace of Hearts allowed them to give these and many other dogs the assistance they needed.

Chip and Dale, by the way, are still available to adopt. Peter, one of the seniors, is looking for a home as well.

Peter

Witnessing the way strangers rallied to help her organization and the dogs they serve changed the way Kari saw the Los Angeles area.

“I never knew LA had that good of a community,” she said. “And I hate to even admit that. I’ll be honest, it’s how I didn’t really go down—is seeing the love and the support. When you lose everything, and everyone knows that you’re giving back, they want to help you. Dogs pull community together.”

Liam Cronin interviewed Kari Whitman for this story.

The post This Rescue Organization’s Offices Burned in the Palisades Fire. The Community Stepped Up to Keep Them Going appeared first on The Farmer’s Dog - Digest.