A drive to help wildlife affected by California fires

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The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is leading an industry-wide initiative to support animals affected by wildfires in Southern California. Throughout the NAVC’s Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida—January 25-29, 2025—the organization is running a fundraising drive with donations benefiting the nonprofit Pasadena Humane Wildlife Relief Fund, which operates in the Greater Los Angeles area.

“So many animals…have been impacted by the catastrophic fires in Southern California and are in immediate need of homes and medical care. The veterinary community understands how urgent these needs are and is looking for ways to contribute and help now,” Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, said in a news release.

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There are multiple opportunities for VMX attendees to contribute to the campaign. “We have collection boxes for cash [and] for checks. We have QR codes that they can scan and use to give donations online, and we also have, through our NAVC shop, [an item] that they can purchase, [and the profit] goes to donation,” O’Neill added in a dvm360 interview.

The donation bins are placed in the VMX Registration Booths in the South and North concourses of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and donors will be provided with a ‘One Love’ sticker at the Shop NAVC booth as a ‘thank you’ for contributing to the initiative.

According to NAVC, 100% of money donated by attendees will support the receiving charity. “Everything we collect goes to the Pasadena Humane Wildlife Relief Fund,” O’Neill emphasized. NAVC has also pledged to match up to $25,000 of raised money for the relief fund.

“Everyone knows the catastrophic damage that's been done by the by the wildfires. It's unfathomable how much damage has been done,” O’Neill said in the interview. The fundraising drive is “a way for NAVC to connect with the community, not only from a pet level, but also from just a humane level. It's just so catastrophic to see what has happened.”

O’Neil noted that the NAVC previously supported wildlife relief efforts in a similar way. “Back in 2020, with the bushfires in Australia, we collected donations throughout VMX, and sent that off to an agency in Australia to help,” he added.

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The fundraising campaign for Pasadena Humane Wildlife Relief Fund—part of the Pasadena Humane organization that offers programs and services to animals and the humans who care for them—was announced Saturday at VMX. With nearly 30,000 veterinary professionals attending the event and representing 82 countries, NAVC is leveraging the world’s largest veterinary conference to make a difference.

“Together, we can multiply our impact on the lies of these animals, their families and the tireless veterinary staff working to save the animals,” O’Neill said in the release.

Reference

North American Veterinary Community launches global veterinary industry fundraising drive to aid animals impacted by Southern California wildfires. News release. North American Veterinary Community. January 22, 2025. Accessed January 26, 2025. https://navc.com/navc-launches-fundraising-drive-to-aid-animals-affected-by-ca-wildfires/