Adoption Center Handles Aftermath Of Preparing To Evacuate About 120 Animals Amid 46 Fire

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — It was a chaotic day for a pet adoption center in Jurupa Valley due to the encroaching 46 Fire.

The Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center on Industrial Avenue and Griffith Street got ready to evacuate and later sheltered-in-place as the fire crept near.

"We're not evacuating right now, we're sheltering-in-place, although we are preparing to evacuate if we need to be," said the shelter's Executive Director. "We're getting animals and crates in place to move animals out if we need to"

The non-profit animal shelter takes in animals that have been relinquished by their owners as well as animals from the county shelter every week.

"We're also going to try to keep all of our animals calm. Stress is a big thing right now, so we want to make sure everybody, people and animals, stay as calm as possible," she said.

Currently, there are about 120 dogs and cats in the shelter's care.

The shelter's plan was to set up a temporary shelter at a staging place located at the Riverside Airport.

Volunteers as well as the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, were on-hand to help prepare for an evacuation.