With the loss of life and devastating destruction that came with the wildfires that raged through the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena, thousands of pets were also caught in the inferno, left separated from their families. 

With local shelters already dealing with overcrowding, Wings of Rescue, led by its president Ric Browde stepped in to help. 

What You Need To Know

  • In a new episode of "LA Stories," host Giselle Fernandez profiles Browde, president of the nonprofit that flies animals out of LA to safety during the wildfires

  • By airlifting the adoptable dogs and cats that were already in the shelters to out of state no-kill facilities, Browde and his team were able to make room for the animals separated from their families by the fire

  • Browde details his determination to help dogs and cats all across the world in high-risk situations such as natural disasters, such as hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria

  • He recently launched a program through Wings of Rescue called Operation Pit Stop, which offers free spay and neuter services

By airlifting the adoptable dogs and cats that were already in the shelters to out-of-state no-kill facilities, Browde and his team were able to make room for the animals separated from their families by the fire. 

“They were going to have to kill all these pets to make room for the tidal wave of incoming pets,” he said, “So we had to get in and save those because we can’t touch the pets that are coming in that are being displaced directly by the fire… We have to give them every chance. And we hope that everyone will be reclaimed by their families.”

In the latest episode of "LA Stories with Giselle Fernandez," Browde details his determination to help dogs and cats all across the world in high-risk situations such as natural disasters, such as hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

On each mission, Wings of Rescue airlifts one to two hundred dogs and cats — and sometimes other pets like snakes, rabbits and birds — to the safety of rescue facilities out of state or even internationally.

Planes are loaded high with crates of animals, ready for a new life. Browde left his successful music career behind to pursue his passion for animal advocacy — and says he will not rest until he’s saved every vulnerable pet out there.

“When I shut the door on a plane, there’s this moment [where] I look around and there are 100 dogs or cats on the flight, and that’s so great, we saved these lives,” he said. “And then there’s this moment of dread because I know I didn’t get them all.  And I got to go back. I’ve got to do it again.”

Browde advocates on behalf of the voiceless dogs and cats around the world. 

He recently launched a program through Wings of Rescue called Operation Pit Stop, which offers free spay and neuter services. 

Browde says the costs of these services and basic veterinary care have risen over the years, making it unaffordable for many pet owners, which leads to overcrowding in animal shelters and euthanization of unwanted cats and dogs. 

While he’s hopeful for long-term change, he knows change takes time — but says there are things everyone can do to help immediately. 

“We all have the capacity to make the world better. You can go to your shelter. You can bring blankets, newspapers, [and] cans of food. You can just walk a dog. You can pet a cat, socialize them,” he said. “Make it so that you were on this planet to do something good because that’s why we were put here in the first place.”