GARDEN CITY — Many people feel helpless watching the devastation of the California fires from afar, unable to imagine the loss.
But for one Treasure Valley couple there was no question - they had to do whatever it took to help evacuees and their animals.
A passion for animals, combined with her passion for helping, led WestVet Animal Emergency & Specialty Center employee Jordyn Atkisson back home to Northern California to lend help in the midst of a nightmare.
"It's still home to me and just seeing the footage and what was going on and how enormous it was, there was nothing else to do," Atkisson said. "You just have to get out there and get involved because they need it, they need everybody and whoever can be apart of it, they are welcoming it.
"I just felt that we needed to be there," she added. "To be out of your home, to be missing your pets, to be the pet missing everything you knew and scared and injured and transported all around - I just can't imagine."
Atkisson and her fiance decided to embark on a disaster relief journey. Her employer didn't hesitate to get behind it. In fact, they made a large donation and got their vendors on board as well so Atkisson could get items on different shelters' and organizations' wish lists.
“I mean they were amazing and it was in two-and-a-half to three days that we got all this rallied together,” Atkisson said. "We wanted to do research because they get a lot of donations and there's only so much space so you want to make sure they're getting things they need to the best of your research.”
Companies MWI, Henry Schein, Clearview Cleaning, Happy Family organics, The Rag Company, LeSchwab donated everything from medical supplies to baby food and snacks, paper towels and toilet paper to tires, along with monetary donations. Friends, family and coworkers pitched in as well. They packed it all up in a donated trailer last Thursday.
"They needed everything so we brought what we could for people: sleeping bags, tents, blankets, pillows," Atkisson said. "We had tons of pet food, collars, leashes, dog beds, kennels, toys. I think there was a little bit of everything in that trailer."
They drove about 580 miles to Chico, California and were there until Sunday. When they got there, they helped different centers with whatever they needed.
"You bring donations in somewhere and they're almost grabbing at you like, 'what are you doing? What are you here for? Can you help?' So we wound up volunteering at places we were donating at," Atkisson said.
They were at the different centers' beckon call, helping out with livestock, the Butte Humane Society, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group based out of the Chico Airport, and the nearby Hope Center, which is taking care of evacuees and animals. They brought the majority of their supplies for people to the Hope Center.
Atkisson says the shelters and locations housing animals are inundated. There are about 540 large animals at one of the fairgrounds and, at last count, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group had at least 1,800 animals at three different locations.
"We wanted to spread the love for sure and I think people felt that,” Atkisson added.
After watching the news coverage and hearing the numbers of dead and the extent of destruction, she knew going in that it would be emotional and challenging. But seeing how immense the damage was while it was happening was something she couldn't prepare for.
"You just have to be strong," Atkisson said. "You look at the people around you and people coming in for the donations and how strong they are and if they can keep it together, you can. And everyone has to rally, be a community and make it all happen."
She and her fiance were doing everything they could to provide help and hope in the midst of this nightmare.
"The most that we heard is how thankful people were for everybody being there and it wouldn't be possible without these volunteers and donations," she said. “Everybody is just hoping for the best that people will be able to be reunited with their pets and we can help them rebuild. But it's going to be a long, long time."
Atkisson is hopeful the majority of the displaced animals will be reunited with their owners when the dust starts to settle. Owners may not be able to get to their animals or pets right now because they may be injured or unable to find means to reach them. But she knows, some will not be reunited with their families and will be looking for new homes.
"It's also a process to go through to try to find them and the paperwork to fill out for a lost pet and going to all those spots trying to figure out where they might be," she said. "So it's just a time thing and we would hope that a lot of them will be able to be reunite."
She and her fiance plan to make several trips to help out and bring more supplies. Atkisson hopes to volunteer her medical expertise to animals. They're planning to make another visit in December, right before Christmas.
"They don't want us to forget about them, and we certainly won't," Atkisson said.
You can stay check out Atkisson's previous Facebook posts and stay posted on her plans for her next trip on the WestVet Facebook page. On November 18, WestVet posted Camp Fire Donation information: