While most people were kicking off 2025 with New Year’s resolutions and the post-holiday blues, Southern California residents were battling and fleeing some of the deadliest fires in the state’s history.
Sadly, millions of animals were affected, too. Many fled alongside their loved ones while others found safety and shelter at places like the Pasadena Humane Society, which had helped to host the iconic Rose Parade (featuring adoptable pets) just days before.
Although most of the fire’s four-legged victims have begun rebuilding their lives, one special shelter dog has been working hard and waiting patiently for months. Meet Riley! This gorgeous Siberian Husky has overcome so much since arriving at @pasadenahumane with severe burns and smoke inhalation, but not a single person has come to the shelter to meet him.
Poor Riley! It must be so painful, frustrating, and isolating for a dog to have burns on his paws. The dog in the first clip of this video hardly resembles Riley now, which proves just how far this rescue dog has come since he was caught in the fires.
“It was the beautiful Riley who first inspired us to check in with Pasadena Humane each week for updates on when adoptions would reopen,” a dog mom named Alex shared. “Weeks later, we found our Utah—known then as Sven—and we couldn’t be happier. We owe so much to this incredible boy who inspired us and so many others to adopt.”
Pass the tissues, please! So many pets have been rescued since the fires tore through Southern California, but this beautiful boy is still patiently waiting. Because of his severe injuries, he can be sensitive to touch and can take time to warm up to someone new, but the right person is going to see what a resilient and fun-loving dog he is.
My heart hurts to see Riley going through such a traumatic experience without a forever home or family, but I know that the folks at the Pasadena Humane Society are doing everything they can to keep his spirits high. After meeting a few of the staff members at the Rose Parade just a few days before the fires began, I could tell right away that they go above and beyond for the animals in their care.
Riley’s forever family will need to live within 90 minutes of the Humane Society, because the rescue will provide in-home support for whoever adopts him. This will ensure that everyone has the smoothest transition possible! This shelter dog needs a special forever home to give him the time he needs to decompress and warm up, but once he does, he’s going to be such a happy dog!
Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos.
Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.