Gina Lynn, founder of New Life Animal Sanctuary, got a call from a university laboratory that was under mandatory evacuation due to the fire. The lab uses 27 rats in psychology research and they needed to be evacuated, too.
Lynn and three volunteers sprung into action without question since they specialize in lab animal rescues, despite the three-hour trip leading them into the path of the flames.
The rescuers began driving to the arranged pickup spot in northern Los Angeles, the bright red blaze could be seen looming over the mountains.
The rats were safely waiting with a lab employee, who passed them off to when the group arrived.
The group made a pit stop on the way back at a vegan restaurant, where employees brought out some greens and fruit for the rats to snack on for the rest of the road trip.
Lynn and her team couldn’t have been happier that they got the call to save them.
“All 27 boys are safe and we’re glad to welcome them into our sanctuary family,” Lynn said.
It hasn’t taken long for the 27 little guys to settle in.
“They are loving having houses, hammocks, treats and toys!” Lynn said. “And plenty of room to explore.”
Since this was an emergency rescue, Lynn said, the sanctuary hopes that they’ll be able to find forever homes for some of the rats.
“We may be getting 50 more from another lab next week, so we are eager to adopt out,” Lynn said. “We have a good relationship with a pilot who has flown rats to new homes in the Bay Area and Las Vegas multiple times, so prospective adopters need not be in SoCal!”
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