People searching for their much-loved critters, lost pets that have been separated from their families, and worried locals sharing photos of those animals that have not been found: The number of stories of furry family members and the humans looking for them following the Palisades and Eaton Fires is heartbreakingly high.
One tender twist to the tail-filled tale, a development that is having wonderfully swift and heartwarming results?
The animals that were moved from Southern California-based shelters to sanctuaries and rescues based in other cities and states are already finding their forever families.
Best Friends Animal Society, which has transported dozens of shelter dogs and cats in recent days, shared some of the first emotional photos of dogs meeting their brand-new people on social media.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
In the smile-summoning snapshots, a happy adopter sits with a plucky pooch named Lavender on a couch, while a family smiles with the handsome husky they've just adopted.
The husky was on an early transport from Pasadena Humane, shared the society's team.
Seventeen dogs and cats were in the group, which was transported from the Pasadena animal shelter to quickly make space for many pets displaced by the fires.
Other shelter dogs and cats flew for a Best Friends no-kill sanctuary in Utah, departing Hollywood Burbank Airport Jan. 11 on a Wings of Rescue flight.
More touching pictures should be arriving in the days to come; keep a paw pointed at the Best Friends Animal Society social pages, where these tender tributes to the shelter animals that went on the road, and their new people, will appear.
