Volunteers mobilize for animals amid Rancho Palos Verdes fire

Let's hear it for all those animal lovers out there who jumped in last night and made sure the area's dogs, cats and horses had safe shelter. (That's Norman, left, who spent the night at Ernie Howlett Park after being evacuated.) 

As soon as word began to spread about the fire on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, San Pedro Realtor Rebecca Chamblis fired up her computer, using Twitter, Facebook and emails to offer services to area residents. She called the Terranea resort to make sure they'd accept animals as part of their overnight shelter package. She gives special credit to the American Kennel Club, a group she says is always ready to provide food, crates and other help during a natural disaster.

Meanwhile, horse trainer Callie Bell, also a San Pedro resident, hitched up her trailer and began ferrying horses out of the Portguguese Bend neighborhoods over to Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates. Owners were picking their horses up today.

Rebecca says someday she'd like to see a formal animal rescue group "on paper." But for now, the loose-knit, self-motivated band of volunteers -- some of whom don't even know each other -- is doing a pretty good job.

I've posted some more photos on the jump that I took this morning of the 15 horses who were taken to the Ernie Howlett park by Callie and others. Owners were picking them up by midday to return home.