Horse owners helped by Santa Barbara vet and volunteers from Somis area Maria fire

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Many horses could be showing up at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara with the ongoing Maria Fire in Somis spreading through ranchland.   

Some have already been processed into stalls.

Ventura County facilities are crowded and the Santa Barbara based Equine Evac team has mobilized to help in a mutual aid plan.

For a family getting horses and many other animals out quickly, the assistance was vital.

Veterinarian services from Karen Blumenshine was on hand to provide services to help calm the horses that were uneasy with the move.

"They were out of there normal situation. They were not used to trailering," she said.  And the impact could cause, "secondary stress ulcers," she said.

Horse owner Lauren Schneider and her mother Janice from Somis were comforting their animals at the showgrounds stalls and had others in a hotel room.  "I am overcome with gratitude to see so many people working together and helping each other and us being displaced and not knowing what to do."

Janice  Schneider said, "We were very lucky we got right in we came up and wonderful people here helped them get him settled because these horses are very spoiled they are not used to being in stalls."

It is unclear how long the horses will be at the facility, but the show grounds says its facility is open and available for this emergency operation as it has in the past.  Equine Evac has a team of volunteers available around the clock for this type of animal care.  

During the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudflow over 1300 animals were sheltered at the Showgrounds.

For more information go to http://www.sbequineevac.org/