After going missing during the Aspen Acres Fire, a 15-year-old orange tabby has been found alive 20 days later, giving Beulah residents a small measure of relief as they continue coping with the wildfire's losses and emotional toll.
What happened?
According to KOAA, George, a declawed senior cat owned by Beulah resident Stacy Kamnicar, disappeared during the Aspen Acres Fire and was later recovered alive after nearly three weeks in severe conditions.
At the time, Kamnicar said she struggled to believe her pet could make it on his own.
"I don't know how a 15-year-old cat with no claws and is scared of everything is gonna survive," she said.
The search turned when Quasar, a Pueblo-based dog trained to find missing pets, helped locate him. Kamnicar described the moment she realized George had been found alive.
"Quasar smelled him, and I said this is where he's at ... I said, 'oh my god, he's alive,'" she said.
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Kamnicar said George had apparently been startled and squeezed into a tiny place to hide.
"He hid in a ditch the size of my arm," she said.
Despite losing weight, George was otherwise in stable condition.
"No diabetes. No kidney issues. His liver was a little elevated, probably from not eating, but he was fine," Kamnicar said.
Why does it matter?
Wildfires do more than destroy homes and scorch landscapes. They also separate families from pets, upend routines, and add another layer of uncertainty to already traumatic situations.
For neighbors dealing with major personal loss, George's return became something hopeful to hold onto. Beulah resident Tammie Stevens, who lost her home in the fire, said she kept searching for George despite everything happening in her own life.
"If it was my cat that was missing, I'd want people to do everything they could to find him," Stevens said. "Volunteers from all over the country came to help clean up our homes, and the same story happened with George. Everyone was looking for him."
What's being done?
The rescue highlighted the role organized post-disaster pet searches can play, especially when volunteers and trained animal trackers are involved. In George's case, Quasar was key to finding a frightened cat that had stayed hidden for days.
Neighbors also showed up for one another after the fire, clearing debris, delivering supplies, and continuing to search for missing animals that families feared were gone for good.
"George made it through one day at a time, so that's what we're gonna do as a community," Stevens said.
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