Nashville Rallies as Country Brands Seek Support for LA Wildfire Relief

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H Bar C Ranchwear and Compton Cowboys have joined forces with Boomer’s Buddies, an at-risk pet rescue, for a wildfire relief donation initiative targeting thousands of displaced animals in the fire-stricken suburbs of Los Angeles.

H Bar C Ranchwear and Compton Cowboys — two cherished Western culture brands within the country music sphere connected to both Nashville and Los Angeles — have teamed up for an effort to assist the animals affected by the wildfires that have tragically taken at least 16 lives and ravaged 40,000 acres in the Los Angeles vicinity, demolishing communities and over 12,000 structures in just a week.

According to a post on Instagram, the over-125-year-old Western wear retailer H Bar C has revealed that its Music City location at 1305 Clinton St in Marathon Village will act as a drop-off site for animal supplies, such as unopened pet food and treats, new or gently used blankets, bowls, collars, and leashes.

Boomer’s Buddies Rescue, a nonprofit organization classified under 501(c)(3) and dedicated to rescuing high-risk cats and dogs, is supporting H Bar C and Compton Cowboys in their initiative.

Additionally, Nashville residents who want to contribute non-animal items through H Bar C and Compton Cowboys were invited to send a direct message to H Bar C on Instagram to be referred to other organizations that are accepting donations.

Boomer’s Buddies has also shared their direct Venmo donation link at @boomersbuddies on the platform.

What are H Bar C and Compton Cowboys?

For more than a century, the Western wear retailer H Bar C has outfitted iconic cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, silver-screen stars such as Elvis Presley, John Travolta, and John Wayne, as well as five decades of music legends ranging from Led Zeppelin to Midland.

Since 2017, Rick Stahl, a former financial consultant and investment banker from Detroit, has revitalized the H Bar C brand, capitalizing on three decades of growing interest in vintage Western wear through collaborations with the global guitar brand Gibson and Nashville’s boutique fashion label Daniel Diamond.

Compton Cowboys is a nearly 40-year-old, Los Angeles-based equestrian club, driven by African-American youth members, aimed at dispelling the negative stereotypes surrounding young Black individuals and gang violence in its home city.

For the last ten years, musician and rancher Randy Savvy has carried on his family’s legacy by providing horseback riding opportunities for at-risk youth and integrating country music with hip-hop and Western culture.

Progressing from a community horse program named the Compton Jr. Posse — which is now called the Compton Junior Equestrians — toworldwide acclaim, including being highlighted at the Stagecoach Festival, their message of overcoming challenging situations to be a united force for constructive change and “leading the journey” to a bright future has established them a presence within Nashville’s country scene.

How are displaced or harmed animals being helped during the Los Angeles wildfires?

In addition to over 300 donkeys and horses reported to be currently housed at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center as of Saturday, Pasadena Humane also indicated that upwards of 400 animals — mainly dogs, donkeys, and horses — have arrived at their facility since the Southern California wildfires commenced last Tuesday.

This comes in conjunction with over 150,000 displaced individuals in a 60 square-mile vicinity north of Downtown Los Angeles.

Dia DuVernet, president and chief executive of Pasadena Humane, observed that animals requiring everything from temporary shelter to permanent re-housing, often marked with singed fur and burned paws, are regularly encountered. They are being treated in their ICU with pain relief medications, wound treatment, fluids, and oxygen.

Humane organizations and centers across California have collaborated to offer resources for displaced animals, including the Pasadena Civic Center, which has permitted individuals to remain with their pets.

While animal control officials have not entered active fire zones, they have been on site assisting injured animals within the community. Volunteers have likewise supported animal control agencies and humane societies by providing foster care for displaced animals from affected areas.