A California couple was left shaken after an earthquake hit their Alpine home, triggering chaos among their four dogs and four cats. The moment was captured on their Ring security camera and later shared with Newsweek, drawing attention for the pets’ panicked reactions.
The earthquake, which struck at 10:08 a.m. on May 1, 2025, registered a magnitude of 5.2, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Damage from quakes typically begins around magnitude 4 or 5, depending on factors such as soil type, building design, and distance from the epicenter.
Homeowner Tracey was out of town in Puerto Vallarta visiting her father when she received an alert from both the Ring app and her earthquake app. Her husband, who was at work at the time, got the notification too and immediately sent her the footage.
“At first, we thought it was just low-flying military aircraft. That’s pretty normal in Alpine,” Tracey said. “But then we heard a crash, and we knew it was something more serious.”
The video shows their pets—dogs Mikey, Bindi, Mocha Latte, and Radar, and cats Otis, Sampson, Blackie, and Picadillo—reacting in confusion as the home begins to shake. At first, the animals gather together, likely expecting a person to appear. But once the trembling intensifies, they scatter in all directions in a frantic search for safety. A jar can be heard breaking in the “catio” (a patio for cats), underscoring the quake’s strength.
“While we’ve felt earthquakes before, this was their first really intense, loud one,” Tracey said. “Watching the video gave me chills thinking about how terrified they must’ve been.”
Fortunately, none of the pets were hurt. Tracey’s husband left work to check on them and found them all safe, though visibly shaken.
Experts say one important way to protect pets in emergencies like earthquakes is to make sure they are microchipped. According to the animal welfare group Michelson Found Animals, a microchip greatly increases the chances of being reunited if a pet escapes during a disaster.
For Tracey, the experience was difficult to relive, but she’s grateful the situation didn’t end worse. “They were just scared out of their minds,” she said.
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