Photo: Orange County sheriff’s office/ twitter
More than a dozen cats were killed in a fire that tore through an animal shelter in central Florida this week.
At least 17 cats were killed, according to authorities, though the Pet Allianceearlier said the total was 23. All 26 dogs at the shelter were saved, according toThe Orlando Sentinal.
Orange County sheriff’s office/ twitter
Neither the Orange County Fire Department nor the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment prior to publication.
“If you run a shelter, this is literally your worst nightmare — to see your building on fire and know that there are animals in there that you’re charged to care for and you can’t go in,” Pet Alliance Executive Director Steve Bardy told reporters at the scene Wednesday night, per theSentinal.
Many of the animals caught in the flames, Bardy said, were rescues from Hurricane Ida. The surviving animals will be transferred to the nonprofit’s Sanford location.
Bardy thanked the firefighters for their rapid response. “I’m grateful that the firefighters have, you know, put their lives at risk to … help save as many as they could,” he said, per theSentinal. “I’m eternally grateful for that.“You can donate to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlandovia their website.
source: people.com
