Tragedy

Yesterday 200 cats burned to death in Connecticut, about 45 minutes away from my home. The woman was a "shelter" and actually did have charitable organization standing. However, she was more a hoarder than a shelter because she had these 200 cats in her home. This is the second time she has had a fire burn down her home - electric fires. The paper said the stench of urine was unbearable. All her cats were free roaming and she had no contingent plan for a fire. She had an outdoor enclosure that over 100 cats got out into. However, her husband could not cut the wire fast enough and he literally watched the cats die - he got about 20 cats out, all burned.

So many people want to help cats and start out the right way. Somewhere in their life they go out of control and they try to save everyone. This is why I say no many times when people call me for help. Rescue organizations must always remember we cannot save them all and so we have to do the best for the ones we do save.

My heart cries for these cats - could this have been avoided? I don't know. I am pretty sure the state will be doing some spot checks on all of the home shelters very soon though - I am thankful I limit myself and always have a clean (not as clean as Sandie's house, but clean by normal standards) house.

The Rainbow Bridge must be very crowded right about now.

Rene;
That story gave me chills. When will people with "good" intentions see that they are not helping when they have that many animals? I can't imagine where those cats had a good life before the fire either.

This has got to be the most sickening this I seen in a long time. It's hard to fathom having that many cats, let alone having that many cats die like that.

That kind of story makes me realize how lucky my little babies are. Everyone should give their kitties extra kisses tonight.

OH MY GOD! That gave me chills too, and I just saw it on the news...

I don't know what else to say. Oh my God.

What a terrible story! Poor cats! That doesn't sound like much of a shelter...

One of the reporters at our newspaper asked me if I knew any good "cat hoarding" stories. I called her this morning and told her to look into this fire. That's a perfect example.

I feel SO sorry for all those cats that needlessly burned to death all because they didn't have a fire plan and with SO many cats.

:balling:

Oh my gosh, that is just AWFUL!!!! My heart goes out to those poor cats, who had no chance to survive.

The man had over 350 cats in a small trailer! He was on a fixed income, and couldn't afford to feed the cats, but he would put food outside (mostly rice and milk) and the ferals would come. The fire started late at night, he forgot he had food on the stove. He lost his life, as did many of the cats. They were actually bringing out stacks of cats days after the fire. Two cats survived- just barely...
two out of 350 not good odds.

I feel for those poor cats, and yes, the Bridge is quite crowded right now.

I am just really angry that it happened. When you have that many cats you have become a hoarder, not a rescuer. And such a horrible, horrible way for so many cats to die. It makes me cry.

When Rene told me last night on the phone about this, I just cried to myself until I got off the phone and then dh came running in to see what was wrong as he heard my crying and knew I was on the phone with Rene and when I told him, he had tears in his eyes too. He knows how I feel as I use to help with a rescue group and thank the man above, that this never happened to us. The owner of our group, lived above the shelter just in case so somebody was close. I told Rene that when she opens up her official shelter to look into something I read about (but can't remember where -- dh says it's sometimers disease setting in) where a shelter had a sprinkler system in place and at the back of each cage was an door that if the sprinklers whet off the door would automatically open and the cats could get out into the enclosed area. She said that she would look into it. I'm still crying for these poor babies and mad at the woman and her husband for doing this to them. This is only my opinion but I'm sure lots of you would agree. I lit a candle for their safe crossing.

Frannie

The suffering endured by animals is beyond comprehension. I am heartbroken upon learning of the innocent cats who perished in that fire. Yes, the Rainbow Bridge is surely busy just now; but the little souls who passed over to that place are no longer suffering in any way. They are now amongst friends both new and old. Nevertheless, the horrible manner in which they met their deaths is heart-rending. I weep for them, even as they are now beyond the reach of cruelty.



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