On Saturday, a deadly fire spread through Ponderosa Pet Resort in Central Texas, taking the lives of 75 animals and affecting 59 families who had to return home without their pets.
The cause of the fire has not been determined yet and it is still unclear if the facility had sprinklers inside, given that laws do not require them for considering the facility at low fire risk.
According to Kxan, the State Fire Marshal’s Office was at the pet resort Monday to investigate the cause of the fire. The animals are going to be taken to an undisclosed location, and their owners will be notified where that’s going to be so they can pick up their pets.
Richard and his wife Pam Richard got married on Friday, leaving their two puppies Bunny and Clyde in the Resort.
“They were meant for each other, no question about that,” Richard said. “Hopefully they were already asleep so they didn’t panic,” Pam added.
A memorial was put in place outside Ponderosa Pet Resort, where the community has gathered to mourn and leave photos, toys, and notes remembering the dogs who passed away in the fire.
They have also started to organize and ask for better care in such facilities, given that no staffers tend to stay overnight.
“The building was not occupied by humans, but by no indication do I want to lead anyone to believe that that is any less tragic,” said Georgetown Fire Department Chief John Sullivan “It is extremely heart-wrenching for us as first responders. My heart just dropped when I got the address and knew exactly what location we were going to.”
“It’s a big deal when you lose an extension of your family. My heart goes out — because it was unfair that I could go home last night and give my dog Rockford the biggest hug possible. He’s my comfort, he’s my confidante. And many of these family members have had that ripped out from them now.” He added.
