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lovemyshiba
01-26-2004, 03:11 PM
I received this through one of my shiba groups today.

***the story mentions the loss of lives of his animals, so please use discretion when reading.

__________________________________________________













Folks,
our dear animal advocate & author friend ( "How Could You") Jim Willis
has
had a severe tradgedy... his house burned to the ground yesterday,
sunday 1/25
loosing 9 dogs & 4 cats in the fire. >
>

Here is current info:


> jim can still use his same address because he has a roadside mail box
and
> is staying with a neighbor across the street....his address is 8
carter lane,
> avella, pa 15312-2242
>
> he doesn't need any clothes....his brother willl be bringing him some
from
> penn state on saturday....he would have come today but the roads are
> treacherous between here and penn state..
>
> he appreciates everyone wanting to help...his chief concern is his
dogs..and
> he's extremely grateful to joe maringo and erin schmidt for taking
care of
> four of them...
>
> he is still worried about Frasier and Shania (the two who are still at
his
> house in the fenced front yard)....they don't seem to understand they
are to
> use the dog houses for the night....he appreciates joe putting the
fresh straw
> in them that he had stashed in his carport....he was worried the straw
that
> had been in them would have gotten wet from the fire hoses...
>
> Frasier and Shania love to be outdoors...but they used to have their
own
> room with a doggy door to the outside and they could come and go as
they
> pleased...he has caught them looking at the house with a puzzled look
in their eyes
> and just standing in the yard like they aren't sure what is expected
of
> them...but he feels they'll get the idea as the temperature goes
down!!
>
> he appreciates Lilian Akin opening a bank account for donations for
him...he
> feels embarrassed and never thought he'd have to be in this position
but is
> extremely grateful...
>
> he has enough dog food he went to the store on the way home from his
> birthday party luncheon (where he had a wonderful time) before he knew
his house had
> burned down with his animals in it:-(
>
> he appreciates all offers of cash....but he doesn't need any
> immediately...he's staying at his neighbor's house, and they are
feeding him...he can't go
> shopping until the roads are passable....
>
> he called the insurance company and found out he has to make a list of
what
> he lost and they will only pay out up to 1/2 of the total rental
> insurancepolicy which would be $5,000 and then when he starts
replacing appliances
> etc...they will doll it out piece by piece until he reaches the full
policy
> amount of $10,000:-(
>
> his landlord is going to go thru the house and take out the bodies and
make
> a big pile of them and cremate them all together...Jim is NOT going to
> watch...
>
> he thanks you all for being there for him...and he will be able to
access
> his emails...he can use his neighbor's computer....maybe once a
day...so if you
> want to send him a message send it to jwillis @ bellatlantic.net
>
> he is numb right now and doesn't want to close his eyes and go to
sleep...he
> feels lucky his neighbors have two dogs who want to cuddle with
him...but he
> misses his animals very very much...
>
> here is who he lost...9 dogs and 4 cats
> 1.pongo, a dalmation
> 2. tina , a dalmation
> 3.cleo, american stafforshire terrier
> 4.danny, dachshund
> 5.willow, an english coonhound
> 6 gallagher, a basset hound
> 7. gaston, a basset hound
> 8.lacota, a husky mix
> 9. amadeus, a giant schnauzer/germshep mix
> ( four of these dogs are the last of the ones he brought home from
germany)
>
>
> 10, lucinda, a siamese cat
> 11. danube, a siamese cat
> 12. tawny, an oriental shorthair cat
> 13. tara, an oriental shorthair cat.....tawny and tara were sisters
>
>
> Joe has the toller/bc brothers..Harpo and Groucho and Erin has Harry
Potter,
> beagle mix and Alexis, basset hound...
>
> all four of those dogs are very adoptable...but Harpo and Groucho
have to
> be placed together!! and of course he's going to be very picky about
where
> they go..
>
> in addition to losing his pets he lost all his keepsakes....family
pix,
> lockets of his mother's hair, antique furniture from his parent's
home,
> collectibles from working overseas, copies of new poems and essays
and draft of his
> new book, etc....
>
> he feels very fortunate to be alive and have 6 of his dogs still
living as
> well as good friends like all of you..
>
as soon as information is available from Lilian where to send donations
we
will let you know....

please keep jim and his pets in your prayers



A link to "How Could You?'
http://www.crean.com/jimwillis/hcy.html

moosmom
01-26-2004, 03:28 PM
lovemyshiba,

I absolutely LOVE "How Could You"!!! I am so sorry to hear about Jim's dilemma. I wish I could send him something, but right now money is tight. I would like to send him an e-mail, and will do so when I'm off PT.

This is a terrible tragedy. I can definitely relate to it, as my house burned in 1973 after an ice storm, in Connecticut. My 80 year old grandfather died in that fire. We were fortunate enough that our 2 Airedales ran out into the yard and were safe.

I will keep Jim and his pets in my thoughts and prayers.

ramanth
01-26-2004, 03:40 PM
What a horrible tragedy. :( :( :(

I don't think I can properly put into words the sorrow I feel for his loss.....

lovemyshiba
01-26-2004, 03:53 PM
I love "how could you?" as well, although it brings me to tears every time I read it.

I cannot put into words the sorrow that I feel for him right now--losing everythiing, inclucing his beloved pets.

It sounds as though he has wonderful neighbors and family members who can help him out.

The note mentioned something about his brother bringing him things from Penn State, so I'm assuming his brother must live here in State College.

I am going to try to send him an email, and see if there isn't anything I can't physically send to him via his brother. I definitely want to mail him a card or something, but it all seems so small, with such a great tragedy.

tatsxxx11
01-26-2004, 05:19 PM
Oh Emily, I'm without words:(:(:( I can't even imagine the pain and sorrow Jim's feeling right now. My heart breaks for this dear man and his beloved pets:(:(:(

lovemyshiba
01-28-2004, 08:07 PM
If anyone would like to contribute, here is the information:


***Crossposting Permitted***

Many people have asked where they could send donations to jim to help out
after the recent tragedy on sunday 1/25 when his house burned down and he
lost 9 dogs and 4 cats...with 6 dogs surviving...

checks should be made out to

The Jim Willis Fire Fund

and mailed to:

The Jim Willis Fire Fund
c/o National City Bank
1803 Main St.
Burgettstown, Pa 15021