Pets perish in tragic house fire
Though not mentioned here, the pet artificial respiration units were used at this house...that poor woman, and her beloved pets. Prayers!
http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loc...ub=CalgaryHome
Pets perish in tragic house fire
Updated: Sat Jul. 05 2008 19:58:02
ctvcalgary.ca
A fire at a house in the northeast community of Monterey Park has resulted in tragedy.
A blaze broke out in the basement of a home on San Fernando Crescent just after 5:00 p.m. Friday.
A woman who lives in the neighbourhood ran down the street when she saw the fire trucks. Sandra Pfeifer told CTV News, "As soon as I got near there and saw the fire trucks, my first thought was, I hope it's not the house with all the animals. And sure enough it was. And I was just horrified."
Fire crews were able to keep the fire from spreading, but once the smoke cleared, Rob Horsburgh from the Calgary Fire Department says they made an upsetting discovery, "There were a number of expired animals."
16 cats and three dogs died in the fire, and a woman was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.
Horsburgh says firefighters were able to rescue some of the animals. "There were some that survived. Two cats and seven dogs were rescued."
Those animals were taken to the Calgary North Veterinary Clinic and were treated for smoke inhalation. The dogs are doing well, but the cats are still on oxygen. The cats are improving though.
The homeowner, Sherry Myshaniuk, is in shock right now. She works an animal health technologist at the same hospital where her animals are being treated.
Her coworker, Thierry Locati, says she is a very compassionate person and she is devastated. "To her that's her family, so she is very upset."
Myshaniuk had 28 animals living in the house. Bill Bruce, the head of Calgary's Animal and Bylaw Services, say there's no bylaw restricting the number of dogs and cats allowed in a single residence. "You can have what you want as a pet, any number you want, as long as they are properly trained cared for medically provided for, healthy not a threat or nuisance to community."
Locati says the reason Myshaniuk had so many animals is she rescued them all and many were slated to be euthanized. He says some of the animals even served as blood donors at the animal hospital, saving the lives of other animals in need.
Because there were so many animals living under one roof, Cheryl Wallach says the Calgary Humane Society is investigating. "When there are 28 animals, that is such a large volume it brings up questions, can you care for that many animals, it is not beyond the realm of possibility, but it takes a lot of time, a lot of work and huge finances involved as well."
Locati says Myshaniuk takes excellent care of the animals. He told CTV News Myshaniuk gets a lot of support caring for the animals from her colleagues at the animal hospital. "All of them, with her being an animal health technologist, were very well looked after".
The animals will stay at the hospital until Myshaniuk can find a place to live that will take her and her pets, because at this point no one is allowed back in the house. Locati hopes someone from the community will step forward and help her, and her surviving pets, get back on their feet. Anyone who wants to help can click on the link to the Calgary North Veterinary Clinic.
Fire investigators believe the fire was caused by an old radio that overheated in the basement which didn't have proper ventilation. Damage is estimated at 80-thousand dollars.
