Hotel Doorhangers Alert of Pet's Presence in Room

[jennielynn1970]

That's horrible.

Back in July I helped two women from NYC find housing, and temporary shelter for their 12 cats. They ended up in this small town, in a renovated theatre that was turned into apartments. The one woman was 72 or something, and the other was in her upper 60's. Both were disabled. They adored their cats and were just devoted to them.

Well, in November, around Thanksgiving, someone started the building on fire at about 4am. The women refused to leave without the cats, and were putting them all in their carriers to get them out of the apartment - they were on the 2nd floor. And disabled.

No one helped them. No one. Everyone stood on the sidewalk, from all the reports, and watched. The investigator for the fire department was pretty insensitive when I was trying to get answers about the women and the cats. According to him, cats were not their priority. People were. None of the cats made it out of the building alive. They were all in their carriers. None of the firemen pulled the carriers out. I still can't imagine what they were feeling and going through, knowing that they couldn't get out. They should have just let the carriers open and gotten the kitties back when everything settled down. At least they would still have been alive, and the women too.

The one woman died in the house with the cats. They had nothing to identify her with, and the last I heard, they still hadn't released her remains to her son because there was nothing definite to identify her (this was in January). The one woman, who was in her 70's, was in ICU, in a coma for over a month. She passed away around Christmas. She wouldn't have wanted to live anyway, not knowing that none of the kitties made it out, and her best friend didn't either. She died not knowing, which was a blessing.

We need markers on windows, door, everywhere. We also need firemen who want to help animals, and not ignore them and let them to die in their carriers in a fire.

[Medusa]

OMG. I almost wish I hadn't read this. What a horrible story. I've never been involved in a fire in my life and if a fireman wouldn't go in to save my furkids, I'd go in myself. I'd probably do that first anyhow and not wait. But they were elderly and disabled. Those people that didn't help have no soul. Fortunately, I've been experiencing more and more men liking cats. Time was when the so-called men that I met up with hated cats. But different ones from the handy man to the house painters to the cable guy all like and have cats. And they've all told me that they were rescues, too, and that they never thought they'd like a cat but they do. When the furniture delivery men came to my house, one of them just went nuts over my fur posse, especially Puddy because of her coloring and markings. Goddess forbid if I ever hear of anyone doing harm to ANY animal and they live w/in close promiximity of me. I will be their worst nightmare.