My friends place burned down last night. She had a lot of cats, I don't know how many. More than I have, by far. Most died in the fire, I think, burned alive before her eyes.
The worst nightmare someone could live through I think. Gofundme's have been started already. But what could ever heal the sorrow one would feel?
I don't know how the fire started. She and her husband and adult son got out, along with their two dogs and two of the cats who are at the ER clinic on O2.
She lives in Silverton and operated Silverton Cat Rescue and is constantly helping other people and animals. Vivian is funny, kind, giving and dedicated. Silverton Cat Rescue has been extremely beneficial to her small community.
I don't know how you get over all that. All those cats dying, losing your home and everything you own, now probably be living in a hotel. No familiar bed to retreat to even when things are too hard.....a refugee now.
I first met Viv long ago, when trapping in Silverton for St. Vince. Vince was a three star retired army colonel who relentlessly tried to help animals, said he was making up for his past. My guess is he had nothiing to make up for, really. He had a friend name of Sheridan in Silverton who had cats, and Viv was connected to Sheridan and another quite elderly woman who helped cats too. That was the only time I saw Viv's place. I can't remember though what her house once looked like, because it was so long ago I saw it, and now its rubble. Vince is long dead, so is Sheridan and so is the other elderly lady.
But once she retired from her job and started her cat rescue we've been friends again and she's picked up cats for me at the FCCO and even at OHSS and brought them all the way to Albany. She took in three kittens nearly a year ago from an Albany situation and also the kittens of a wild calico mom last July. They're all long since adopted out. Vivian was always helping out other cat helpers and everyone on earth really. She's younger than I am but not that much younger.
I can't think of anything I might do that would help her over the horror and grief of what just happened.
OMG. There are no words for horror like that. Your poor friend...
ReplyDeleteIt's a horror all right. I cannot even imagine it, so I cannot imagine how she can go through it. Online stories about it have drawn nasty comments, too. There are so many people without empathy or even souls.
DeleteThis makes for awful reading first thing in the morning. The poor woman and the poor cats. What a terrible thing she had to witness. Her shock and grief is unimaginable. It is something I'd not thought about though for anyone who has numbers of animals contained. People need to, maybe not a formal fire plan, but at least give thought to how the loss of so many animals could be prevented in the case of a any kind of disaster.
ReplyDeleteI know, been looking at those fire ball fire suppresants but in tests by fire departments they don't work so well. My fire plan has been the cat yard and its gate, to run them all out there, with air horns I have, locking the cats door behind them with the cat yard gate open. I also thought of creating a portable cat run, several of them, on wheels, 10 or more feet long I could run them into, then pull them away. However, with the dwindling population, I haven't thought much of it for awhile.
DeleteBless you for thinking this far ahead. I'm sorry for this family, and you for suffering so many kitty deaths. Best wishes, my dear.
DeleteBeyond words horrible.
ReplyDeleteYes, horrible, for them and the kitties.
DeleteOh no, how terrible.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Yes it is.
DeleteThat is terrible. To lose so many cats like that... Yikes. Just be there for your friend. Listen. She might not know what she needs right now, and sometimes it's just enough to have someone around who cares.
ReplyDeleteI don't really see her that often, mostly at the clinic or when she brings cats here for me. I may now not see her for a long time. Not sure where they're going to live.
DeleteTragic. So sorry.
ReplyDeleteIt is horrible.
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