Lucky Pups Rescued From Burning Bristow Animal Shelter

Dan Bewley, News On 6

BRISTOW, Oklahoma -- A Creek County dog shelter is burned to the ground. All of the animals made it out safely but the owner is desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

"Look at that. This is the first time I've really looked at it," Mike Horacek of Heartland Humane Society Bristow.

Horacek can hardly believe his eyes. His home and his animal shelter are gone.

"I was doing pretty good, 26 years old and had my own animal rescue and own home but all I got is my dogs," he said.

Horacek ran the Heartland Humane Society out of his Bristow home. Saturday night the two-story log cabin that his family built caught fire, only a shell remains.

"Didn't have any insurance, just going to be everybody pulling together, family pulling together to help me back out but we'll get it done," Horacek said.

Horacek takes in strays or abandoned animals. He also rescues dogs that were scheduled to be euthanized at other shelters.

"Look at them, they don't deserve to die," he said.

He has mutts of all sizes, puppies and older dogs, even Swinona the pot-bellied pig. The good news, though, is Horacek was able to get all of them to safety.

Janet Minnis is with another rescue dog organization. She stopped by Sunday to drop of dog food and lend a hand to a fellow dog lover.

"I just don't know how he got all of his dogs out without getting hurt or...it's just amazing. It just makes my heart cry," Minnis said.

The challenge now, Horacek says, is to keep the dogs fed and safe. The water was shut off because of the fire so Horacek and Minnis are forced to get either bottled water or find another source.

There's also the issue with space, Horacek says he can only keep the dogs for so long in the small kennels.

"Hopefully, just put together some mobile pens and some portable pens and keep them here and just take it day by day, I really don't know yet," he said.

The Lucky Dawg Shelter in Okmulgee is helping the Heartland Humane Society.  To find out about adopting a pet or to see how you can help, go to the Oklahoma Lucky Dawg Rescue or write mlawson252opd@hotmail.com.  You can also make donations to Heartland Humane Society at any American Heritage Bank.