Animals That Survived Fire Get New â€œLeashâ€ On Life

Hundreds of animals are dead after a fire at a Green Country pet store, most died from smoke inhalation. The fire happened over the weekend in Owasso. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports veterinarians

Tuesday, June 12th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

Hundreds of animals are dead after a fire at a Green Country pet store, most died from smoke inhalation. The fire happened over the weekend in Owasso. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports veterinarians and volunteers were able to save many of the store's pets, and are now nursing them back to health.

Little by little, with each passing hour, with each round of treatment, little dogs and cats are getting better. There are still some animals the veterinarians are very worried about, but most will make it.

"As long as their lungs can heal and we can get them through with the breathing treatments then we think they will do fine and have a long life," Veterinarian Cheryl Pfeffer said.

A fire at the Pet Stop store in Owasso killed 300 animals and injured hundreds of others. No training could have prepared the veterinarians at the Small Animal Hospital of Owasso for what they were facing.

"It was horrendous. The whole entire treatment area was full of just cages of pets, ferrets, spiders and reptiles and all sorts of creatures just covered with soot," said Pfeffer.

"When you're looking at a spider one minute and then a ferret, a snake, a bird, rabbit, cat, it's just, you do the best you can,â€ Veterinarian Bryan Spriggs said.

Workers and volunteers quickly set up a triage area. The owner of the pet store tells The News On 6 they wouldn't have been able to save as many animals that they did without the help of so many others. When the fire was discovered, customers helped to quickly evacuate the animals away from the thick smoke and many others also stepped in to help.

"We had a lot of support from the medical community here with oxygen, and had probably 50 to 60 people here in this room holding oxygen masks to pets and bathing, getting smoke off, helping us put iv's in for those that needed it, it was a community effort, it really was," Spriggs said.

More than 80 of the animals were also taken to the Wild Heart Ranch Wildlife Rescue in Foyil for care.

"Today, I'm seeing a few guys struggling, but almost all of the animals in here are going to be fit and ready for homes on Saturday," said Annette Tucker with the Wild Heart Ranch.

The animals are getting round the clock treatment and care, and for some, the next few days will be critical.

The fire, which was started by an electrical problem, was mostly put out when an aquarium full of water collapsed. But it still smoldered, which caused the store to fill up with smoke.

Most of the surviving animals that need homes will now be available for adoption at Wild Heart Ranch Wildlife Rescue located at 10491 S. 4190 Road in Foyil. The adoption will be held this Saturday afternoon, June 16th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Donations will be accepted to help cover the costs of the animal's care and to benefit Wild Heart Ranch. For more information visit the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitationâ€™s website, www.wildheartranch.org.

Watch the video: New Life For Pet Shop Fire Victims