A St. Augustine-based animal rescue is reaching out to the community for immediate help Sunday after one of their buildings burned down in an overnight fire, sending a man to the burn unit, killing animals inside and displacing several others.
Ayla’s Acres No-Kill Animal Rescue posted about the fire on their Facebook page Sunday, saying the fire destroyed a modular home on their sanctuary in Greenville just after midnight Sunday.
The rescue said one of their caretakers was taken to the burn unit at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. They said two dogs, two birds and a cat made it out of the fire, but all other animals inside the house were killed – a mix of 12 cats and dogs.
The shelter is currently in need of fosters for eight dogs, four cats, three donkeys and four horses, and has set up a donation page on their website.
“Losing these animals is just, it’s heartwrenching,” said Executive Director FC.
C said folks from across the state – from as far as Ocala to Fernandina Beach – have offered to take some of the animals.
“Figure out who can go where and when and get transport organized,” said C. “Anything we can do to save the rest of them, we’re going to do.”
There’s an unfortunate sense of déjà vu to all this for C – 14 animals were killed in a different fire at the sanctuary five years ago.
“To hear that this is happening again, was, I don’t even, I can’t describe it,” said C. “Just horrific.”
After a second fire in five years, C said they have to figure out if they even continue having a presence in Madison County.
“This looks like a good time to maybe have an off-ramp,” said C. “Take care of the animals that are left out there, get them safe and get them closer to our organization.”
Ayla’s Acres is working on building a new facility in St. Johns County so they can avoid the logistical issue of having the sanctuary so far away from the headquarters and thrift store here.
C said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
First Coast News reached out to the Madison County Fire Rescue Department for more information, but did not get an immediate response.
Editor’s Note: This story originally reported the fire occurred in St. Augustine. This has been corrected. Ayla’s Acres is based in St. Augustine, but the sanctuary where the fire occurred is in Greenville, Florida.
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source: firstcoastnews
