A fire destroyed a cat sanctuary in New York on Monday, killing over 100 cats and founder, Christopher Arsenault.
Around 150 cats survived the fire, but many were injured, some with burns and smoke inhalation. Rescue teams and volunteers are working to save the surviving cats.
“We are absolutely heartbroken to share that Chris Arsenault passed away this morning in the Medford fire. It burned his home and sanctuary to the ground along with 100 cats he died trying to save,” Brooklyn Animal Action said. “We are told Chris repeatedly re-entered the house this morning after the fire broke out, trying to get the cats out.”
Volunteers took injured cats to local animal hospitals. Veterinarians had to euthanize some of the cats, because their injuries were too severe.
Happy Cat Sanctuary
Chris dedicated his life to rescuing and caring for hundreds of cats. His journey began in 2006, after his 24-year-old son, Eric, tragically died in a motorcycle accident caused by a stuck throttle.
Not long after, Chris found a colony of 30 sick kittens. He took them in and nursed them back to health. He realized that saving cats was his purpose, leading him to start Happy Cat Sanctuary.
The sanctuary took in cats that had nowhere else to go. Many of them came from difficult and dangerous situations—some were victims of hoarding, others were shot at or used as bait in dog fighting.
The sanctuary had both indoor and outdoor spaces where the animals could roam, climb, scratch, and relax. All cats were spayed or neutered and received regular vet care.
Arsenault had recently begun moving some cats to a new farm in upstate New York, planning to relocate the sanctuary.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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