Dozens of animals killed in fire at Surrey exotic animal rescue
A fire at an exotic animal rescue in Surrey killed dozens of animals and displaced many more over the weekend.
On Saturday morning, a volunteer showed up to their shift at Urban Safari Rescue and realized there had been a fire overnight, according to board member Pamala-Rose Combs. After calling 911, the volunteer scrambled to try to save as many animals as possible, but for some it was just too late.
When Combs arrived after the fire had been put out, she said she was shocked and speechless.
“I walked in the door and that first moment, there were really no words,” she told CTV News. “The loss has been devastating. The sugar gliders, the skinny pigs, the guinea pigs, the mammals, the fish, everyone that was in the front area of the building was subjected to the fire.”
Combs said dozens of animals died from the soot or smoke inhalation. One ball python named Solo was rescued from the blaze but suffered serious injuries such as the loss of one eye.
Urban Safari Rescue Society has been around for nearly 12 years and is home to hundreds of exotic animals that are abandoned or surrendered. It relies on its outreach and educational programs to earn money.
Greg McRobbie, the assistant chief of the Surrey Fire Service said the fire started with a power surge in a heating unit in one of the animal cages.
“I think the soot and the remnants in there from the plastic being burnt would have been the biggest cause for the animals,” McRobbie said.
While nothing can make up for the animals lost, Combs said Urban Safari does have insurance. But she also notes that it won’t cover everything and that the non-profit was just starting to recover from the financial fallout and closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And now, we’re closed for business," she said. We have no idea how long this is going to take.”
The support that has come pouring in from staff, volunteers and community members after the fire has been overwhelming, she added, but the future remains uncertain. The rebuilding process is expected to take months and the organization has started an online fundraiser to help cover the costs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.