Rescue Groups Raise Money to Help Elderly Fire Victims
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 2, 2012
Rescuers find an elderly couple is living on a bus after a fire destroyed their home and killed 41 dogs.
Animal groups rescued more than a hundred other dogs from the Greenbrier home last Friday. This week, many now switching their focus to the humans affected by the fire. Volunteers found the couple had little food and barely anything to wear, and the husband, a Vietnam War Veteran, was driving himself back and forth to cancer treatment.
October 26th animal rescuers filled the couple's yard on West Hills Road, trying to round up the Baldridge family dogs after a fire killed dozens and exposed they had too many more.
"They were my kids, they were by babies, they were my company 24/7," said Patricia Baldridge.
Now that the dogs are all gone, volunteers can see the fire took more than the couple's pets.
"It took everything I have, family pictures," said Baldridge.
The few dishes and clothing items they have left are all on a bus, which is also their new home for now but not for long if rescuer Lesley Cobb has her way.
"There are people behind each rescue," said Cobb.
First Cobb was called to the scene to save dogs, now she is working with community, church and veterans' groups to help the Baldridges.
"I'm hoping the community opens their heart to this couple, he's served our country he doesn't deserve to be judged as harshly as he has been," she says.
"It's overwhelming. I had no idea so many outreaches were available," said Jessie Baldridge.
Cobb says this case is different from other hoarding cases she's seen. She says people made the problem worse by dumping dogs on the Baldridges, but they made the best of it.
"Guess I took after my mother, she was a dog lover too. Daddy say get outta here mutt but mother would just hold them up," said Patricia.
The couple sacrificed to make sure all their dogs were well fed and well loved, now Cobb hopes to see the same for them.
Cobb's rescue group has set up a Bank of America account under the name of her organization, Wishing Well for Paws, to help the couple. They're accepting donations to help the couple find a new place to live, food and clothing to replace what they lost in the fire.
Animal groups rescued more than a hundred other dogs from the Greenbrier home last Friday. This week, many now switching their focus to the humans affected by the fire. Volunteers found the couple had little food and barely anything to wear, and the husband, a Vietnam War Veteran, was driving himself back and forth to cancer treatment.
October 26th animal rescuers filled the couple's yard on West Hills Road, trying to round up the Baldridge family dogs after a fire killed dozens and exposed they had too many more.
"They were my kids, they were by babies, they were my company 24/7," said Patricia Baldridge.
Now that the dogs are all gone, volunteers can see the fire took more than the couple's pets.
"It took everything I have, family pictures," said Baldridge.
The few dishes and clothing items they have left are all on a bus, which is also their new home for now but not for long if rescuer Lesley Cobb has her way.
"There are people behind each rescue," said Cobb.
First Cobb was called to the scene to save dogs, now she is working with community, church and veterans' groups to help the Baldridges.
"I'm hoping the community opens their heart to this couple, he's served our country he doesn't deserve to be judged as harshly as he has been," she says.
"It's overwhelming. I had no idea so many outreaches were available," said Jessie Baldridge.
Cobb says this case is different from other hoarding cases she's seen. She says people made the problem worse by dumping dogs on the Baldridges, but they made the best of it.
"Guess I took after my mother, she was a dog lover too. Daddy say get outta here mutt but mother would just hold them up," said Patricia.
The couple sacrificed to make sure all their dogs were well fed and well loved, now Cobb hopes to see the same for them.
Cobb's rescue group has set up a Bank of America account under the name of her organization, Wishing Well for Paws, to help the couple. They're accepting donations to help the couple find a new place to live, food and clothing to replace what they lost in the fire.
