Fire Kills 40 Dogs in Greenbrier
By: Brittney Johnson, KARK 4 News
Updated: October 26, 2012
Rescuers are fighting to save about a hundred dogs after a trailer fire killed more than 40 in Greenbrier.
When crews arrived at the fire scene on West Hill Road they say they thought they were going to find a mobile home with people inside, but instead they were met by dozens of dogs all over the property and a trailer full of dead animals.
It was a sad day for their owner Patricia Baldridge. She says her life is all about her dogs.
"This all I've got. I had a wreck with my back and my neck and my dogs is all that got me back up," she said.
Now, next to her home, stand charred remains of a trailer and over 40 dogs that died when it went up in flames Friday.
When authorities arrived they discovered Patricia and her husband had too many dogs to count, some packed in another trailer, others pouring out of a disabled school bus.
"We've gone without to make sure they had to eat and drink and all this happens because a trailer caught fire? It's downright sinful," she added.
Now volunteers from different rescue organizations are packing up all of the Baldridges remaining pets, worried, she's showing signs of hoarding and the conditions may be bad for the pets.
"They're very afraid, they're in the defense stance they don't know why all these people are here," one of the volunteers said.
Even investigators on the scene to find the cause of the fire got caught in the moment.
"I try to keep my feelings in but it's horrible, 41 animals died. They deserve better than this," said Sgt. David Hall.
Neighbors say, the couple had a lot of dogs, but from what they could see, they tried their best to take care of them all. Animal activists fear, no matter how much they meant to the couple, there just wasn't enough love or resources to go around.
Each of the dogs being rescued will have to be evaluated and monitored before they can be adopted out. The Baldridges hope to be able to get some of their animals back.
When crews arrived at the fire scene on West Hill Road they say they thought they were going to find a mobile home with people inside, but instead they were met by dozens of dogs all over the property and a trailer full of dead animals.
It was a sad day for their owner Patricia Baldridge. She says her life is all about her dogs.
"This all I've got. I had a wreck with my back and my neck and my dogs is all that got me back up," she said.
Now, next to her home, stand charred remains of a trailer and over 40 dogs that died when it went up in flames Friday.
When authorities arrived they discovered Patricia and her husband had too many dogs to count, some packed in another trailer, others pouring out of a disabled school bus.
"We've gone without to make sure they had to eat and drink and all this happens because a trailer caught fire? It's downright sinful," she added.
Now volunteers from different rescue organizations are packing up all of the Baldridges remaining pets, worried, she's showing signs of hoarding and the conditions may be bad for the pets.
"They're very afraid, they're in the defense stance they don't know why all these people are here," one of the volunteers said.
Even investigators on the scene to find the cause of the fire got caught in the moment.
"I try to keep my feelings in but it's horrible, 41 animals died. They deserve better than this," said Sgt. David Hall.
Neighbors say, the couple had a lot of dogs, but from what they could see, they tried their best to take care of them all. Animal activists fear, no matter how much they meant to the couple, there just wasn't enough love or resources to go around.
Each of the dogs being rescued will have to be evaluated and monitored before they can be adopted out. The Baldridges hope to be able to get some of their animals back.
