There含羞草研究社檚 much work to be done at Urban Safari Rescue Society in South Surrey after a Saturday morning fire destroyed its front room, killing approximately 60 animals.

含羞草研究社淲e lost all of the mammals 含羞草研究社� the sugar gliders, the guinea pigs, the skinny pigs (hairless Guinea pigs), the birds含羞草研究社� a lot of the reptiles 含羞草研究社� we lost frogs, some geckos, some snakes and all of the fish except some of the betas,含羞草研究社� said Pamala-Rose Combs, vice president on the rescue society含羞草研究社檚 board of directors.

Surrey Fire Service assistant chief of operations Greg McRobbie confirmed dispatch received a call about a possible structure fire at the society含羞草研究社檚 address, 1395 176 St., at 8:54 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 28) and noted 18 firefighters responded.

含羞草研究社淭hey made entry into the building and found light to moderate smoke conditions含羞草研究社� there was a small fire contained to a heating unit on one of the animal cages.含羞草研究社�

A power outage had happened the night before, Combs said, and when the power came back on, 含羞草研究社渋t came back with a surge that overpowered the surge protector that was powering a snake tank.含羞草研究社�

The front room houses a lot of smaller animals and species, such as bugs and spiders, so about 200 of the rescue含羞草研究社檚 approximately 325 animals were in the room that had the fire.

含羞草研究社淓verybody wants to know what happened to the cockroaches 含羞草研究社� the hissing Madagascar cockroaches,含羞草研究社� Combs noted.

含羞草研究社淥ne died out of 100 so they mostly made it.含羞草研究社�

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Right now, she and staff and volunteers are 含羞草研究社渇ocusing on what needs to be done含羞草研究社� and trying to set aside the sad aspects of the fire and its aftermath.

含羞草研究社淲hen we start to focus on the animals that didn含羞草研究社檛 make it and the animals that we may still lose and the amount of work that含羞草研究社檚 involved it can get a little overwhelming,含羞草研究社� she said Sunday.

含羞草研究社淭he risk we含羞草研究社檙e facing now is secondary respiratory infections.含羞草研究社�

Two separate veterinarians are visiting in the next few days to help assess and treat the remaining animals, all of whom have been moved to a different part of the rescue or temporarily fostered off-site.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e still in triage but coming out, I think.. we含羞草研究社檙e looking at the clean up 含羞草研究社� everything is covered with a thick layer of soot,含羞草研究社� Combs said.

含羞草研究社淲hen you start adding up the costs of everything 含羞草研究社� all the tanks, the furniture, new front door locks含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 just adding up. We don含羞草研究社檛 know how much insurance will cover. We含羞草研究社檙e hoping we含羞草研究社檒l hear from the (insurance) adjuster Monday or Tuesday.含羞草研究社�

In the meantime, they含羞草研究社檙e buying heaters to help keep all of the animals that were moved warm, as well as replacing every single power bar and electrical cord because they don含羞草研究社檛 know what was affected in the fire.

The room will need to be 含羞草研究社渃ompletely gutted含羞草研究社� with rewiring likely required as well, she said.

Even as they deal with the mess, there含羞草研究社檚 been 含羞草研究社渓ittle rays of hope.含羞草研究社�

They had thought the pixie frog was dead, but it turns out, he含羞草研究社檇 just stayed under water long enough to wait out the fire and smoky environment.

含羞草研究社淲e went in today to clean out his tank, thinking he was gone 含羞草研究社� and he moved!含羞草研究社� she said.

A small boa named Solo also made it, thanks to the fact he had just been switched to a tank that fell in the fire, breaking the top so he could escape.

含羞草研究社淗e lost an eye he may lose his other eye, but he含羞草研究社檚 alive and he seems to be doing well!含羞草研究社�

The含羞草研究社檙e hoping the mounting costs will be offset by a fundraiser, one that has been ongoing.

About $2,000 of the GoFundMe is current, but the bulk of it is from 2020 to some time last year, Combs said, noting she didn含羞草研究社檛 want to start a brand new account when one was already active.

Help is needed for cleanup efforts, an they含羞草研究社檙e trying to keep everyone as updated as possible through the society含羞草研究社檚 Facebook site.

含羞草研究社淥ne of the heart warming moments in all this heartbreak is the sheer volume of support coming form the public,含羞草研究社� Combs said.

含羞草研究社淭o see it and to see all the people showing up here to help含羞草研究社� knowing we still mean something to the community and that they still care about us 含羞草研究社� it means so much in all of this.含羞草研究社�

tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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