Animal rescuers lose 8 dogs in north Minneapolis house fire
MINNEAPOLIS -- Two roommates with big hearts for animals are mourning the loss of eight dogs after their north Minneapolis home caught fire Saturday night.
It happened at about 10 p.m. on the 2900 block of Aldrich Avenue North.
"I can't believe I had these animals in my arms, and then five or six hours later they died in a fire," said Leslie Thompson, the sister of one of the renter's in the home that caught fire.
Thompson helped take several of the rescue dogs to the groomer's on Saturday. Her sister, and her roommate, had 10 rescue dogs staying with them.
"They're very, very big into animal rescue. Often times, they watch friends' animals for free, so there was some animals staying here at the time of the fire," said Thompson.
When the fire started, the women inside woke up to barking and were able to get out with two dogs.
"She tried to go back in for the other ones, but the smoke was just too thick already," said Dana Fontaine, a neighbor how lives across the street and is close with the renters.
Eight other dogs inside the home did not survive the fire. The two roommates believe the fire started from a space heater near the front patio.
"They tried to keep [neighborhood feral cats] warm on the patio...they had little houses up for them and little heating huts," said Thompson.
The home was a shelter for so many lives, beyond the two renters -- making the loss even more tragic.
"All of the material things can be replaced, but those animals can never be replaced," said Thompson.
These women are raising money online in hopes they can continue their mission of helping animals in need. Click here for more information.