NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla — A North Fort Myers family is heartbroken after a house fire killed more than a dozen of their rescued pets. They say 12 cats, 3 dogs, and multiple birds were lost in the fire Wednesday afternoon.
Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski talked with the sisters about what happened in those first few minutes, and how much these animals meant to them.
Watch to hear what the sisters said about the fire and the beloved animals that were lost:
Nothing can prepare pet owners, like sisters Ariana and Amaryah Chockley, for horrible news about their animals. “Just completely devastated and heartbroken,” said Amaryah.
On Thursday, Schargorodski met them at Gulf Coast Medical Center, where their mother is being treated for burns. They told him they each rushed to the home on Wednesday as soon as they got a phone call about this… a fire at the house.
Inside was their brother and pets. But as they got home, they got the awful news about the animals.
“I ran straight to my dad and I crumbled in his arms,” said Ariana.
Ariana says her brother was in his room playing with his puppy Lita when he felt the heat, so he opened the door to check it out.
“He saw there was a small fire, tried to get it put out and went out to get a hose. And in the time it took him to get outside and get the hose, the house engulfed in flames,” Ariana said.
Firefighters say the brother was the only one home and he called 9-1-1. The sisters said their family had so many pets because rescuing animals is their passion… including Elle, their pitbull mix and retired service dog.
“Always something special about her that can never be replaced in any other dog or animal ever,” said Amaryah. “They weren’t pets to us, they were our family. Every one of them had a story, they had a name,” Ariana added.
Thankfully, Amaryah says their three-year-old “super mutt,” Slurpee, survived, and they’ve been holding him close ever since.
“I’m just grateful humans are okay, and that he made it out, but at the end of the day it’s just so hard knowing…,” Amaryah said, trailing off.
The sisters said their mom got burned trying to rescue the birds from their cages. Their mom is doing well and recovering.
North Fort Myers Fire crews say an electrical outlet caused the fire.
