WEST OLIVE, Mich. — A fire ripped apart a West Olive animal rescue shelter this weekend, and many of its residents were lost to the blaze.
Owners of Phaedra & Phriends are now turning to community donations for help while they mourn the loss of the cats and dogs who didn’t survive.
"We had a sign on the front porch that said ‘We Welcome Strays,’” says Owner Marty Hoewe. “And it didn't matter if you had four feet, three feet or two feet. Everybody was welcome here."
The shelter specializes in taking care of animals with disabilities.
"We had one with a brain disorder,” recalls Hoewe, “and she would get up in our ceiling when we were redoing the basement after we first bought it, and we'd have to get her out of the ceiling, or she turned our water on in the basement and flooded the basement once or twice. They're not stupid. They might have no issues, but they're just like people; people with disabilities can do anything."
If you would like to help Phaedra & Phriends get back on their feet while they pick up the pieces, donate to their GoFundMe page or visit them on Facebook.
