A fire erupted at an animal shelter in Massachusetts on Sunday evening, killing several dogs and cats before the fire was contained and extinguished. Seventeen dogs and 39 cats died when Sweetpea Friends of Rutland Animals Inc., in Paxton, about 50 miles from Boston, caught fire, shelter workers told the Associated Press.
As the fire raged on, the shelter took to social media to ask any able bodies nearby to come help.
"Sweetpea is currently ON FIRE and we need volunteers to help MOVE animals," staffers wrote on Facebook. "This is not a drill. Please help!"
In a subsequent message, the shelter asked for veterinarians to "go to sweetpea ASAP" to help out.
At least five dogs were rescued and a few of the surviving animals were being treated at nearby facilities, according to The Washington Post.
"Brooklyn Skye, Jade and Divinci are at vet in stable condition," staffers announced. "Stella is in critical condition and rushed to tufts. Kitten the cat is stable."
Despite some of the animals being rescued however, everything else was burned to the ground. Paxton Fire Chief Jay Conte notes that the shelter was adjacent to another building which remained unscathed.
Investigators are currently working to discover what caused the fire.
Sweetpea was founded in 2000 and is described on its website as a nonprofit, no-kill animal welfare organization "dedicated to the rescue, care and placement of stray, abandoned and surrendered companion animals in central Massachusetts and beyond."
