The unimaginable... ALL OUR ANIMALS LIVED through the fire!!!

I wish I had a pic.

Coll and June spare room is piled high with tubs.

They finally let us in, and the ONLY room not decimated with fire was the snake room and the rat room. Just the placement of how the fire went through.

There is no back on our apartment, the door was literally burned off the snake room. But the snakes are fine.

The cop stayed with me and held the flashlight while I went systematically through the racks filling up tubs.

Finally they seemed to get that I had snakes... they told me, we thought you meant one or two... they were very respectable and helpful.

Same with the rat room. As I went through and filled up 3 tubs with mice, rats, and ASFs.

I need to shoot a few mails out.

But if you know of anyone in the area that can foster a snake, or has an incubator... I am in Montreal, Quebec and I have only one clutch to get into an incubator.

Ok... *breathe*... I will be back!

I am truly blessed today.

Bruce

I need to be brief and try to mobilize. I need to find foster homes for 45 snakes and a lot of rodents.

Wow! I am stunned and GLAD to hear this.

What an emotional roller coaster for you. Wish I was closer so I could temporarily house some of the critters for you.

OMG!!!! That is AWESOME!!!!!!!

Holy Bejesus! Thats amazing Bruce, I'm so happy and relieved!

Oh my GOD! That's amazing, simply amazing news! I am so happy for you Bruce!!! I'd still watch all of them, to make sure that there was no damage to them from smoke inhalation. Your animals had an angel (or many) watching over them, there's no doubt in my mind!

GREAT NEWS Bruce. :banana: That will make it easier to get back on your feet, knowing that your animals are ok. God Bless!!

Shedding lots of tears of joy for you!!!!!!!!!!

OMG! YAY! :banana::carrot::banana::carrot:
I am sooo happy that all your snakes made! Its truely a miracle.

holy **** bruce,great news!!!!!!

That's really amazing some one was really looking out for you.45 snakes is going to be hard to get fosters for maybe with students going home a place will open up so it'll only be a few weeks. Do you have any close friends who can lend you a basement corner for a wee bit? Maybe getting tubs and stacking them would help with the amount of space. I'm so glad that your babies are ok:) I hope in the end like for us you make out better then you were before the fire. Did you have insurance?

doin the happy dance for you Bruce!!! Such great news to hear. I hope they all turn out OK and are not harmed by the smoke or anything like that!! :gj:

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

You and your family are in out thoughts and prayers..............

That is good news!
I know I am too far, but if there is anything I can do, just say the word.
Sandy

OMG! I nearly teared up when I read this!!!!! I'm so happy I was so sad when I read your first thread.

Omg yay yay yay!

I'm so sorry about the fire Bruce. It truly is a miracle that you guys survived, and that all the animals are okay too. Just amazing. :hug:

Good luck finding a place you can foster all your babies, and getting your lives rebuilt again. :hug:

Bruce I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to read this. Considering the severity of this fire, it's about as close to a miracle as I can think of, to have all the snakes and rats survive it. Like Robin said I'd still watch them very closely for any issues from smoke exposure but just to go in there, expecting to remove their remains, and find them alive....you must have about fell over with shock!

This news has made my day my friend. I don't have a lot of contacts in the snake community in Canada but anything I can do, I will do.

Ohhhh, thank goodness!! I'm so thrilled for you! I hope you can find temporary housing for them quickly!

Ohhh Boy... the second time I have tears in my eyes this evening, once of empathy, once of relief. Everything material an inssurance can pay, but bounds to living things.... never!
I was not able to leave my PC at my job, since I read this first post of yours and my GF will be really annoyed (waiting with the dinner), but the outcome was worth it...;)

Bruce, I never got to comment the first thread about this. First of all, I STILL think that there should be a community bp.net effort to get you back on your feet. A fire takes away everything, and you were luckier than anyone I've ever seen.

Secondly, when I saw that thread, I was brought to tears. Your one of the most respectful, kind, and knowledgeable people on this website, and for something like this to happen to you was unimaginable. I truly believe that you have a good karma cloud above you with those animals, and I am so glad they are alright as well as yourselves.

Lastly, if there's anything I can do at all. Anyone on here I'm sure would be willing to give anything to help you in this time of need. I don't know how to fix the foster situation, but I'm sure something will come up and someone on here will have an answer. If I remember, you had an art gallery? Is anything salvageable from that? Is anything going out against that man who started the fire and treated that dog so terribly?

We all love you Bruce. The fact that your safe, as well as the amazing fact that your animals are safe is one of the best things that could have ever come out of this situation.
:hug:

wow! i'm glad you're around to let us know about this! even better, no casualties!!

i'd offer to house your animals and ship them back for free, but i financially can't right now, and won't be able to do so for four more weeks :(. i'm so sorry to hear of your misfortune, but i'm possitive someone will help you out! these things always come out in the wash, after all ;).

thank god you and yours made it through with just property damage!! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Bruce, I never got to comment the first thread about this. First of all, I STILL think that there should be a community bp.net effort to get you back on your feet. A fire tears away everything, and you were luckier than anyone I've ever seen.

---

We will still have a BP.net relief fund for Bruce and Jerome once we get the details worked out for anyone who wants to contribute.

Hooray! I'm so glad to hear that they all lived! That's amazing! I hope they don't have any lasting effects from the fire!

Wow!!! :floating: What a miracle. Seems like someone was listening to all the prayers being said for you. Strength in numbers, my friends. Strength in numbers.

This is the best news ever. Congrats on your babies being okay, I'm sure this is a major weight off your heart. I hope you're able to find someone to foster them for you quickly. I'd certainly offer if I were closer.

I'm so happy for you. You might want to play the lottery, since you're an amazingly lucky man!

That's great news, Bruce!

Damn....you had some good karma my friend!!!!


SOOOOO glad to hear that all the animals are ok.

Woohoo!!


My neighbours are probably wondering what all the cheering is about. :banana:

:grouphug:


dr del

Great news!!!!:gj::banana:

incredible! I was hoping your animals were okay. A fire is a devastating thing to go though, but at least all of your living creatures can help you though it (even if they need to go to foster camp for a while).

Its so wonderful to hear that everyone is alright despite what has happened.

This absolutely MADE MY DAY! I am so glad for you! Someone had their arm around you today!

I'm so glad to hear they were fine!!

I made a fire escape plan for the family once... everyone else would go out designated doors and meet behind my bedroom window so I could pass them the pets through the window.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!! That is ONE IN A MILLION BRUCE! ONE in a MILLION!!!!! I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!

Seriously.... i am crying with GLEE for you!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rabernet

we will still have a bp.net relief fund for bruce and jerome once we get the details worked out for anyone who wants to contribute.

---

abso freakin lutely. :)

That's so great to hear!!!! You were blessed in that aspect today. I am honestly very happy you, Jerome and your pets all made it out safe in sound. I am sadened about your living situation and the unmentionables I am sure you lost but atleast you, Jer and your pets are all safe :gj:

I am shaking. WHAT ARE THE ODDS!?!?!?

Someone likes you. I am so glad to see this post. YOu still have a lot of rebuilding to do, but at least there are some rays of sunshine.

Wow! I am so happy that all of your animals survived! I will still keep you in my prayers.

Bruce, I don't think it could happen to a nicer guy. I'm so sorry for the material things and how that is going to disrupt your life, but I'm so glad you, Jerome and the babies are all safe.

Im not that religous but.... Thank God!!!!! He was shining down on you for sure!!! Its a miracle!!!
What more can I say?? It's an absolute miracle!!!!!!

My heart is soaring for you!

~Maizie

Hang in there my friend. Glad to hear you and yours survived without too much harm.

Sending good vibes and prayers your way!

Bruce, I am so happy for you that it is beyond words. This has been eating at me all day and to see this post just, WOW!

Bruce, I am thrilled to hear it!!!!

All your hard work and love for those animals...

I am so happy for you :)

That is fantastic news! I will continue to pray for ya'll because I know you still have a lot to deal with.

I'm very glad that your pets survived. HUGS. If I lived up there, I'd totally take in animals.

Good news man! The Ball Python gods were smiling down at you today...

OMG!! I was crying over you losing your pets! What great news!!:) Hopefully none suffer from smoke inhalation. So glad to hear they made it!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

the door was literally burned off the snake room. But the snakes are fine.

---

...proof that God loves snakes....:hug:

--Glad your animals are OK. Hope things are back to normal soon.

I am happy to hear your snakes survived, am sorry to hear about the disaster. I would donate to the relief fund as soon as its set up!

This room was a tomb. I will detail it all later, but now I need to collapse.

The room was dry, some smoke, but minimal. The animals are safe. I still have no fosters, and I will lose my eggs, but I am not lamenting.

We put the eggs near the heater, and I hope they make it till morning, but I do not have any hope left. A VERY small loss.

We have moved homes and I cannot reach my family, but I have updated my facebook so at least I know they will know we are safe.

Just typing is exhausting. I need to check my email, arrange what I can, and then collapse into a smokey heap (I REAK OF SMOKE STILL!!!).

Thank you all so much for your kindness and compassion. It means the world. I needed to hear those words. To know that people understood what we were going through.

Georgina... the little rescue I took in not so long ago... when we got to do our walkthrough I saw a snake shed at the bottom of the stairs. I thought it was odd and it transfixed me. Then I saw the open tupperware and remembered that as we were running out Jerome grabbed our rat stanley, placed his tub on top of her tub (she was on my desk in QT) and ran out. He put them both on the bookshelf at the bottom of our stairwell. As we got to the bottom of the stairs a fireman reached in and pulled us out. The fire was coming through the downstair neighbours' front door and into our stairwell. When I saw another few minutes and we would have died... it was literal. Our escape would have been blocked. Jerome darted back in and grabbed Stanley... ok, fastforward again. We are entering the apartment stairwell and I see this shed laying in amongst water and ash at the bottom of the stairs. Then I remember this happening. I see our bookshelf on the lawn one floor below and remember seeing them throw it over so that the firemen could get up our stairwell. I see the pile of winter coats at the bottom of the stairs.

I dropped down and started pulling through the coats and found her tub INTACT. When they threw the bookshelf out she fell behind it and all the coats fell on top of her. I do not know HOW she managed to make it. But her tub never popped and she is in perfect shape.

Georgie Girl's good luck worked for them all. Right as I handed her tub off to my friend Pierre, at that point Jer came down the stairs and told me I needed to come and get the animals out. At this point only one person was allowed in, but as they realized the animals, they called in extra firemen and extra cops so that we could have 4 people in the apt. I filled tubs and handed them off.

When it was all done I came down to see stacks and stacks of tubs on the lawn FULL of snakes. Right now they are around 4-5 to a tub. Pregnant females have one large but, and for now that is OK.

I apologize for the incoherence of this diatribe. But I cannot even reread it.

So many of my RL friends have showed up in tears over my animals, and we have received such support I cannot even begin to cover it all.

I have been blessed today beyond what I will ever know in this lifetime.

Thanks for reading.

Bruce