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

Amazing. I am very glad to hear that your animals survived and are safe. Good luck to you

Bruce,

I just sent you a PM. I live right on I-87 about 3-4 hours from the Candian border. I will help anyway I can with your situation. Let me know and we'll work something out!
BTW, I'm glad ytour pets all made it out ok. ;)

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your home, and at the same time I'm extremely happy for you to hear that your kiddos are safe and sound! My thoughts and prayers are with you during the next few weeks/months.

Simply amazing that they all made it through the fire.

Wish I was closer, so that I could help out with some of your animals.

Bruce, reading this second thread brought tears to my eyes, not only that you both are okay, but that your animals made it out safe as well. Wish there was a way to foster a snake or two for you as well, but you are still in my thoughts and prayers. all will work out in the end.

a quick update... I have someone offering to take snakes to Ontario for me tomorrow. Ottawa region.

I may be able to place some of my babes with experienced keepers and I am esctatic.

Cross your collective fingers for me. :)

I use that emoticon and I am smiling (on the inside).

That's good news, Bruce! BTW, PM sent.

Bruce!

After this morning, crying for about half-an-hour, this is just an amazing piece of news. Thank whatever God or Goddess is out there taking care of all of you! I am so relieved beyond words right now that they're safe and alive as I'm sure you guys are.

Thank you so much for keeping us updated. You're all in my prayers as well as my boyfriends.

:DWow Bruce as I was reading this the biggest smile crept across my face and I almost shed a tear(and I'm not a very emotional person) That is SERIOUSLY AMAZING that things turned out this way! I found myself thinking about your situation all day...
I'm so glad you and your nice collection are ok,especially that smoking Enchi;)

Bruce I can't tell you how glad I am to hear this. That is simply fantastic! I guess we live somewhat close to each other but it would have taken alot of man power to get those snakes over here. Sorry I couldn't be of any help.

wow, this is just... crazy!!! I cried reading your first thread, even though i never saw it until I already read this one. I cannot even begin to imagine... what i would do with myself if I even THOUGHT I lost all my animals. They are my world, and I am sure you know the feeling. Congrats on such a happy ending. I wish I loved closer so that I could help lighten your load!!

Wow! Just wow!:banana:

The pet gods were looking down upon you this weekend. That is just amazing that the only room that was spared was the one with your pets. Have you thanked the Fire Dept yet?

I am just so happy that you were able to be reunited with your pets. Sending prayers and good thoughts for your speedy recovery from this situation, from the Heart of the Hills in South Dakota.:please:

We are so glad to hear that you and all your pets surivied. Your in our prayers.

Bruce I not a prayer but I will say a few for you guys .. even though I am in lower delaware I will glady foster your snakes at no charge until you get back on your feet and get a new place. ( I'll even make a trip to the us border ot pick them up man.) I eve go as far as offer my room and take our living room chair over if I knew you could stomach the trip here. SO just let me know I will make any room offer any help I can to you man. I know you help many of us as we were starting out on these many forums..:salute:

i May be able to foster 2 at most right now. I live near a ferry boat that goes to Walpole Island in Canada which is 5 mins form my house. If your not far form that area we can figure something out.

GLAD everything is okay.

Wow.

I've now cried twice today reading snake threads.

I wish I lived in Canada. I'd buy you a beer. Crazy happy for you.

That is so amazing that everyone is ok. I didn't see the other thread until I had read this one, and it still brought me to tears reading it. I'll keep you and Jer in my prayers, and I hope things get better for you fast!

Bruce this is good to hear :banana::banana::banana:

Folks, Bruce and I just spoke tonight for a number of hours over the phone. His ability to get online is of course sporadic at best and only through his friend's computer as his is destroyed. He asked me to update you all on things as they develop.

Firstly, he sends his love to this site and it's membership. I'm sure we all can imagine the devastation this has brought into his life having to literally run from your home as it bursts into flames with only the clothes on your back. To be able to return and find any living thing in that disaster is a miracle, let alone all his snakes and rats having survived like this. I cannot being to imagine the shock Bruce and Jerome are dealing with tonight.

Secondly, it looks like a gentleman from the Ottawa, Ontario area will be co-ordinating foster homes for Bruce's collection. I've suggested to Bruce that he encourage this man to join BPNet so we might see what we can do as a community to help him in his efforts to help Bruce.

Please keep Bruce and Jerome in your thoughts as this community looks for ways to offer our help to them. :)

Not I cant express how happy I am that they all lived! Im so glad that at least something did not turn into a disaster.

Bruce, you and Jerome had/have several angels watching over you. It was such a relief to read this thread.

Let us all know what we can do.

TX is a little far... but I would foster for your guys in a sec! Sorry about the fire, but I'm SO glad that your animals are OK, and that the police were helpful!

Whoa, that's insane! Glad they all made it.

im very happy and sad for you mr bruce. youve made my faith in God much stronger. i have an aunt living there in canada. pls pm me if you need anything ill let her know and get to you asap. keep your head up, life is more precious, yours and your pets. godbless

Call me psychic call me whatever... but I KNEW they were going to make it thru!!! Bruce, this news has made my weekend. seriously. everythin1g else is totally and completely replaceable. I wish you all the luck in the world

OMG!!! I don't have rock I've been hiding under but I didn't even know about the fire! I'm so glad to hear they are all ok, though. If there's anything I can do all the way down here in S. FLA, don't hesitate to ask.

A quick update...

And I apologize for not being able to get back to people individually that have PM'd and emailed at this point.

Zoe, her partner Terry, and their friend Stefan have taken all of my snakes to Ottawa tonight. We just talked and I know that her and all of her crew are exhausted and it was a long day.

The snakes have been distributed between the tireless trio above, as well as Ian (Oliphant), Jesse, and Norm/Diane (Dino Reptiles).

I do not have the words to express what this day has been for us. They showed up, and drove to Montreal to pick up the snakes, 24 hours after we hauled them out of the building.

They asked for nothing in return.

I have realized I missed one of my snakes and she is still in the building, which has been sealed and we cannot get back in at this point. We do not know if we will be able to get back in again.

We are talking to the Fire Marshall tomorrow and I pray I can get in there and get her out if they allow us nothing else. The plus side... she is my king, so if any of my snakes are equipped to ride a few days out in that cold room it is her.

My goal today was to get in so that at least we could send supplies along to the foster homes and I was able to offer nothing, and nobody asked for anything. I was in a stupor all day, and I did not even think to offer gas money.

It was one of the saddest and simultaneously amazing days of my life. You would have had to see it. There was enough room for the passengers and the snakes in that vehicle, and Zoe was holding onto the one clutch that I have on the ground so far.

Ian even took in a rescue that I recently took on, as well as my male Magda who was injured in the evacuation process.

I need to crash now and thank everyone for their words of support and their emails and offers.

I hope that those fostering will let me know should it become too much and in such a case we may re-distribute, but we will worry about that when it happens (if it happens).

I am still in shock, I really felt it today. I only have to place my rodents now, and then I can start grieving and rebuilding.

The best people I know are snake people. I am reminded of this constantly, and everyone listed in this message have gone far beyond what I could have EVER hoped for. I do not know how... but I will pay it back and forward when I can.

Thanks for reading,
bruce

PS: this is a cut and paste from Reptiles Canada... and I am about to have my first bath since I ran from that building yesterday at 7AM. It may be the best bath of my entire life.

http://www.zone911.com/index.php?opt...=5922&Itemid=1

This is the news report... :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

http://www.zone911.com/index.php?opt...=5922&Itemid=1

This is the news report... :(

---

Oh, I wish I could read it.
But the pictures explain enough. :[

Bruce, did you own the place?

Hello everything!

I am Zoe, and my dear husband (our fearless driver) and a friend of ours made it to Bruce's today to pick up all of his snakes. Despite the sad circumstances, it was a pleasure meeting Bruce and his very kind and generous friends, and it is an honour for us to be helping Bruce and his lovely snakes through this.

All snakes are settled in now, and we're confident that they will be absolutely fine. Even the eggs have a fair chance.

We'll be keeping you all posted with pics and reports... but that'll have to wait until tomorrow, as it was a long day and now that the snakes are settled, we need to, too.

Thanks,

Zoe

Bruce, I am so glad that everything is turning out better than you had suspected at first. I hope that you can get on your feet quickly. Those pictures are amazing .. and sad knowing what it has done to a friend. Fires are never good, but when you know the person involved .. it make the pictures and the event even harder to take in.

We are behind you 100%.

Bruce, thank you for the update and as always, our hearts are with you. I'll have to get Deb to translate that for me since what french I once learned in school has long ago left me. I'm still calling it a miracle that you, Jerome, the rats and the snakes made it out of there in one piece.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zoe

Hello everything!

I am Zoe, and my dear husband (our fearless driver) and a friend of ours made it to Bruce's today to pick up all of his snakes. Despite the sad circumstances, it was a pleasure meeting Bruce and his very kind and generous friends, and it is an honour for us to be helping Bruce and his lovely snakes through this.

All snakes are settled in now, and we're confident that they will be absolutely fine. Even the eggs have a fair chance.

We'll be keeping you all posted with pics and reports... but that'll have to wait until tomorrow, as it was a long day and now that the snakes are settled, we need to, too.

Thanks,

Zoe

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Zoe, there are just no words good enough to say thank you for what you stepped up to do for a stranger in need. People like you, your husband and friends are so very precious and so very rare. You have the thanks and respect of this site for doing what most of us are too far away to be able to do.

I've sent a quick PM to you here.

Wow Bruce, that is incredible. I am so happy for you. It just goes to show that good things happen to good peope. :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zoe

Hello everything!

I am Zoe, and my dear husband (our fearless driver) and a friend of ours made it to Bruce's today to pick up all of his snakes. Despite the sad circumstances, it was a pleasure meeting Bruce and his very kind and generous friends, and it is an honour for us to be helping Bruce and his lovely snakes through this.

All snakes are settled in now, and we're confident that they will be absolutely fine. Even the eggs have a fair chance.

We'll be keeping you all posted with pics and reports... but that'll have to wait until tomorrow, as it was a long day and now that the snakes are settled, we need to, too.

Thanks,

Zoe

---

Welcome Zoe, and THANK YOU for fostering Bruce's animals! Those babies, when they pip are going to be miracle babies for sure!

Welcome Zoe, and THANK YOU for fostering Bruce's animals! as said before by other it rare to find people willing to open their hearts to help other ( specially when it comes to reptiles), WE all pray for quick and happy reunion for bruce and his beloved colection.

Hi everyone, I'm the "friend" that made the trip down with Zoe and Thierry yesterday.

Honestly, it was great meeting Bruce and his friends. (Bruce: Thanks your friends for us for opening up their home for a few hours and being just so all around fantastic!) If only we could have met under better circumstances. Or known that it was Bruce's birthday! If we had known, we would've brought a cake. :D

You folks are a fantastic crew here. All the well wishes to Bruce are simply astonishing. The support is just great. I believe Bruce would've done the same thing for someone else in a similar situation which is what made it so easy for us, I think, to do what we could to help. His love and passion for his animals was very apparent and they are all wonderful, well cared for examples of what fantastic animals look like (even after surviving a fire!).

I gotta say... Hearing the stories of how quickly the fire spread were scary. The fact that the snake room survived so in tact made my jaw drop. What an experience. I can't even imagine... So really, at the end of the day, how could we sit by and not help?

Thank you Bruce for trusting your snakes with us. We'll take good care of them and I'm sure we'll all post some updates when we can. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

http://www.zone911.com/index.php?opt...=5922&Itemid=1

This is the news report... :(

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Oh, I wish I could read it.
But the pictures explain enough. :[

Bruce, did you own the place?

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Here is the text in English

Quote:

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Fire throws several people on the street
25-04-2009 25-04-2009

A fire broke out alerts 5 Saturday April 25 2009 at 5548 St-Denis (corner of Caramel) in the 30 barracks.

The fire occurred at the rear of a residential building of 3 floors and has spread to nearby buildings. Upon arrival at the scene, the officer of the 230 trucks passed the code 10-07 to 06h36, followed by the 2nd alarm for 06h38 and the 3rd alarm for 06h46. The fire starting to grow a 4th alarm was transmitted at 06h48 and 06h52 to 5th alarm. Thereafter, we asked the help of 12 units in reinforcements.

According to Chief Operations Gilles Ducharme SIM in it to obtain Fire as much as possible because the flames took the magnitude of the balconies and neighbors should evacuate all people.

A man aged 42 suffered burns to one foot, a firefighter also suffered a heat stroke. At first glance a cylinder of a propane barbecue is the cause of this major fire.

About twenty homes were evacuated. The Red Cross took the victims who find themselves on the street.

Two dogs, one of which was in bad shape, he received first aid by the Emergency Health technicians in order to give oxygen.

Montreal Firefighters have controlled the fire after three hours of an arduous struggle. A firefighter was slightly injured during the operation.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mettle

Hi everyone, I'm the "friend" that made the trip down with Zoe and Thierry yesterday.

Honestly, it was great meeting Bruce and his friends. (Bruce: Thanks your friends for us for opening up their home for a few hours and being just so all around fantastic!) If only we could have met under better circumstances. Or known that it was Bruce's birthday! If we had known, we would've brought a cake. :D

You folks are a fantastic crew here. All the well wishes to Bruce are simply astonishing. The support is just great. I believe Bruce would've done the same thing for someone else in a similar situation which is what made it so easy for us, I think, to do what we could to help. His love and passion for his animals was very apparent and they are all wonderful, well cared for examples of what fantastic animals look like (even after surviving a fire!).

I gotta say... Hearing the stories of how quickly the fire spread were scary. The fact that the snake room survived so in tact made my jaw drop. What an experience. I can't even imagine... So really, at the end of the day, how could we sit by and not help?

Thank you Bruce for trusting your snakes with us. We'll take good care of them and I'm sure we'll all post some updates when we can. :)

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Stephan thank you so much for what you've done to help Bruce. You, Zoe, Thierry, Ian and all the rest have our deepest respect for stepping up like this for a stranger in need. So many of us care about Bruce but are far away or in another country so are unable to physically do much to help him out. You've given Bruce a wonderful gift of kindness so he can focus on his own needs while knowing his beloved snakes are safe and being cared for. Thank you again. :)

What a sigh of relief. I can't say that all is alright, but at least the animals did ok. Thanks also for the update Bruce, as you know all of your Brothers and sisters here at the site are praying for you.

Link to Relief Fund thread

Glad all the animals made it :) Stay STRONG buddy. Life takes some crazy turns sometimes. Things WILL get better soon

Best,
Steve

I have to start off by saying that I have never been a big fan of forums of any kind. In my mind they were a haven for misinformation and users who had not much good to say about anything. After reading the entire list of responses to Bruce's tragedy, I am happy to say that this group of real people and supporters has changed my mind 100%. My name is Norm, and this is the first time I have ever posted anything on a forum and l look forward to reading more and getting more involved. My wife and I run DINO Reptiles out of Ottawa and have been lucky enough to be trusted to look after 5 of Bruce's pythons (some of them gravid) and one of his gravid corns. My hat is off to all of you who have offered support by way of a message of encouragement or offer to foster some of his friends.

OMG!!!!! I'm so glad your snakes made it!!! Incredible!

Bruce, I appologize for just writing now (I had a PC crash), not that important now, but I am so happy that you and yours made it out ok. You know that I have the upmost respect for you. I've always thought you were a stand up guy. I've helped folks through fire emergencies before (including animal injury, rehab etc). It sounds like your guys just need some fostering. Please let me know if I can be of any help now or in the long run.
Again, I'm thrilled you and yours are ok, Please let me know and keep us updated.
Rusty

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dino

I have to start off by saying that I have never been a big fan of forums of any kind. In my mind they were a haven for misinformation and users who had not much good to say about anything. After reading the entire list of responses to Bruce's tragedy, I am happy to say that this group of real people and supporters has changed my mind 100%. My name is Norm, and this is the first time I have ever posted anything on a forum and l look forward to reading more and getting more involved. My wife and I run DINO Reptiles out of Ottawa and have been lucky enough to be trusted to look after 5 of Bruce's pythons (some of them gravid) and one of his gravid corns. My hat is off to all of you who have offered support by way of a message of encouragement or offer to foster some of his friends.

---

Norm thank you so much for offering to help out Bruce. Bruce has a lot of friends here but so many of us are across the border in the U.S. (and around the world for that matter) that we cannot help with the fostering due to the paperwork involved in bringing his snakes across the border. The relief felt when we heard that you and your friends were stepping up to help, to take on these snakes so Bruce could catch his breath and deal with his life - well Norm it's pretty damn wonderful!

I'm sorry your experience with online communities has been poor in the past. If I may say so myself we do work hard around here to change that image and make this about the snakes, about folks being decent to each other and just acting pretty much like we would if we were sitting around somebody's livingroom gabbing with each other. It's a family friendly place and I can say there's few like it around. Hope you stick around. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CTReptileRescue

Bruce, I appologize for just writing now (I had a PC crash), not that important now, but I am so happy that you and yours made it out ok. You know that I have the upmost respect for you. I've always thought you were a stand up guy. I've helped folks through fire emergencies before (including animal injury, rehab etc). It sounds like your guys just need some fostering. Please let me know if I can be of any help now or in the long run.
Again, I'm thrilled you and yours are ok, Please let me know and keep us updated.
Rusty

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It's been so great Rusty that these folks from the Ottawa area have helped Bruce out. To take on that number of snakes without notice, with such open hearts and giving souls - well it just makes me smile. A wonderful bunch of good people and true herpers (I hope they stick around here too :)).

Glad to hear all your scalekids made it out alright.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

(I hope they stick around here too :)).

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I can't speak for anyone else, but for me... DEFINITELY.

This is by far one of the most awesome forums that I have come across ever. I think Bruce is really lucky to have you guys as a part of his online family. You're a great bunch here and it really, really shows.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mettle

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me... DEFINITELY.

This is by far one of the most awesome forums that I have come across ever. I think Bruce is really lucky to have you guys as a part of his online family. You're a great bunch here and it really, really shows.

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Well pull up a virtual couch and stick around Stephan. :)

Bruce would do this in an instant for any one of us so what we are doing is just what family (even virtual ones) do for each other in times like these.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dino

I have to start off by saying that I have never been a big fan of forums of any kind. In my mind they were a haven for misinformation and users who had not much good to say about anything. After reading the entire list of responses to Bruce's tragedy, I am happy to say that this group of real people and supporters has changed my mind 100%. My name is Norm, and this is the first time I have ever posted anything on a forum and l look forward to reading more and getting more involved. My wife and I run DINO Reptiles out of Ottawa and have been lucky enough to be trusted to look after 5 of Bruce's pythons (some of them gravid) and one of his gravid corns. My hat is off to all of you who have offered support by way of a message of encouragement or offer to foster some of his friends.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mettle

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me... DEFINITELY.

This is by far one of the most awesome forums that I have come across ever. I think Bruce is really lucky to have you guys as a part of his online family. You're a great bunch here and it really, really shows.

---

Incredible.

And here, is some of the proof, that something so good can come out of something so terrible.

Just an update, we have been on the go all day...

I came from the place, our last walkthrough. And it truly IS a miracle.

I have always said that jerome should be a snake keeper. He has this capacity to find snakes, or rather they find him. EVERY snake I have ever lost Jerome has found by simply walking into the room after I turn it end to end.

I was in the snake room for about an hour trying to salvage what I could. I was in and out so many time. I had upended things trying to see if Maude was still in there.

Jerome walks in to find a tub to use to haul stuff out with and come out with Maude in hand. :D

Then I decided to systematically go through the racks. Just open every tub, take the hides that are the hard plastic exo terras, as I was sure they would not be damaged and could be salvaged, and I needed to remove all the tubs so I could pull the heat tape off the shelves as well.

I pull the last tub open and find a big fat BP in there. It was Samantha!

I had been talking to Zoe, and I could not recall seeing her when we did inventory. She must have gotten missed, and at some point parked herself in Kevin's tub and just rode out a few nights in there.

It is unreal, unimaginable and just such a relief.

I got everyone out in the end.

We may go back as Jer wants to dig through the CDs and DVDs and remove them all from their cases if they do not bulldoze the building on us. That is our last thing to do. And if we get back and find the place in ruins that is fine too.

We got a storage space thanks to the good people on this site. We can place what we have in there for now and figure it all out later.

We are so grateful for every kind word, comment, and donation. We have been 100% reliant on friends and community for everything since we ran out that door.

We stopped at our friend Coll's house this morning on the way over to the apt and the bell rang. It was our next door neighbour, who I always remember because he had a sticker on his recycling box that said "REAL men are kind to animals". He tracked us down and gave us an update on the fire.

Himself, his baby and his GF got out. He grabbed his computer's hard drive and that was all they made it out with. They kicked open their doors on the way out and their two dogs and two cats escaped and were found today!

They are with family and he says they are so happy to be alive that nothing else matters.

I have to deal with stuff so this has to be brief.

I just wanted to touch base.

Bruce