Help Shelters Survive: Support Happy Cat Sanctuary and Possumbilities After Devastating Fires

Today, my heart is heavy, and the words feel hard to find. Not long ago, a fire tore through Happy Cat Sanctuary in Long Island, New York: a place that was a haven for so many fragile lives. Chris Arsenault, the founder, gave everything he had, running into the flames to save the cats he loved like family. Tragically, he didn’t make it out. Over 100 cats perished with him, their little lives snuffed out in an instant. The ones who escaped scattered into the cold.  Some burned, some injured, some miraculously unscathed that are now roaming the outskirts, lost and afraid. Volunteers and rescues are out there right now, braving the chaos to bring them back to safety, to treat their wounds, to give them a second chance. If you can help, their GoFundMe, a lifeline I’ve personally vetted, stands ready:

https://gofund.me/f7f2b7d2

And then, just as we catch our breath, another blow: Possumbilities, a wildlife rehab in Georgia, also lost everything to a fire. Supplies gone, a few precious animals lost. Thankfully, no human lives were taken this time, but the weight of these losses stacks higher still.

When we think of shelters, we often imagine adopting a pet as the ultimate gift we can give. And it is don’t get me wrong. But right now, these places need more than that. They need us to see them not just as a stopover for animals, but as living, breathing sanctuaries that can crumble without support. Money helps.  Every dollar counts. But if your pockets are empty, there’s still so much you can do. Donate your time. Drop off blankets, food, even that old computer you’ve been meaning to replace. And after seeing these fires steal so much, I can’t help but beg: give them safety. A fire extinguisher. A smoke alarm. Something so small could rewrite the ending of a story like this.

The world feels bruised right now, doesn’t it? Everywhere you look, there’s hurt. But through it all, the animals have been there, quietly stitching us back together. That alley cat who meows as you pass, the neighbor’s pup who wags its tail like you’re the best part of its day, your own trusted companion who knows when you’re breaking and curls up close. They feel us. They lift us. All they ask in return is a scratch behind the ears and a little love. But if they could speak today, I think they’d plead for more.  They'd plea for their brothers and sisters still waiting in rescues, for the shelters that hold them, for a chance to stay safe and warm until their forever homes find them.

So this is my plea, straight from my heart to yours: help the shelters. Give what you can.  Whether it's money, time, supplies, or safety. Check in with them. Ask what they need to survive. Because every life we save contains a spark of hope for them and for us. Let’s hold onto that light together.

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