ORLANDO, Fla. – The community is coming together again to support a local animal shelter that went through a deadly fire this past month misplacing several animals.
Jared’s in Altamonte is teaming up with Pet Alliance in Orlando to help the shelter rebuild and maintain their surviving animals.
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“This is Zoe on my right side, strutting her little princess dress and Radar, her brother, on my other side,” said Laura Pope, who stood holding her two dogs while talking with News 6.
Pope said she hopes this event can make a difference.
Last month, the Orlando shelter was charred by deadly flames that killed over a dozen cats and misplaced several other animals. The fire was electrical and ruled accidental by investigators.
Pope hopes in some way the donations gathered can help the surviving animals find a new place to call home.
“It breaks my heart when there is not someone to take them, so whatever I can do to get them adopted and in a forever home and really help them, because they do … they probably help you more than you help them,” Pope said.
While the company may be conducting business, offering discounts for donations, their efforts are strictly for the animals.
“Knowing these poor animals faced that fire and what great work they are actually doing, I wanted to make sure we actually support them in some way,” Megan Johnson said.
Pet Alliance said it still can’t comprehend all the community support and said its rebuilding plans are already underway.
“We’ll be moving into temporary space in downtown Orlando for about two years, and then we expect to open our new shelter on John Young Parkway in September of 2023,” Stephen Bardy said.
Pet Alliance said if you didn’t get out to Jared’s in Altamonte this weekend, there is still a chance to help out. This event is going on throughout the weekend, and if you can’t make it this weekend, the pet agency said anyone can still donate online.
Monetary donations can also be made online here.