A Monday night blaze killed 51 animals at a Barrow County facility known for taking in abandoned exotic animals.
"So our largest loss was to our reptile collection," said Kerry Ervin, the zoo's owner. This includes iguanas, bearded dragons, snakes, and even a critically endangered Gopher Tortoise. Many of the zoo's birds were also housed in the building.
Ervin said the 1,800 square foot building mainly sheltered animals that can't live in Georgia's winter climate.
A neighbor reported the fire broke out around 10 p.m. on Monday, and fire crews were already on the scene when Ervin arrived. "The firefighters did an amazing job," she said. "Once they got the fire suppressed enough, they went into rescue mode and pulled numerous animals out of the building [those animals] are now kind of in triage and being monitored for their current condition."
The 14-acre facility is licensed to take in exotic animals that people bring in as pets but are not allowed to own in Georgia. They also provide sanctuary to local wildlife that the state cannot return to the wilderness.
"So when they got confiscated or picked up, they didn't have to be euthanized," Ervin told AccessWDUN. "They could be [given] sanctuary here and live out the remainder of their lives on our property and in safety."
She explained for some of those animals, that could be a 50 to 60-year stay.
Ervin said the community has rallied around them. "We've had a fantastic group of volunteers, some of whom I've known for years and some of whom I am just now meeting today," she explained. "We are seeking donations if we can find companies willing to sponsor the rebuild roofers, plumbers, electrical workers...whatever it will take to rebuild the structure."
A GoFundMe has been set up to aid in the rebuilding. You can find out more information by clicking here.
