Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/foster-mom-house-fire/
Laura Kile is a committed animal rescuer. So committed, in fact, that the Florida woman repeatedly risked her life to save foster animals when her house erupted in flames.
According to Fox 13 News, the crisis unfolded in Largo, Florida, where the long-time rescue volunteer awoke to the sounds of beeping smoke alarms and frantic meowing from shelter cats and kittens.
As flames tore through the house, Kile’s first instinct was to save all the animals – even if that meant risking her life to do so. This included saving her own four pet cats, as well as more than a dozen of shelter pets who were locked in their kennels, where they’d been overnighting before an adoption event.
As the fire spread through her home, Kile began frantically smashing her windows, opening kennels, and throwing terrified kittens and cats through them to safety in the yard. According to Fox, she also repeatedly entered the house trying to rescue more animals until firefighters intervened.
“She was going to keep going back until she dropped dead,” neighbor Debbie Miller told the station.
Even after firefighters had loaded her onto the stretcher, Kile pleaded with neighbors to save the rest of the foster kittens and cats, some of whom remain trapped in the fire.
“She was on the gurney. I go over and she’s trying to yell but because of the smoke inhalation she couldn’t speak very loudly,” said neighbor Ryan Miller, who also watched the scene unfold. “She’s just saying over and over again: Get my babies. Get my babies. She was going to die for those cats.”
As Kile was wheeled away, neighbors and firefighters rounded up the rescued animals and fitted them with pet-sized oxygen masks provided by EMTs.
Kile spent several days in the hospital, where she was treated for severe burns and smoke inhalation. But to this long-time rescuer, it was probably all worth it because her quick actions reportedly saved at least 16 shelter animals. Sadly, this number apparently didn’t include most of Kile’s personal pets, which are believed to have died in the fire.
When the surviving shelter pets are healthy enough, they’ll be adopted through Rescue Pets of Florida, where this brave woman works as a rescue volunteer. Follow them on Facebook to see how the shelter pets are doing and when they’ll be ready for adoption. While you’re there, drop Kile a note of encouragement and thank her for being so committed to saving animals’ lives!
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
