The day before New Years Eve in 2021, the entire state of Colorado was hit hard with hurricane force winds. Wind and fire do not combine well. This was very clear when thousands of families were left to start 2022 without homes, and more importantly, beloved pets. 

Many animals were able to evacuate the fire, however, in difficult circumstances some were lost.      Reports do show that at least 50 animals were rescued by heroic first responders during the Marshall Fire. 

The Humane Society of Boulder Valley (HSBV) has focused many of their efforts on the Marshall Fire by opening their doors to shelter impacted animals, already reuniting 50 pets with their families. They held a vigil on Sunday with the Longmont Humane Society on January 9th for all of the pets lost and provided a way for grieving families to express their emotions. They titled this focus “Hope and Healing,” with a banner outside stating, “Our hearts are with all animals and families impacted by the Marshall Fire.” 

Pictured on the HSBV’s instagram is furry friend Maple reuniting with her family. The caption said that Good Samaritan rescued Maple from the fires and brought her to the Humane Society. A few days later the joy on her face shows how happy Maple was to be back with the ones she loves most. However, this was not the case for some families. Many lost their pets in the fire and the entire community of Boulder County and Colorado sends their hearts out to all who suffered losses. 

The mission statement of the national Humane Society is, “With your help, we fight the big fights, working to end all forms of animal cruelty and achieve the vision behind our name: a humane society.” By shifting their efforts towards helping injured animals and providing rescue services to them, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley has helped follow through with this mission statement of protecting animals at all costs. 

HSBV’s website displays tons of information on how you can help donate, volunteer, and participate in their services in helping the pets involved in the fire. They are welcoming any fire victim animals in need of homes and are also providing free pet supplies for families. The site shows a Disaster Response Volunteer Application for any who are willing to donate time and service to animals in need. 

9News’ Next with Kyle Clark helped raise over $225,000 for HSBV. These donations will help cover the costs for animals to get medical care, shelter, boarding, and new families. HBSV noted that they will cover the adoption fees of any family impacted by the fires looking for a new pet.  

HSBV’s CEO, J​​an McHugh-Smith, discussed the aftermath of the fires, “We actually had a family that brought in three cats, a tortoise, a bird, and we’ve had a number of other dogs and cats that folks asked us to take a look at because they were worried about smoke inhalation.” Of course, the organization openly welcomed all animals in need of care. 

In times of despair, heartbreak can unite communities and remind them of what is important. And for Colorado, that is our animals. We send our hearts and prayers out to all families impacted by the Marshall fire, especially those who have lost a four-legged member of their family.