A fire killed a dozen dogs and cats at an animal sanctuary run by a St. Augustine-based rescue, the organization announced on Facebook.
Ayla’s Acres No Kill Animal Rescue said that a blaze destroyed a modular structure in Greenville late Saturday night.
Two dogs, two birds and a cat survived the blaze — but 12 cats and dogs couldn’t make it out. A man was also rushed to a Gainesville burn unit as a result of the fire.
“Losing these animals is just, it’s heartwrenching,” Executive Director Fran Charlson told First Coast News.
The rescue is now appealing to the community to take in animals displaced by the fire — including eight dogs, four cats, four horses and several donkeys.
“We have an immediate need for foster homes,” the organization wrote.
The Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives is investigating the Madison County blaze.
Charlson said that this is the second deadly fire at the site in five years, with more than a dozen animals dying in a prior blaze.
She told the outlet that Ayla’s Acres is in the process of building a more proximate St. Johns County facility.
