US EditionHappy Cat Sanctuary Fire Claims Life of Founder and Over 100 Cats
- On Monday, a fire at the Happy Cat Sanctuary on Long Island in Medford, owned by Christopher Arsenault, was reported around 7:15 a.m., resulting in the deaths of Arsenault and at least 59 felines.
- Christopher Arsenault, who founded the Happy Cat Sanctuary in 2006 after finding his calling rescuing sick kittens, lived at the sanctuary and was planning to move it upstate.
- The fire, which some neighbors reported hearing as an explosion, destroyed the facility including outdoor buildings, while an estimated 150 cats survived, some with burns, and a rescue effort is underway with the SPCA and other animal groups.
- Roy Gross, the chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, stated, "Unfortunately, this disaster happened and now he’s gone," while Chief of Detectives William Doherty said, "It's just too early in the investigation."
- Christopher Arsenault, known as the 'Cat Man', died trying to save the cats, according to a volunteer, and Lisa Jaeger, another volunteer, said, "He was trying to put the fire out and he kept going back in and out of the house to get cats out, and then he went in and he didn't come out," but the cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the Town of Brookhaven had previously investigated the property for multiple violations.
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95 Articles
Christopher Arsenault, a life for cats. He dies trying to save more than 200 from a fire
The 65-year-old man died in the sanctuary he had created and where he himself lived. With him a hundred felines. Many volunteers ready to carry on his dream with the surviving cats. But there are already cases of looting as well.
Fundraiser set up after fire ruins NY cat sanctuary: ‘Devastated and distraught’
Editor's note: The video above aired in a previous newscast. LONG ISLAND (PIX11)— After tragedy struck a local cat sanctuary on Long Island Monday morning, a GoFundMe has been launched to support Happy Cat Inc. Christopher Arsenault, 65, and several cats lost their lives in a fire, according to Suffolk County officials. Arsenault was the founder of the sanctuary where the incident occurred. 1 person killed, cats displaced in LI fire: Auth…
Fire Kills Cat Sanctuary Owner, Dozens of Cats
"His life was about the cats." So too was his death. Authorities say a fire at the Happy Cat Sanctuary in Medford, Long Island, on Monday morning claimed the life of founder Christopher Arsenault and at least 59 cats; the 65-year-old's body was located in a back room. Another 150...
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