During the morning of this Monday, March 31, around 7.15, the owner of an animal sanctuary called Happy Cat Sanctuary (“Happy cats sanctuary”, in Spanish) and at least 100 pets died due to a fire on the island of Long Island, New York, According to state police authorities.
The New York police department indicated that there were more than 300 cats within the sanctuary at the time of the incident, so the owner decided to risk his life and return to the place to try to rescue as much animals as possible. Given this situation, it is estimated that it managed to save the 67 % of pets present in the house.
At the moment, police investigation continues to determine the cause of the fire. However, the authorities reported that the owner of the sanctuary, Chris Arsenault, 65 years old, he was found lifeless at the back of his house, after returning “several times” to help the cats “who wanted with all his heart.”
“This man lived in a room with a mini refrigerator and a microwave; every penny he won, everything he collected was for animals. It was disinterestedhe didn’t take anything for himself. This is unfair, ”said his neighbor, Lisa Jaegerwho mentioned that Chris had begun to rescue cats since 2006.
Almost two decades dedicated to cats
According to his nearby friends, the American Chris Arsenault began rescuing cats more than 19 years ago, after having fallen into “a severe depression”In December 2005, when his only son died at age 24, after staying several months in a coma due to a car accident in the neighborhood of Manhattan.
“If you see some of the videos again, the cats climbed on him, they were Happy. It was a great place for them and it was safe, until this happened, ”added Lisa Jaeger, who said that the members of the community dedicated to the rescue of animals remained” very devastated“Upon learning of Chris Arsenault’s fire and death.
“We all knew Chris for years, since our organizations work together in the community. If he needed help, he called our agency; and if we needed help, we called him. This is Long Island with the rescues of animals: all United,” he said John Spat, Director of the Animal Protection Service.
“There will be no other Chris Arsenault Do all this. What we can do is try to continue with what he was trying to achieve. We will try to move forward and help your organization continue, ”added Spat, who expects police investigation to determine the cause of the fire as soon as possible.
For now, the animal protection service in Long Island, together with several local rescue groups of the county of Suffolkhe is collaborating in the rescue of the cats that managed to survive the fire in the sanctuary: “There were more than 300 in the place. Chris rescued them and protected them from the abusehoarding and negligence”They said.
“Chris dedicated his life to the rescue and care of cats. After the devastating loss of his son Eriche found by accident a colony of 30 sick cats. He withdrew them from the place and took care of them until they regained health. It was then that he knew that saving lives was his vocation and opened the sanctuary, ”says the website of the place.
“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.” >> https://t.co/Ef7DBG1C6H @Carolyngusoff pic.twitter.com/6mm9ppy4vt
– CBS New York (@CBSNewyork) March 31, 2025