PARKSVILLE – Arthur’s Acres Animal Sanctuary, which has been in operation only a year, was destroyed by fire Saturday night when flames ravaged a barn, a run-in shed, partially destroyed another barn and damaged a transport trailer.
Firefighters from several area departments were called to the scene at 9:45 p.m. Saturday and were on the scene until 2 Sunday morning. Investigators were back on the scene on Sunday. While the cause remains under investigation, Friedman said an electrical issue is being explored.
Founder and director Todd Friedman said all 31 rescued animals, including 13 pigs, were rescued unharmed.
“We have four pigs that were being burned for product testing at a lab. We have a 10-year-old farm pig that was being sent to slaughter. One of the testing babies has no eye, missing an eye; three pigs that were found in a stall in the woods that hadn’t eaten for several weeks. One went paralyzed after being in the sanctuary for a month and we nursed her back to health,” he told Mid-Hudson News.
Friedman plans to raise the estimated $100,000 needed to rebuild the facilities. Persons interested in contributing to the rebuild effort may do so at www.arthursacresanimalsanctuary.org.
Friedman said the property had been used at one-time farm-to-table slaughterhouse.
