Pet Alliance marks five years since Orlando Shelter Fire and announces plans to Honor Cats Lost

Memorials planned at all Pet Alliance locations will provide a lasting tribute to the cats lost following the 2021 fire.

Five years after a devastating fire destroyed Pet Alliance former Orlando shelter, the organization is marking the anniversary by remembering the 17 cats whose lives were lost and announcing plans for permanent memorials in their honor.  Plans are underway to create intimate memorials at Pet Alliance’s Orlando, Sanford and Alafaya locations, where the ashes of the 17 cats will be incorporated into lasting tributes to their lives.  The memorials will provide a meaningful way for staff, volunteers and members of the community to pause, reflect and remember the animals who were lost.  Details of the memorials are still being finalized, and Pet Alliance will share additional information as plans move forward.

The fire on September 15, 2021 forever changed Pet Alliance. While many animals were rescued from the shelter that night, 17 cats were lost in the days that followed as a result of injuries from smoke inhalation.  The tragedy deeply affected the staff and volunteers who cared for them, as well as a community that rallied around Pet Alliance in the immediate aftermath and continued to support the organization in the years that followed.

“Five years later, the impact of this tragedy is still deeply felt by members of the Pet Alliance family and throughout the community,” says Pet Alliance CEO Dr. Josh Fisher.  “As we honor the 17 cats whose lives were lost, we also recognize the staff, volunteers and supporters who came together during an incredibly difficult time and have continued to carry Pet Alliance forward.  These memorials will provide a meaningful and lasting way to remember the cats we lost and ensure they will always remain a part of Pet Alliance’s story.”

The long-awaited opening of Pet Alliance’s new Orlando shelter this past March serves as an important reminder of how far the organization has come.  Plans for a new Orlando shelter were already underway before the 2021 fire, but the loss of the Conroy Road facility accelerated the need to bring that vision to life.  In the nearly five years between the fire and the opening of the new shelter, Pet Alliance staff continued to serve animals and families across multiple locations and in limited spaces, never wavering from the organization’s life-saving mission. 

Today, with its new Orlando shelter open and plans for the memorials moving forward, Pet Alliance enters its hopeful next chapter with gratitude for the community that has stood beside the organization and an unwavering commitment to the animals and families it serves.

For more information on Pet Alliance, visit https://petallianceorlando.org/.

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