Many Animals Lost in Fire at Waldens Puddle – How You Can Help

Waldens Puddle provides care and treatment to sick, injured and orphaned animals…Serenity header

waldens puddle fire slider

Smokey Barn News
Wednesday June 25, 2014
Joelton– Tenn.

wp dryerWalden’s Puddle a professionally-staffed wildlife rehabilitation and education facility in Joelton that provides care and treatment to sick, injured and orphaned animals in middle Tennessee was forced to evacuate hundreds of animals due to a fire that broke out around 3am Monday Morning.

Board chairman Lane Brody indicated that most of the damage was caused by smoke. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined but is under investigation. Brody stated that the fire may have been sparked by a laundry dryer. According to staff, “A new washer/dryer and external laundry room was high on our list of improvements but now it’s at the very top”.

waldens puddle crate room

Word has spread fast and many are asking how they can help Walden’s Puddle get through this crisis.

How to Help – a message from Waldens Puddle

Thank you for your prayers for the Puddle and all the critters and people and protection over our servitude. Walden’s’ puddle update+++Glory to God for all things, it is tragic, but it could have been far worse. I am grateful he led me to install extra wireless smoke detectors linked to the dispatch, in EVERY room of the building which the Fire Chief said saved many animals and the building.

There is no way to describe the feeling when you get a call the smoke detectors are going off the fire department is being dispatched, and that is what happened in the very early hours of yesterday morning, as Walden’s Puddle and all of us who so dearly love this organization have suffered through this tragedy. We all went into action…Smoke billowing out of the building, tears and hoping animals would live through it and thank God many did.

waldens puddle kitchenWe have cried and mourned over over 60 who have passed….so far, and some are still struggling from the smoke inhalation…. They did not die in vain, their sacrifice is shinning a bright light and awareness on our work and they will always be with us. Praying for the Puddle is a constant for me; For protection for guidance for the organization and every little being God brings to us to care for everyday that is found by the great people of middle Tennessee.

There is no way to Thank the fire Department of Joelton/Davidson County , Companies, 20, 29 and 39 for their fast response and for going in and bringing out the little ones they could get to while containing the fire.

I am overwhelmed by the response of our staff and Bettina, our animal care director and Ralph, our board member/maintenance coordinator who live closest and arrived first and brought out all the animals while there was still smoke in the air and the sing of it in their lungs and the eyes. All of our board members who worked all day until we secured everything. Our volunteers who came and worked with us in the heat, the outpouring of support, supplies water generators.

God bless our fast acting insurance company “Cincinnati” and SERVE PRO who came out immediately and worked till dark cleaning part of the downstairs area the bird room and mammal room first.

waldens puddle outdoor areaWe are in recovery. We need a new laundry room which we had in the plan, now we must build this off the back of the building . Your donations will help us accomplish this as we must run 25 loads a day to keep bedding clean for the critters.

Thank you to all of our news organizations for covering our plight and our needs and letting the community know of our struggle. The support has been profound beautiful and sweet as many have called and cried with us and offered any assistance we need.

They will be cleaning the entire building from smoke damage. The animals are upstairs until the air quality further improves, that should be today and they will be moved back into their proper rooms so care and feeding has gone on throughout..all are being looked over and cared for with TLC. All of our Education ambassadors/animals have survived. We are ALL BACK AT IT TODAY and in recovery doing what we have to do to de-stress the animals and get back to normal ASAP.

WALDEN’S PUDDLE IS COMING BACK FROM THIS, STRONGER AND MORE DEDICATED THAN EVER TO OUR LIFE SAVING MISSION OF GIVING WILDLIFE A SECOND CHANCE. WE ARE NOW GETTING OUR CHANCE TO SHOW WHO WE ARE AND OUR LOVE AND DEDICATION TO THE ANIMALS AND PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY . HUGS TO ALL BLESSED DAY

Many people have offered to volunteer. We are so appreciative – but we can’t use volunteers unless you have been previously trained to care for our animals. The fire clean up is being taken care of by ServPro.

waldens puddle deerIf you want to help, we could use donations to rebuild. If you can’t donate, please spread the word to others who can.

Until our laundry machines are functional, we have a pressing need for clean animal bedding. Towels, baby blankets, sheets. They must be washed (not new in package) and they cannot be treated with fabric softener (toxic to wild animals).

We also need fresh produce – greens, fruit, vegetables (no onions, cabbage or citrus).

If you can help please let us know by emailing [email protected] or calling (615) 714-4002 and we can arrange to get the supplies.

We also have a link if you would like to donate 

Thank you so much, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Walden’s Puddle Staff and Volunteers

feeding time

We also have a monetary donation center set up at  “Our Serenity Shop” in downtown Springfield. The folks at “Our Serenity Shop” have volunteered with Waldens Puddle and know first hand all the love and hard work that goes in to protecting our wildlife.

Animal updates: We are doing our very best for every animal, but we cannot provide individual animal status reports. We have hundreds of animals in makeshift housing under tents, and our time is 100% devoted to their feeding and medical care. For continued updatesyou can also follow Waldens Puddle on Facebook.

waldens puddle rabbit

waldens puddle deer 2

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One Response

  1. Leigh Ryder June 26, 2014
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