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Georgetown community marks 1-year anniversary of Ponderosa Pet Resort fire

Last September, 75 dogs died in a fire at the boarding facility. No smoke alarm or sprinklers were installed, and no personnel was on scene when the fire started.

GEORGETOWN, Texas — The Georgetown community gathered on Sept. 18 to remember the lives of 75 pets who were killed in a fire at a boarding facility one year ago. 

On Sept. 18, 2021, a fire at the Ponderosa Pet Resort killed 75 dogs who were trapped inside. No smoke alarms or sprinklers were installed at the facility, and no personnel was at the facility when the fire broke out. 

On Sunday, the one-year anniversary of the fire, a memorial was held at the site where the pets died, located at 2815 North Austin Ave. in Georgetown. The memorial was organized by a group called Protect All Pets.

"All of the families that I have talked to, none of us have healed. It's been a year. And all of us are still very broken," said Leikyn Huckins. "This was not property to us. These were family members to us. And we're all still grieving. We're all still grieving."

The pets' names were read a second time at the "time of the fire," according to a press release from Protect All Pets. 

The Georgetown Fire Department initially received 911 calls of flames at the pet resort at approximately 10:56 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2021.

Fire investigators said they could not determine the exact cause of the fire at Ponderosa Pet Resort but had six potential causes involving electrical equipment at the facility. The incident resulted in fire code changes in the City of Georgetown.

"That love was resonating in the hurt that helped us identify codes that made some changes, necessary changes, that we hope are going to be symbols of opportunities for other cities across the country to join in, to provide protection to the animals that are cared for," Chief John Sullivan with the Georgetown Fire Department said.

Watch the memorial here: 

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