East Haven Family Loses Everything in Condo Fire; Community Steps Up to Pay Cat's Medical Expenses

East Haven, CT — On Tuesday a fire damaged a Birches condominium complex off Thompson Street and a woman was hospitalized after fire began in her unit, the New Haven Register reports.

Emergency responders rescued a cat in the blaze.

On the East Haven Animal Shelter Facebook page, Animal Control Officer Owen Little shares much more about the rescue of the cat and the act of kindness from so many that left him and countless others emotional.

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From Owen Little:

So there was a house fire (Tuesday) on Cedar Court. It was on Channel 8 news at 5 pm. One of the residents wasn't home at the time, she was attending a funeral! The other resident was sleeping when the fire broke out!

The EHPD and the East Haven Fire Department responded in record breaking time! They did what they do best and took control and put that fire out! I made it there and found the cat from the unit being given oxygen by a fire fighter.

I took the cat and headed for Central Animal Hospital. In route I alerted them that this poor cat was having a tough time breathing!

When I arrived I was greeted by a team of doctors and staff that are truly second to none! And that goes for an animal or human hospital!

They went to work saving this cats life! One of the docs looked up at me smiled and said your worth more on the street then here, we got ya!

During the night I received a few phone calls from the doctor on how things were progressing.

So this morning I called the Fire Department and found out who the resident was that was taken to the hospital. As I tried to track her down, I got a call from Central Animal Hospital. They let me know the two owners of this cat were there at the hospital visiting with the cat.

I ran over to the hospital and I quickly found a mother and daughter looking at their cat in an oxygen machine. I quickly learned that the daughter ended with second degree burns on her body! And they lost everything!!!

It turns out the Hospital worked their magic and the cat's going to recover nicely! The Hospital then was great and took a huge amount of services off the bill! But the bill ended up being over $1,000.00. These folks lost EVERYTHING!

I called our volunteer Lesley, and Frank Gentilesco Jr my supervisor and we quickly agreed to pay the bill for this poor cat through our volunteer program (East Haven Kennel Club).

Well what happened next was truly unbelievable!!!

These two poor ladies starting crying as we stood at the front desk at the Hospital! I started to tear up as well just a little!

Well it turns out the waiting room was packed! All of a sudden folks started coming up one by one and giving these poor ladies cash!

The daughter tries putting it on the bill knowing she lost everything!

We all said, use it towards getting started again!

They left with their cat and I left feeling so proud I work with so many professional people and volunteers that pour their hearts and souls into what they do, day in and day out! What a team!

I'm truly a lucky guy!