Friends, Community Reach Out To Help Manchester Couple Whose Barn Burned

There has been an outpouring of support for the Manchester couple whose barn was destroyed by a fire on Thursday.

Mark Buglio and Elizabeth “Liz” Casterlin not only lost the barn, but a number of animals they have devoted their lives to, according to friends. Those friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the barn, and in three days, the effort has raised more than $5,000.

“They have taken in strays, animals no longer wanted in their homes and just animals needing a home. They fostered animals and they kept many as family members for their own, as they just fell in love,” their friend, Meg, wrote in a message to the Manchester Patch. Mark is a dock builder and Liz is a search-and-rescue dog trainer, and the dogs that died in the fire were used as part of the search-and-rescue training, Meg said. ”She lives her life for them!”

The fire killed three of the couple’s four dogs, a mother goat and her 3-day-old baby goat, a peacock and cats, Meg said, and the couple is heartbroken.

“Anything you can do to help rebuild the “Mark & Liz Animal Sanctuary” would be greatly appreciated,” she wrote.

Anyone wishing to donate to the campaign can find more information by clicking here.