Kayson's House Fire Emergency Fund

Our dear friend and long time supporter/adopter, Kayson, experienced a house fire earlier this week when a space heater caught on fire in his room in the early hours of the morning on Friday January 12th.

Kayson's family all suffered from varying degrees of smoke inhalation, his grandmother is currently in an induced coma at VCU Medical Center. Thankfully, most of Kayson's pets survived the fire. Kayson was able to remove 6 of his pet rats, his rabbit, and his dog to safety at the time of the fire, and we retrieved the remaining rats from the home today. Unfortunately, there are three rats who appear to be missing at this time.

There is a thick layer of soot covering every inch of the room. You cannot touch anything in the house without your hands turning black.

All of the rats need emergency care. The six who were able to be removed immediately saw a veterinarian and required baths to get the toxic soot off their fur and skin. His dog also required veterinary attention, and he is still trying to get all the soot off his rabbit (ironically named Ash). The rats who spent more time in the home are expected to need ongoing intensive care for smoke inhalation including hospitalization, oxygen therapy, IV fluids, antibiotics and prolonged monitoring at the very least. If you have ever had to hospitalize a single rat who needed oxygen therapy, you know that this can cost several thousand dollars very quickly. Now multiply that number by 10+ rats.

In addition to the extensive medical and veterinary bills Kayson is facing, he also has been advised by the fire department that he must replace EVERYTHING that is not a solid, non-porous surface. This includes all of his pets' bedding, hammocks, toys, food, etc. It also includes all of HIS belongings, clothing, etc. The soot buildup on the cages is like a sticky tar that cannot be lived in, but is extremely difficult to clean off. Kayson is having to rebuild his life, while also taking care of his pets, seeking emergency veterinary care for upwards of 15 animals - and we all know the state of veterinary expenses these days.

Kayson has been a great friend to the animals in his community. He is a licensed veterinary technician, and has adopted several rescue animals. His selflessness and love for animals is paramount, and this disaster has completely upended his life. All expenses related to this fire are unexpected, and he could use any help you are able to provide to help him, his family, and his pets recover from this living nightmare.

Funds raised here will be given to Kayson to use as needed for veterinary expenses, medical bills, and to replace husbandry items for his pets as well as any clothing/items lost to the fire.