A devastating fire tore through the SNARR Northeast adoption center on Sodom Road in Brewster late Tuesday, leaving the building uninhabitable and throwing the volunteer-run rescue into crisis mode as it rushed to rehouse its dogs. No residents, staff or animals were reported injured, but volunteers say the fire, along with the heavy use of water to fight it, has set the group up for a painfully expensive rebuild.
Fire Rips Through SNARR Northeast Shelter
The blaze broke out at the SNARR Northeast shelter on Sodom Road in the Town of Southeast on Tuesday, June 9 at around 7:19 p.m., according to the Brewster Fire Department, as reported by Daily Voice. Crews from the Carmel Fire Department were first on scene, and Brewster firefighters moved quickly to contain the flames to the room where the fire started, keeping it from racing through the rest of the building.
SNARR’s Mission And Its Brewster Hub
Special Needs Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation, better known as SNARR, is a Westchester-based nonprofit that focuses on dogs with serious medical conditions and disabilities, and it maintains an adoption center at 46 Sodom Road in Brewster, per SNARR. The group relies heavily on volunteers and foster homes, so when a physical adoption center is knocked offline it immediately strains the rescue’s already tight capacity to care for animals that often need extra time, space and medical support.
Evacuations, Damage And A Pricey Rebuild
Police began evacuating occupants and removing animals before fire crews arrived, and the American Red Cross was contacted to help displaced residents. SNARR volunteer Maddie Weiser told reporters the building has been “deemed uninhabitable” because of extensive water damage from firefighting efforts and said eight dogs were moved into the rescue’s second facility, which was already full, as reported by Daily Voice. “The stress on our animals is immense,” Weiser wrote on social media, adding that the financial fallout could be catastrophic. She estimated that plumbing and electrical upgrades needed to meet modern codes could cost between $70,000 and $90,000, and the rescue says insurance is expected to help but will not cover all of it.
How To Help And What Comes Next
SNARR has launched an online fundraiser to pay for emergency boarding, temporary housing, transportation, medical care and rebuilding costs, and donations are being accepted through the group’s donation page. Volunteers and people interested in fostering or adopting can find more information on SNARR’s support and volunteer pages.
Rescue leaders say rebuilding will take time and money, and SNARR is asking the community to step in so that animals already in care are not left without options while repairs are planned. For now, the immediate priorities are keeping displaced dogs safely housed, lining up short-term boarding and veterinary care, and stabilizing the rescue’s caseload while the organization figures out how to bring its Brewster hub back online.
