Nearly 100 pets were evacuated from a Tinley Park animal shelter after a fire broke out Wednesday night, officials said.
A fire started about 6:30 p.m. in the laundry room of PAWS Tinley Park, 8301 W. 191st St., and smoke filled the building, according to a Facebook post from the shelter.
Fire crews rescued 55 dogs and 42 cats from the building and brought them to Midwest Animal Hospital, where they were treated into the night, according to the Tinley Park public safety department. No injuries were reported, but 14 cats and two dogs showed signs of respiratory distress from smoke inhalation.
“We are so grateful to Midwest Animal Hospital (it’s nearly midnight and their staff is still there caring for our animals), the Tinley Park Fire department, our volunteers and community who rushed out in our time of need,” PAWS wrote on Facebook.
The shelter was taking donations to offset the cost of vet bills, a new dryer and repairs. More than $6,000 was raised from a Facebook fundraiser as of Thursday morning.
The shelter will be closed until further notice.
“I would like to sincerely thank the many volunteers who worked in cooperation with our firefighters to successfully rescue and transport every animal in the building to safety,” Tinley Park Fire Chief Steve Klotz said in a statement. “It was a true example of teamwork that resulted in the best possible outcome. We are grateful to the veterinarians at Midwest who assisted in the efforts.”
