Non-profit that provides animal therapy loses animals in barn fire

By Zoe Strothers and Eliza Kruczynski

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    PROSPECT, Connecticut (WFSB) — Over 50 animals have died after a barn fire last night in Prospect.

The barn belonged to Kelly’s Kids, a non-profit that provides animal therapy to children and seniors.

“I lost 60 of my best friends in one night,” said Kelly Cronin, Owner of Kelly’s Kids Inc.

Kelly put the animals inside the barn due to the freezing temperatures.

“They were so content,” she remembered.

Later that night, everything changed for the worse.

“My daughters husband came up and said ‘your barns on fire!’ I ran out and it was engulfed. We lost everything. Everything,” said Kelly.

They say some of the animals were able to make it out, but most of them died.

Kelly’s Kids is a non-profit that aims to bring light to the lives of kids placed in DCF.

“They come here and do chores. They have to take care of the animals, muck stalls, feed them, and they feel a purpose,” Kelly said.

There are a lot of hurdles coming up now that the animals are gone.

Kelly explained her worries saying, “we’re going to have to figure out Monday, what do you tell them? They’ve lost everything all their lives and now they’ve lost this too.”

She says those kids and the animals are her life.

“My animals, I just continuously see their eyes looking at me like come on, help us. That’s the only thing that’s really hurting me. I couldn’t help. I couldn’t help them,” Kelly said. “I’m not giving up, I will not give up. I’ve never given up and I won’t.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Kelly’s Kids is asking for support. Any funds will be used to rebuild and recover what was lost.

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