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GREENE – Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends, still recovering from the loss of its founder, Norm Blais, has suffered another blow. A fire last week destroyed the building where much of their supplies and some of their animals were housed.
While the injuries to the cats that they’ve been able to corral after the blaze were minor, everything in the building and the building itself are a loss. Rose Murphy, of Tommy’s, said that the devastation brings an urgent need for help, particularly a new location for the nonprofit to house its operations and equipment.
Tommy’s takes in abandoned and abused cats, and occasionally other animals, gives them medical care (from spay and neuter, to daily medications, and more) and provides safe shelter. Besides the garage, the organization has outdoor shelters, where Tommy’s volunteers feed the cats daily, and make sure paths are shoveled to give them access in the winter.
“This has been the home to many ferals and to all animals needing help,” Murphy said.
“The disheartening part of the story is possessions can be replaced, but the building that was the home to so many kitties and now in ruin is devastating to them,” Murphy said. “I personally have been sickened seeing them confused and trying to go back to a place they loved and was their home. The adjustment has been very difficult.”
Called Paradise Garage, the building “was truly a paradise,” not only for the animals that called it home, but for humans, she said.
“Many a night I would drop in to visit the kitties and nestle in a hidden corner with the wood stove simmering with comforting heat while sipping on a hot drink,” she said. “Paradise Garage always embraced all of us with much joy, love, laughter, adventure, comfort, happiness, healing, and a forever home to many animals.”
The damage could have been worse, but the owners’ dog, Jericho, alerted them to the fire, barking and not letting up. One of the owners got the dogs that lived in the building and a critical care cat, and drove them to the end of the driveway.
“She is my hero with her quick thinking,” said Murphy. “Her quick reaction calling 911 and getting the animals out of the house saved everyone’s lives.”
The owner credited Jericho, too. “I don’t know what would have happened if he didn’t persist with his alarm and danger barking,” the owner said.
Murphy said Joe Gagne, free of charge, has provided several gondolas and removed the metal left by the fire and explosions.
The property owner, John, and his son, Jimmy, are cleaning up the debris themselves.
Murphy said that besides a building to relocate to, or resources to build a new one, Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends continues to need donations.
The fire comes three months after Norm Blais, Tommy’s founder, died, just before Christmas. Murphy said at the time that she would carry on the mission that she and Blais shared, of rescuing and saving animals. Fundraisers, though, that supported much of the organization’s operations, had to be canceled in the wake of his death.
Donations can be made to Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends, P.O. Box 274, Greene, ME 04236. Email Murphy at normblais39@yahoo.com.
TOP PHOTO: Clockwise from top right, Dunklee, a critical care cat, was rescued from the garage that housed much of Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends by the garage’s owners during a fire in mid-March; Charlie, the “official owner” of Paradise Garage, got singed whiskers in the fire; Venus was rescued by Tommy’s and adopted by the garage owners. (Tommy’s Feral Feline Friends photos)
