The Kennel Inferno
[00:00:00] Odeya: I had a friend who worked at a rescue centre in Manchester back in 2014. We met at Crufts , which is an annual dog show held here in the UK. It's a huge show, the biggest in the world actually.
[00:00:11] Hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, a safe haven for the canine enthusiast, and a one stop shop for anything you need to elevate in mutt ownership.
[00:00:20] Anyway, I kept in touch regularly with this friend. And a few months after the show, She tells me she's been promoted and was transferred to a new centre, set to open in a few weeks time. I typically ask her the generic questions about the place, like what facilities does it have and how many dogs can it accommodate.
[00:00:38] She boasts of heated flooring in each kennel, with gardens attached to the others for the longer term residents. New grooming parlours, agility fields, a training barn. You name it, they had it. It was doggy heaven.
[00:00:51] Finishing touches were being applied in preparation for the new intake the following week. Cushy beds lined the floors with squeaky toys placed within them. [00:01:00] Chewy treats packed out all the cupboards.
[00:01:02] It was almost ready, when suddenly one evening, a frantic influx of calls were made out to all the staff. Something's happened. Something bad. And those kennels would have to open right now. Ready or not.
[00:01:16] A warning. This episode will contain some distressing details about animal cruelty and death. If you can't handle that, no judgement. But I do advise you skip this one.
[00:01:32] Fun fact, just one out of every ten dogs will find a permanent home when they are born. That number haunts me, even now. But when I reflect on why this is the case, I remember.
[00:01:44] I've witnessed puppies come through the doors because their fur color didn't match the furniture. True story. Others because they were gun shy and useless in the field.
[00:01:53] Another because their family had a baby. It didn't bite or anything. But it was just another expense and commitment that is easily [00:02:00] dealt by making it someone else's problem. I weap for the mindset of those who treat another living thing like single use plastic. God forbid if your kid or other half ends up peeing on the rug or wanting affection.
[00:02:12] This is the exact thing hundreds of animal shelters face on a daily basis. One in particular, is Manchester Dogs Home.
[00:02:20] Founded in 1893, and stationed ideally in the centre of Manchester as the city grew around it, the home addressed the alarming number of stray dogs roaming the streets within the city.
[00:02:30] Businessmen, native to Cottonopolis, played the leading part in the administration of the home until shortly after World War II.
[00:02:38] In 1999, The home grew to regenerate some run down kennels in Grapping Hole, Warrington, into a specialist care unit that serves as a safe haven for dogs who don't adjust well in traditional kennel environments.
[00:02:51] To date, the home continues to serve its community, offering similar services as it did 130 years ago, with added modern needs such as microchipping [00:03:00] and pet cremations.
[00:03:02] The charity remains beloved by all and a top choice for anyone fundraising for their home roots. Patrons include Max George, Jodi Prejner, and Jason Dunn.
[00:03:12] If you don't know who they are, don't worry. I don't either. But the fact is, the charity is the beating heart of every canine lover in the region. It's pulse pumped by a nation weakened with sloppy kisses and waggy tails.
[00:03:24] It's a safe refuge for the homeless. A second chance for them, in fact. Only love invaded the walls that accommodated them.
[00:03:32] That is, until the evening of September 11th, 2014,
[00:03:42] at around 6. 50pm, on a typical Thursday evening. Residents of Cleveland Road, directly behind the center, heard unusual yelps from their vocal neighbors. The pitch was higher than usual, frantic in fact. The evening peace was disrupted, and a quick glance outside would confirm this. [00:04:00]
[00:04:00] A tilt of the head up saw the sky drastically turn black. A blanket of fit smoke began to gallop through the streets quicker than the flames that produced them rose. Residents quickly scrambled to raise the alarm. It felt like a fever dream. This couldn't be happening. A passing officer noticed the breakout also, proceeding to sprint towards the center to assess the situation.
[00:04:20] Joining him were three men named Jason Dyer, Dean Rostock and Danny Veer, who burst through and out er gate and into the compound, immediately heading towards the cries coming from Adoption Row, a block that housed rehabilitated dogs ready for their new homes.
[00:04:35] Seeing the current state, it was quickly acknowledged that the entire row was ablaze. The intensity was overpowering. The block was engulfed from all sides, feeding the greedy flames. The timber framing only accelerated the spread, revealing the skeletal structure of the building and releasing plumes of smoke towards any exit it could squeeze through.
[00:04:54] The men's visibility was drastically becoming limited, so Danny quickly diverged and headed back [00:05:00] towards the front entrance, where he found bundles of leads placed on a desk.
[00:05:04] Grabbing what he could, he dashed back to find Jason and Dean struggling to open the kennels. Kicking at the bars proved useless. Their legs kept sliding through the gaps, and as the flames licked their way along the line of kennels, the men opted to wedge open a narrow space in each kennel instead.
[00:05:19] A look to their left saw part of the building already consumed by the fire.
[00:05:23] Dread hit the men equally. Nothing could have survived that impact, but what could be salvaged was cowering right in front of them.
[00:05:30] Once the gap was made wide enough, the men stood at the entrance of the space, encouraging each dog to approach him independently. They didn't need asking twice. Most dogs leapt straight into the arms in desperation.
[00:05:42] The others, hesitant to leave voluntarily, were scooped up. But in the confusion, their heroes were met with a nip in an act of fight or flight.
[00:05:50] Retreating to the car park outside, the boys tied the mutts to a nearby fence before repeating the process once more. Those rescued immediately fell into shock.[00:06:00]
[00:06:00] Their tiny bodies crumbled to the ground, desperately gasping for air. Smoke inhalation purged the stomachs of their evening meals and classed their eyes shut due to the inescapable irritation.
[00:06:11] Back inside, the thermal stress had blown out all the windows around the block, lacing the floor with shattered glass, whilst white smoke resembling snow swirled through the building.
[00:06:20] The yelps were quickly fading, drowned out by the building's rapid deterioration. And as the men exited for the last time, a quick headcount saw 20 dogs rescued from the flames.
[00:06:30] Still inside, however, was keyholder Colin Balance. who was alerted by his neighbor just after 7pm. Racing to the home on foot, they were greeted with a sea of flames penetrating an entire row of kennels.
[00:06:43] Colin beat down the first door he could see, releasing two dogs outside. Insider knowledge benefited Colin to safely place the dogs in an outdoor run out of harm's way. But in his second attempt, Colin was beaten back by the smoke, and the limitations on visibility only confirmed there was nothing more [00:07:00] he could do.
[00:07:01] The building had succumbed to the unforgiving flume, and any soul left inside now belonged to it. In an interview with Manchester Evening News, Colin described the scene as a quote, disaster zone, and how it was anyone's worst nightmare who worked at a dog's home. Which he highlighted had been his job for the last 25 years.
[00:07:19] Online, news was spreading quickly, fuelled primarily by social media. Horrified users quickly shared the news nationwide, causing concerned members of the public to inundate the area. Grass verges surrounding the center became packed with individuals carrying tints of food, blankets, leads and water. Rows of volunteers patiently waited for information on how they could help.
[00:07:41] While first responders cautiously began bringing the traumatized survivors from their blocks out into the car park and placing them into any arms that spread open. As other staff arrived, they were confronted with the news that not every dog had made it out alive. Looks of panic was seen scanning the crowds for the pups in their care, but the current state of reality would [00:08:00] force them to swallow their grief and assist with aiding the refugees.
[00:08:04] Other staff remained in the car park, collecting donations, and placing them in a borrowed trolley to transport them anywhere nearby with space to store them. Receiving word from their own supporters, local charities made their way to the centre and parked up with vehicle support to offer alternative accommodation and transport to the charity's sister site in Cheshire.
[00:08:24] In a Facebook post, Major UK Charity Dogs Trust made it known to the public their services were being offered. Quote, Thank you to those that have contacted us regarding the fire at Manchester Dogs Home. It is devastating news and we share your concerns. We currently have staff enroute to offer in any way we can.
[00:08:43] Followed by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home sharing similar updates. Quote,
[00:08:48] "We are incredibly saddened to learn of the fire at Manchester Dogs Home and we extend our deepest sympathies to all the staff and volunteers at the centre. We understand this tragic incident has led to the loss of life of [00:09:00] several rescue dogs. Battersea is very willing to help in any way we can, and we have attempted to contact the rescue centre to see how we can support them at this difficult time"
[00:09:09] around an hour after the breakout, police began to organise the public in an orderly fashion to limit further danger and chaos to the area.
[00:09:18] Local drop off points began to appear at the Christchurch, around the corner from the home, and North Manchester Police Headquarters, to divert the public who had unintentionally blocked emergency service vehicles from entering and exiting the site.
[00:09:32] In a long awaited update from authorities, station commander Peter Lamb confirmed the extent of the fire had involved several dogs and one wing of the property. With five engines and twenty five fighters wrapping up on containing the fire, he concluded by thanking the public but requested those who wished to help to stay at home for the time being.
[00:09:51] Providing a solution to this, at 9. 20pm, Manchester Evening News set up a Just Giving page so that those who wanted to help could get involved, [00:10:00] starting with a 5, 000 target.
[00:10:02] By 1am, in just under 4 hours, over 100, 000 had been raised. At 1. 24am, Manchester Dogs Home broke silence to thank the community,
[00:10:13] quote, "Words are not enough. Thank you everyone, you have touched our hearts and surrounded us with love and we are truly grateful. With the help of fire and police, we were able to save approximately 150 dogs, but sadly lost around 50 to the fire". We owe a great thanks to the Animal Wardens, Penny Pen, and numerous RSPCA inspectors for their assistance in transporting the surviving dogs to other kennels. There are too many other individuals to thank by name. We will begin to move forward tomorrow morning, and we will need your help and support to enable us to achieve this, so I give thanks in advance".
[00:10:50] A few days later, that number sadly climbed to near 60 dogs, counting those who had deteriorated with complications after being rescued. On the morning [00:11:00] of September 12th, in addition to the online donation site, dog owners began to share photos of their dogs on Twitter to showcase their support and sympathy towards the home.
[00:11:09] Using the hashtag DogSelfie, many of the contributors highlighted their snap buddy were former residents of the home themselves.
[00:11:17] Sharing their stories around a digital campfire, one tweet reads, quote, Just donated to Manchester Dogs Home. Please help if you can. This girl came from there in 2005 and is still going strong.
[00:11:30] Pictured underneath reveals an adorable couch potato, sneaking a kiss from her owner.
[00:11:35] And by that evening, in just under 24 hours, The page hit the 1 million milestone.
[00:11:41] On September 14th, United Dog Lovers gathered to mourn those lost in a special service at Christchurch in Harpney.
[00:11:48] On their website, the church's statement read, quote, "Christchurch will be holding a special service to remember everything that has happened over the last couple of days. Please come along and celebrate our great community [00:12:00] at this service. This will be a true representation of people like us. May God bless you". End quote.
[00:12:07] Among the attendees stood staff and manager of the dog's home, Lisa Graham, who promised they had not been beaten by the fire.
[00:12:13] Quote, "We've been here for 115 years. This is our community. This is where we are needed, and it would be wrong to leave. Please bear with us. The home's recovery could take a while". End quote.
[00:12:27] Behind her, staff held back the tears as the reality hit the deck. For three tireless days, the team had compressed their emotions to apply themselves to the task at hand.
[00:12:37] Standing up to light a candle each carer was held by another and applauded by the congregation for their selfless efforts.
[00:12:43] In the days that followed, the public continued to inundate the center. Children with full piggy banks showed up to hand them over. Supermarkets within a five mile radius had completely sold out of dog food, and motorway services created drop off points to reduce tailbacks on the [00:13:00]M6.
[00:13:00] However, despite these efforts, the home was forced to close on the advice of police over concerns of public safety.
[00:13:10] Celebrities began to grasp onto the tales of the trend. Retweet support was seen from the likes of Ricky Gervais, Piers Morgan, and Graham Norton.
[00:13:19] Dogdad Simon Cowell pledged 25, 000, plus a further 10, 000, towards a holiday for Jason Dyer, Dean Rostock, and Danny Viers. who continued to receive a nationwide pat on the back for their heroic efforts.
[00:13:32] Media outlets began to press the men for an exclusive of their recollection that night, and when invited to an interview with Good Morning Britain, the men were accompanied by Sandy, a survivor of the fire, pulled out with her kennel mate Badger, thanks to Colin Balance.
[00:13:46] Sandy immediately became a hit, and the face of the disaster, her gentle nature swooned the nation. She became the hope many needed to see that some good may come out of this devastation.
[00:13:57] But in the following days, due to smoke [00:14:00] inhalation, Sandy struggled to recover. Her grapple with eating resulted in a feeding tube being inserted, and continuous trips in and out of intensive care. Dog lovers clung to their phones for updates, but her slow progress released little information about the potential for a recovery.
[00:14:16] The damage to her lungs was extensive, causing bacterial infections, but Sandy did continue to fight. On the rare good days, the public could see her nesting behind reception. Even spinning on the reception chairs. On her bad, she would be at the home of Cheshire Homes manager Anna Stansfield. But her plucky attitude continued to serve her well.
[00:14:37] Pictures posted to social media showcase Sandy beginning to eat independently and even enjoy the innocence of a child playing doctor with her. Another showed Colin and Sandy sharing a tender moment. Her expression said it all. Sunk deeply into Colin's arms, it was evident that Sandy was thankful to her knight in shining armor.
[00:14:56] In time, Sandy's condition improved enough to seek a new [00:15:00] home. Her popularity flooded the phone lines, until a suitable foster home opened their doors to the placid mutt. Updates playfully suggested Sandy was thriving, when her adoptive parents said that her and her foster brother, Henry, would continuously break into their son's bedroom to lay on the bed whilst they were out.
[00:15:18] Within the comments, however, the same question constantly arose, asking who was responsible for causing this. This couldn't have just started randomly on its own. Even the authorities agreed. All signs pointed to an arson attack and the nation had become ravenous for answers, but whether those responsible would receive the full extent of the law created a storm of its own.
[00:15:44] Within an hour of the breakout, it was announced a 15 year old juvenile was arrested on suspicion of arson. Superintendent of Greater Manchester Police, Marcus Noden, made the announcement soon after the youth was placed into custody.
[00:15:59] "We are working [00:16:00] closely with Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to establish how this tragedy has occurred. We are in the very early stages of the investigation and have a young boy in custody. However, we would ask if anyone within the area, who may remember seeing anything suspicious around the dog's home, to call the police and tell us what they know. As a dog owner myself, I understand that many people will feel angry and upset about what has happened, but I would ask that they let the police carry out their investigation. and not take matters into their own hands".
[00:16:30] The next day, the boy was released on bail pending further inquiries, but police were forced to intervene and offer a declined suggestion to move out of the area. When details of the suspect and his family were posted on Twitter.
[00:16:44] When tracked down, in a doorstep interview, the mother of the suspect made it known that the allegations were a quote, "pack of lies".
[00:16:51] Standing her ground against those who distrusted her words, she continued saying quote, "as you can see, he is still here, [00:17:00] I don't care what people are saying about threats, I am here too, and I'm not leaving either, but I don't want to talk about it, because people will twist everything we say", end quote.
[00:17:10] Providing their own thoughts into the matter, Center Manager Lisa Graham appealed for calm and for the police to be left to do their own jobs.
[00:17:18] Quote, "We don't want vigilanteism. It's not going to do us any good. We want to see justice, but for people to make death threats, it just isn't on". End quote.
[00:17:28] Across social media, a second suspect was accused of involvement. Although not publicly named in the press, the teen was also arrested and questioned. Information archived by www.animalcrueltyfiles.org. Speculate motives may have been the result from a separate dog attack involving one of the suspects.
[00:17:47] Further rumours suggested the second suspect had been starting fires as a form of amusement whilst waiting for his father who was stealing lead from the home's roof, which later changed to the fire being accidental after a [00:18:00] cigarette was dropped in the bedding supplies area.
[00:18:02] Community speculation was spiralling and, accident or not, Whoever was responsible made no attempt to raise the alarm and in the following days with little evidence to tie both youths to the attack Police were forced to continue with their investigation and ask the public yet again for any information that could lead to an arrest
[00:18:21] On October 12th, the just giving page had raised just over 2 million The same amount estimated to rebuild the entire wing at the center,
[00:18:30] Lisa Graham once again thanked the public and released a bittersweet statement, quote, "Because of the donations we've seen, the home will have a chance at rebuilding a kennel area that we could never have achieved under other circumstances". End quote.
[00:18:45] But back at the center, secondary problems began to arise with the site now having many access points. It didn't take long for many scrap scavengers to begin circulating the property, attempting to take advantage of what little was left of the devastation. Nosy [00:19:00] teens attempted to break in to catch a glimpse of what occupied the ruined kennels and media outlets looking to grab the money shot began to sneak around the area for a closer look.
[00:19:10] But kind hands reached out once again when local security firms offered to monitor the property for an extended period of time while the cleanup took place. And speaking of cleanup, local tradesmen began to pledge their time and labor for when the center was ready to rise from the ashes.
[00:19:26] Builders Danny Fletcher and A. D. Dixon set up a Facebook page as a point of contact to anyone wishing to do the same. Overnight, the page saw 3, 000 followers and 50 tradesmen offering their skills towards the rebuild. Since September, both men visited the home almost every day, even falling for two of the home's refugees adopting them soon after.
[00:19:48] A month later, on November 26th, the Animal Hero Awards hosted their annual ceremony from Groszner House in London to recognize those who had gone out of their way to assist those in the animal kingdom. [00:20:00] Heroes Jason Dyer, Dean Rostock and Danny Veer received the Special Recognition Award presented by Sammy Agadi no clue who that is either.
[00:20:10] But pictures showed them proudly mingling with the likes of Brian May and Denise Welsh whilst enjoying a silver service dinner. Accompanied alongside them were builders Danny Fletcher and A. D. Dixon, who gained the Outstanding Business Award to commemorate their generosity in rebuilding the home for free.
[00:20:28] In March 2015 Colin Balance joined them by receiving a Special Achievement Award of his own at Crufts Annual Dog Show. Coworkers applauded his bravery in a Facebook post, quote, "Congratulations to Colin, who received the Special Achievement Award today at Crass, for his bravery during the fire at the home sandy will always be in his debt" end quote.
[00:20:49] It's true that debt could never be repaid, but Sandy had fought so hard for a place at her new home's table. That it was compensation enough for all those who went through hell that night. However, just a month [00:21:00] later, supporters were met with a disheartening update on Sandy.
[00:21:04] Due to further complications she developed after the fire, her body could no longer keep up the fight. And on the 5th of April 2015, the gentle pup passed away shortly after being diagnosed with further burdens such as spondylitis.
[00:21:18] Yet another step back after two forward, the public flooded the dog's home with sympathy, but thanked them for never giving up on her.
[00:21:26] A gentle soul victim to a heinous act will forever remain in our hearts.
[00:21:35] Eighteen months after the fire, the center reopened under limited circumstances, housing strays and temporary accommodation in a renovated block. This time, however, there was not a bar or timber frame in sight. Instead, glass doors, resin floors, and underfloor heating filled each kennel, upgrading the center with modern day architecture.
[00:21:56] The same would be applied to the new kennels completed in [00:22:00] 2017. A bittersweet silence of gratitude for the new building was shared among the staff at the brand new facility,
[00:22:06] costing 1. 6 million, which compromised of a light filled atrium, a new reception area, and 32 individual kennels. Complete with a ventilation system.
[00:22:17] Outside stood a bronze statue with a small plaque underneath reading,
[00:22:21] quote, "The tragedy that took you away, ensured you did not pass as unwanted or stray. Millions of people felt your pain, and in their hearts adopted you, and there you will remain", end quote.
[00:22:34] Behind it A memorial garden funded by RBS bloomed around the property as a silent reminder.
[00:22:41] Steve Mapley, who took over management of the home shortly after the fire, said in an interview, quote, "It's not the kind of thing that we could ever forget. The fire is always on our minds. Every time I walk past a section of kennel, I think of it. We can never replace the dogs that we lost. But this can stand as a [00:23:00] monument and a legacy for them".
[00:23:02] When asked about the lack of justice over what happened, he responded by saying quote, Would we have liked to have seen a prosecution? Yes, it would have given us closure, but five years on, we just look to the dogs and the support that we get from the community. We have got bigger and better things to worry about.
[00:23:21] The dogs are the main concern and what we can do for them. End quote. To date, nobody has ever been charged over the fire and the case remains unsolved.
[00:23:37] Thanks for listening. Uncharitable is produced by me, Host Odeya, with music used listed in the show notes below. The information provided in this episode regarding any suspects are strictly allegations based on the testimony of local people and should not be taken as statements of fact.
[00:23:55] For more information about Manchester Dogs Home and the work they do, I've added a [00:24:00] link in the notes also.
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