'It was devastating': Kentucky dog kennel catches fire, more than 25 dogs killed
A Nelson County, Kentucky, dog kennel owner is devastated after his facility caught on fire, killing all but one dog in the process.
It happened on April 23, a date Doggy Style Kennel's owner Ron Kraemer said he will never forget.
"My phone rang," said Kraemer. "All I could hear on the other line, 'Your kennels are on fire!' And I said, 'What?' 'Your kennels are on fire!'"
The kennels behind his house, holding more than 25 dogs, were engulfed in flames. There was nothing he could do immediately after the call. He was still miles away having left to buy dog food for the dogs and had not yet returned.
"When I got there, it was way too late," said Kramer. "One neighbor said to me, 'We tried, we tried, we couldn’t save any of 'em.' It was devastating."
The blaze took the life of every single dog except one. A dog that had just given birth to six puppies managed to push the gate just enough so she could squeeze out of it. However, the six puppies she just gave birth to didn't make it out.
"I had nine puppies in this kennel, six puppies there that were going out next weekend. And in kennel number four, I had nine black puppies," said Kramer. "Can you imagine having 30 barking dogs right outside your door? It was a bad dream, and I still hear them, I still smell the fire."
After posting a video of the fire on Facebook, thousands of people from all over the country began sending condolences. One person made a GoFundMe asking the community of dog owners Kramer has helped to now return the favor. Kramer said after seeing all of the support, it's giving him added motivation to get back on his feet.
"There's no words," said Kramer. "I can’t say how much I appreciate it. I’ll be back."