Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by Fumipets
Tragic Blaze at Tampa Dog Show Claims Lives of Five Dogs at Florida State Fairgrounds
On Tuesday, a tragic event unfolded at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa during the American Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show. A fire erupted in an RV parked on the premises, resulting in the unfortunate death of five dogs, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials reported. Despite immediate efforts from bystanders to rescue the dogs, the smoke proved too overwhelming to allow access to the RV.
The Incident and the Community Response
The RV, engulfed in flames, was first noticed by spectators at the dog show, who saw smoke billowing out of its vents. Alarmed, several people tried to enter the vehicle in a desperate bid to save the dogs.
However, the thick plume of smoke overpowered them, making entry impossible. By the time firefighters arrived at the scene at approximately 2:45 p.m., the vehicle was already half consumed by the fire, according to Chief Rob Herrin, a spokesperson for Hillsborough Fire Rescue.
Though no human casualties were reported, all five dogs trapped inside the RV were unfortunately lost. Investigators are currently determining the cause of the fire, but have ruled out foul play as a potential factor.
The incident elicited a wave of sympathy from the dog owners’ community nationwide. Many took to Facebook to offer condolences to the bereaved families. A GoFundMe campaign named “Tragic RV Fire in Tampa Dog Show” was initiated in response to the accident and had already collected over $27,000 by Wednesday afternoon.
Grieving the Loss and Moving Forward
Rick and Mandy Justice, believed to be the owners of the RV and handlers of the dogs, were recognized and offered condolences on various platforms. The couple is known as professional dog handlers in dog show circles, according to Showsight, a dog show magazine.
The Canine Chronicle, a popular dog publication, shared the news on Facebook: “Tragedy struck the Sunshine State Cluster in Tampa, Florida when the RV owned by Rick Justice caught fire and burned. The fire spread rapidly preventing anyone from getting into the vehicle and the dogs within it perished due to smoke inhalation.
Events like this that are beyond anyone’s control are the greatest fears we face when traveling to dog shows week in and week out. Our hearts are with the Justice family, and their clients, owners, and breeders of the dogs lost in this accident.”
On social media, an image of a lit candle with the words “prayers for our dog show family in Florida” circulated widely. It is clear that the tragedy has deeply affected the dog show community, reminding us of the bond between humans and their beloved pets.
This tragic incident at the Tampa dog show underscores the need for enhanced safety measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
Source: Tampa Bay Times
