11 bunnies die in a fire at Sammamish Animal Sanctuary

The rabbits, who lived in the Bunny Barn, were named Maple, Fig, Tiny, Fritz, Pearl, Scissors, Nala, Cinco, Peach, Tigger and Georgie.

By Bailey Josie • June 28, 2024 3:00 pm
In the wake of the fire, the sanctuary has received an outpouring of flowers, cards and donations from the community. Photo courtesy of the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary.
In the wake of the fire, the sanctuary has received an outpouring of flowers, cards and donations from the community. Photo courtesy of the Sammamish Animal Sanctuary.

Early June 24, just after midnight, one of the small barns at Sammamish Animal Sanctuary went up in flames, claiming the lives of 11 rabbits who lived at the Renton sanctuary.

The rabbits — Maple, Fig, Tiny, Fritz, Pearl, Scissors, Nala, Cinco, Peach, Tigger and Georgie — lived in the Bunny Barn, which caught fire due to a “freak electrical accident.”

“Our manager who was doing a night check on our animals smelled smoke and when she opened the Bunny Barn, it engulfed in flames,” said a Facebook post from Diane Gockel, founder and director of Sammamish Animal Sanctuary.

According to Kathy Flynn, another manager at the Sanctuary, the firefighters responded quickly to the fire and prevented the flames from reaching the barn where the Sanctuary’s horses were sleeping.

Sammamish Animal Sanctuary is a nonprofit that’s home to cows, horses, ponies, miniature horses, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, alpaca, llamas, guinea pigs, miniature donkeys and now fewer rabbits.

“They were the heroes who saved our sanctuary,” Flynn said of the first responders. “It went up in flames so quickly and the fire inspector said it was a freak accident in the electrical box, there was nothing we could have done to prevent it. We’re blessed it wasn’t worse.”

Five of the Sanctuary’s rabbits — Honey, Nutmeg, Han, Luke and Gus — were able to be saved, as they were not in the Bunny Barn at the time of the fire.

In the aftermath of the fire, Flynn said that people have shown a lot of support.

“We’re extremely grateful to the community, a lot of people showed up with flowers and asked how they could help. The community around here is amazing,” she said.

Sammamish Animal Sanctuary is asking for any donations in remembrance of the 11 bunnies. For more information, visit sammamishanimalsanctuary.org/donate.