The monument will be unveiled Sunday afternoon during an event open to the public in Louisville.
LOUISVILLE, Colo. — When the Marshall Fire swept through Colorado, it destroyed more than 1,000 homes and claimed two lives. However, the damage was even worse, and more than 1,000 pets were also lost.
These animals are now memorialized at the Louisville Arboretum, and the Marshall Fire Pet Memorial will serve as a permanent memorial.
Created by firefighters, the sculpture depicts a variety of animals interacting with each other, including dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles, symbolizing the many pets lost in the fire. It opens onto a seating area where visitors can sit and reflect.
“It’s perfect,” said Jill Sellers, who saw the sculpture for the first time.
Sellers’ work moved her to tears because one of the dogs resembled her pet, Peanut, who died when her home was destroyed in the Marshall Fire.
Mr. Sellers was not home that day. She was at her father’s house – he died that morning. While driving back, he saw the fire spread through the neighborhood. Peanut was alone at home.
“We couldn’t save him. We couldn’t see him,” Sellers said.
She is not alone in her grief.
“Many families were unable to return home and rescue their beloved pets, and as a result, more than 1,000 beloved companions tragically died that day. This monument honors the lasting legacy they left behind. “It stands as an opportunity to peacefully remember and pay our deepest respects to the memory of,” reads a plaque in front of the monument.
The sculpture was donated by the nonprofit organization Louisville Rising. Caleb Dickinson, president of the nonprofit organization and Louisville Mayor Pro Tem, wrote the inscription on the plaque. He emphasized the importance of the message.
“We didn’t want this monument to be sad,” Dickinson said. “This memorial is intended to be a memorial to our pets…we have an opportunity to celebrate their lives.”
For Sellers, losing his father and his beloved dog on the same day was extremely difficult. Her father’s dog, Penny, helps fill the hole left by Peanut. Now, Sellers feels relieved that he has a dedicated place to remember him.
“I have a place where I can visit my father. I have a cemetery where I can visit my father’s grave. Thanks to Peanuts, I got this,” she said .
Dickinson said the monument was made possible through community support for the nonprofit organization. The unveiling ceremony, scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Louisville Arboretum, will feature remarks from Dickinson and the sculpture’s creator, Michael Garman.
