Holyrood firefighters add Sizzle to ‘Paws for Food’ fundraiser

By Craig Westcott

Sizzle the lucky lamb and her buddies at Newliferescue in Carbonear are the beneficiaries this year of the Holyrood Fire Department’s annual Christmas ‘Paws for Food’ fundraiser for animal causes.

Sizzle was among the animals rescued this past summer during the great fire that destroyed homes and wilderness on the North Shore.

“Sizzle came to us from the Kingston wildfire on August 15,” said Julia Parsons, who runs Newliferescue in Carbonear. “We brought 32 sheep out that day. Unfortunately two of those sheep were burnt. They were part of a herd of 13. Sizzle and the other sheep, we called her Rose, I took them home with me because they were burned. Unfortunately Rose lost her fight three days later. Sizzle, remains with us. She was only given a 10 per cent chance of survival, but we made it through. Now she’s all healed up, doing good. Everything is healed now quite well.”

Sizzle was named by provincial government veterinarian Esther Derksen.

Parsons reckoned there may have been 25 to 30 pets that perished in the fire, possibly more. She doesn’t know how many wild animals may have died. Some of those that were found still alive were sent to the Department of Agriculture veterinarian for care.

“I know there were some moose and different species of birds that didn’t make it,” Parsons said.

Newliferescue operates an adoption centre and a store in Carbonear. “We house dozens and dozens of cats, rabbits, even sheep,” Parsons said.

Sizzle, however, isn’t up for adoption. Right now, she remains a pet at Newliferescue.

“We do have other sheep too, so eventually she’ll go live with them,” said Parsons. “It’s just that we’ve got to get the hooves normal. She’s very friendly. She’s very much used to people.”

Holyrood firefighter Leslie Kenny said her crew got to see Newliferescue in action.

“We did have some involvement with animals, but not a great deal,” said Kenny “We just thought this was a worthwhile cause and we wanted to do something to give back. Holyrood (firefighters) spent two and half weeks out on the North Shore fighting the fire after we had fought our own fire, and we saw them (the animal rescuers) going around all the time, and we just wanted to help, because we thought it was a good cause.”

Holyrood firefighter Emily Boland noted this is the seventh year holding the fundraiser. The brigade picks a different beneficiary each year, taking in donations of pet food and treats, pet supplies and cash donations at the Holyrood Fire Hall. Last year the beneficiary was Heavenly Creatures.

Like Kenny, Boland was impressed by the work of the animal rescuers.

“We saw them going around at the fires, they coordinated with Search and Rescue, the RCMP and all the firefighters,” said Boland. “So, we thought, what a great cause to give back to.”