LOUISVILLE, Colo. — When the Marshall Fire swept through Colorado, it destroyed more than 1,000 homes and claimed two peoples' lives. But the devastation extended further, with more than a thousand pets lost too.
Now, those animals will be memorialized at the Louisville Arboretum, where the Marshall Fire Pet Memorial will serve as a lasting tribute.
The sculpture, created by a firefighter, features an array of animals interacting with each other, a dog, cat, bird, and reptiles, symbolizing the many pets that perished in the fire. It faces a seating area where visitors can sit and reflect.
“It’s perfect,” said Jill Sellars, after seeing the sculpture for the first time.
The artwork moved Sellars to tears, as one of the dogs resembled her own pet, Peanut, who died when the Marshall Fire destroyed her home.
Sellars wasn’t at home that day. She was at her father’s house—he had passed away that morning. As she was driving back, she saw the fire spread through her neighborhood. Peanut was home alone.
“We didn’t get to save him. We didn’t get to see him,” Sellars said.
She’s far from alone in her grief.
“Many families were unable to get home and rescue their beloved pets, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 1,000 of our cherished companions on that day. This memorial stands as an opportunity for peaceful reflection and a heartfelt tribute to the enduring memories they left behind,” a plaque in front of the memorial reads.
The sculpture was donated by the nonprofit Louisville Rising. Caleb Dickinson, chair of the nonprofit and Louisville’s Mayor Pro Tem, wrote the inscription on the plaque. He emphasized the importance of the message.
“We didn’t want this memorial to be sad,” Dickinson said. “This memorial is meant to be a memory of our pets… there’s an opportunity to celebrate life.”
Losing both her father and her dog on the same day was immensely difficult for Sellars. Her father’s dog, Penny, has been helping to fill the void left by Peanut. Now, Sellars finds comfort in having a dedicated place to remember him.
“I have a place where I can visit my father—I have a cemetery where I can go visit his grave. With Peanut, I have this now,” she said.
Dickinson noted that the memorial was made possible through community support for the nonprofit. The unveiling ceremony, set for 2:00 p.m. Sunday at the Louisville Arboretum, will feature remarks from Dickinson and the sculpture’s creator, Michael Garman.