This is very sad:


The tragic news of longtime advocate Jim Willis losing his home and thirteen of his dear companion animals as the result of a fire which completely destroyed his home. While Jim escaped unharmed along with six of his dogs nine dogs and four of his beloved cats were lost in the blaze. Our sympathy goes out to Jim for his terrible loss.

From a rescue list -

Folks,
our Dear animal advocate & author friend ( "How Could You") Jim Willis
could use your support, his house in PA has burned to the ground, loosing 9
dogs & 4 cats in the fire.
Please Read on for the updates below:
-----Original Message-----
Sent: January 26, 2004 12:33 PM
Subject: re Jim Willis tradgedy

jim can still use his same address because he has a roadside mail box and
is staying with a neighbor across the street....his address is 8 carter
lane, avella, pa 15312-2242

he doesn't need any clothes....his brother willl be bringing him some from
penn state on saturday....he would have come today but the roads are
treacherous between here and penn state..

he appreciates everyone wanting to help...his chief concern is his
dogs..and he's extremely grateful to joe and erin for taking care of four of
them...

he is still worried a! bout Frasier and Shania (the two who are still at his
house in the fenced front yard)....they don't seem to understand they are to
use the dog houses for the night....he appreciates joe putting the fresh
straw in them that he had stashed in his carport....he was worried the straw
that had been in them would have gotten wet from the fire hoses...

Frasier and Shania love to be outdoors...but they used to have their own
room with a doggy door to the outside and they could come and go as they
pleased...he has caught them looking at the house with a puzzled look in
their eyes and just standing in the yard like they aren't sure what is
expected of them...but he feels they'll get the idea as the temperature goes
down!!

he appreciates Lilian opening the bank account for donations for him...he
feels embarrassed and never thought he'd have to be in this position but is
extremely grateful...

he has enough dog f! ood he went to the store on the way home from his
birthday party lu ncheon (where he had a wonderful time) before he knew his
house had burned down with his animals in it:-(

he appreciates all offers of cash....but he doesn't need any
immediately...he's staying at his neighbor's house, and they are feeding
him...he can't go shopping until the roads are passable....

he called the insurance company and found out he has to make a list of
what he lost and they will only pay out up to 1/2 of the total policy which
would be $5,000 and then when he starts replacing appliances etc...they will
doll it out piece by piece until he reaches the full policy amount of
$10,000:-(

his landlord is going to go thru the house and take out the bodies and
make a big pile of them and cremate them all together...Jim is NOT going to
watch...

he thanks you all for being there for him...and he will be able to access
his emails...he can use his neighbor's computer....maybe once ! a day...so if
you want to send him a message send it to jwillis @ bellatlantic.net

he is numb right now and doesn't want to close his eyes and go to
sleep...he feels lucky his neighbors have two dogs who want to cuddle with
him...but he misses his animals very very much...

here is who he lost...9 dogs and 4 cats
1.pongo, a dalmation
2. tina , a dalmation
3.cleo, american stafforshire terrier
4.danny, dachshund
5.willow, an english coonhound
6 gallagher, a basset hound
7. gaston, a basset hound
8.lacota, a husky mix
9. amadeus, a giant schnauzer/germshep mix
( four of these dogs are the last of the ones he brought home from
germany)
10, lucinda, a siamese cat
11. danube, a siamese cat
12. tawny, an oriental shorthair cat
13. tara, an oriental shorthair cat.....tawny and tara were sisters

Joe has the toller/bc brothers..Harpo and Groucho and Er in has Harry
Potter, beagle mix and Alexis, basset hound...

all four of those dogs are very adoptable...but Harpo and Groucho have
to be placed together!! and of course he's going to be very picky about
where they go..

in addition to losing his pets he lost all his keepsakes....family pix,
lockets of his mother's hair, antique furniture from his parent's home,
collectibles from working overseas, copies of new poems and essays and
draft of his new book, etc....

he feels very fortunate to be alive and have 6 of his dogs still living as
well as good friends like all of you