Fire kills exotic animals at zoo in Winder

A Winder zoo is dealing with the loss of several of its animals after the facility caught on fire Monday, April, 4.

The owner of Hand Me Down Zoo, Kerry Ervin, describes the facility as “a sanctuary for exotics and non-releasable state wildlife. Ervin said on social media that the building was engulfed in flames just two hours after it closed on Monday night.

Ervin said the Barrow Fire Department arrived to the scene quickly but the fire was too intense and they lost many species. The zoo lost most of its reptiles and all of the birds in the building.

The dead animals included basilisk lizards, a highland lynx, iguanas, several species of snakes, tortoises and turtles, sugar gliders, a chinchilla, porcupines, a kookaburra, mice and chicks, just to name a few.

In the post, Ervin thanked Barrow Fire Department for their efforts to save the animals.

“It was very impressive seeing these guys picking up porcupines and other less then friendly animals with no concern to their individual safety,” the post said.

The zoo made another post Tuesday evening remembering the many animals they lost.

“Please take a moment of silence to honor their memories and enjoy the time we could share with all of them,” Ervin wrote.

©2022 Cox Media Group