Chris Arsenault’s final act of heroism: saving cats from a deadly fire

Cat shelter founder Chris Arsenault died trying to put out a fire in the facility he shared with 300 felines. In addition to Arsenault, there have been enormous losses: at least 108 cats have died

In a heroic act of selflessness, a man in Long Island, New York, lost his life while trying to save as many animals as possible from a devastating fire. The incident occurred at the Happy Cat Sanctuary, a refuge that once hosted over 300 cats, but was completely destroyed in the blaze. The man’s name was Chris Arsenault.

The tragic fire that claimed the sanctuary

The fire broke out suddenly, possibly due to a stove explosion near a propane tank, engulfing the beautiful facility—a true sanctuary for cats. Chris didn’t hesitate for a second. He ran back and forth, moving frantically to rescue as many animals as he could.

“He saved at least 200 cats,” says one volunteer. “He went in and out, rescuing as many cats as possible, until he no longer returned.”

Before the fire, the sanctuary housed around 300 cats, with another 100 having recently been relocated to a new site. After firefighters successfully put out the flames, the remaining cats were taken to veterinarians. Some sustained severe burns, while others had respiratory issues. Tragically, around 100 cats didn’t survive the fire.

A life marked by personal tragedy and renewal

In 2006, Chris’s life was shattered by a devastating loss: his son Eric was killed in a motorcycle accident at just 24 years old. This immense pain, beyond what any words could ease, set Chris on a path of healing. Somehow, he found meaning in the grief that consumed him.

In the emptiness left by his son’s death, Chris’s heart found the strength to heal. He poured all the love he had left into a colony of cats, where thirty sick kittens were in desperate need of care and shelter. He took them in, one by one, and nurtured them with a devotion that only someone who had experienced profound loss could understand. It was through this pain that a sanctuary for countless other felines was born—a place where every life, no matter how fragile, could be reborn.