Disaster in South Dakota

I first "met" Karen Fonseca in early 1998 when I had two 9 month old Collie/Newfoundland brothers available for adoption. After several weeks of emails, Karen adopted Rowdy and Kozmo (Cosmo) 7-14-98. Before transportation could be arranged she became ill so the adoption was put on hold until she felt she could care for them and they went "home" 9-18-98. However, once met, her sister Barb Caorsi decided those boys needed to live with her instead so they moved "next door". That was the beginning of a wonderful friendship, long distance though it is due to our locations.

On Friday, 8-16-02 the Battle Creek fire changed direction suddenly and pushed by 60-70 mph winds consumed Barb Caorsi's home, killing all 20 of her personal and foster dogs. She and her sister Karen Fonseca live on adjoining 5 acre parcels and run the Black Dogs Haven, a Sanctuary for the "generic black dogs", the disabled (deaf, blind or missing limbs) and give them a home and love for the rest of their lives. They also rescue dogs from shelters in other states, Montana, Idaho, etc. and even some from Canada.

This page is an effort to show the dogs they have rescued, many from the state of Montana. Click the pictures for a larger view.

This perpetual candle is for the dogs, and one cat, known to have perished in the fire

*Jake (Great Pyr)* *Saki (Great Pyr)* *Peepers (Aussie cross)* *Bandit (Pit/Lab)* *Wrangler (Dalmatian/?)* *Tank (Pit/Bull Dog)* *Dixie (Pit/Lab)* *Boomer (Lab/Shepherd/?)* *Shadow (Border Collie)* *Cinnamon (Yellow Lab)* *Panama (Chow)* *Karma (German Shepherd)* *Foxie (Shepherd/maybe Lab)* *Chester, called "Little Guy" (Pomeranian)* *Sam (Samoyed)* *Skooter (Terrier cross)* *Custer (Yellow Lab)* *Jack (Greyhound/Lab)* *Rowdy (Newfie/Collie)* *Cosmo (Newfie/Collie)* *Blondie - Cat*
More dogs will be added as pictures arrive
(SDHR)Bigfork, Montana

Rowdy (R.I.P.)
(SDHR)Bigfork, Montana

Cosmo (R.I.P.)
Kalispell Shelter, Montana

Yoda Ann nka Jessie The Chessie
(MVAS)Polson, Montana

Max adopted 1998
(MAC)Missoula, Montana

Helen
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Toby
Douglas, WY

Pudgy
(MHS)Missoula, Montana

Stella
(BRHA)Hamilton, Montana

Pudge (was Omega)
(BRHA)Hamilton, Montana

Louise
(BRHA)Hamilton, Montana

Peepers (R.I.P.)
(BRHA)Hamilton, Montana

Peepers Helping Punk feel better
Twenty Dogs Die, "Pudgy" Missing 8/18/2002 6:46:26 PM Teri Nelson

A Hayward area sanctuary with 20 dogs inside burns during the Battle Creek Fire and "Pudgy" a seven month old Pit Bull Terrier is lost. Anyone with information on Pudgy should call Karen Fonseca on her cell phone at 391-4919 or her office number at 342-1078. Pudgy was abused so she may be afraid of strangers. She was spayed on Friday. Pudgy was last seen near Highway 40 in Rushmore Ranch Estates on Pretty Flower Lane. With the help of firefighters who surrounded the house and helped put the animals into the cars, the owners managed to escape with 13 dogs. Most of the animals had serious problems-- many were abused, blind, arthritic, or diabetic. Two of Fonseca's sisters also lost homes in the blaze.

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Copied from the original news story since no link in the archives could be found.

News story in the Rapid City Journal 8/19/2002

Rescuer makes plea for Pudgey
By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer
RAPID CITY -- Rescuing dogs is a passion for Karen Fonseca and her sister, Barb Caorsi. This week, they are counting on someone to return the favor and help them find a medium-sized, frightened puppy in the Battle Creek Fire burn area.

Lost is Pudgey, a 43-pound white pit-bull terrier. Pudgey recently was rescued from an abusive owner in Wyoming.

Fonseca was caring for Pudgey until she could be moved to a pit-bull rescue center. Pudgey panicked on Friday as Fonseca was frantically loading her Jeepwith pets and foster dogs.

It's too late for the 20 dogs in Caorsi's care. They perished when firemen forced her to leave her Pretty Flower Lane home near Hayward with flames licking at the house. Many of the dogs were blind or deaf. Two had lost a leg. Some were simply old, Fonseca said. A chow was Caorsi's pet for 15 years.

The fire came faster than anyone expected, Fonseca said.

"We're not blaming anyone," Fonseca said on Monday.

Caorsi is too distraught to talk about losing her home and pets, her sister said.

"The firemen saved her life. It's just hard," Fonseca said, choking back her own tears.

The sisters are volunteers for Animal Friends Humane Society. They travel hundreds of miles on weekends delivering dogs to breed-rescue groups across the country, according to JoAnne Jewell from the society.

Animal Friends does not euthanize pets. Pets are kept in foster homes until they can find permanent homes. Several breeds have rescue centers that match abandoned and rescued pets with pet lovers looking for specific breeds.

"Pudgey could be an ambassador for her breed," Fonseca said. An affectionate pup, Pudgey was just learning to trust Fonseca.

Pudgey is snow white (that's probably changed by now) with a fresh surgical scar on her belly. She was spayed last week.

Fonseca and her sister live about a quarter-mile apart.

After the high winds hit on Friday, Fonseca called for firemen when she spotted a tree on a power line. There was no fire in sight at that time. The firemen advised her to be prepared to leave because of the Battle Creek Fire.

"They said to have a plan," she said. Within 10 minutes, she said she was alerted that she might have to move within the hour. With 22 dogs in her care, Fonseca loaded up eight and called for friends to come for the rest. She was gone about 25 or 30 minutes.

In the meantime, firemen had arrived at Caorsi's.

"When I got back, it looked like hell," Fonseca said. Flames licked at the road just a quarter-mile off Highway 40. "I thought my friends had arrived and helped Barb with her dogs." It turned out the friends were stopped at a roadblock and not allowed into the area.

At Fonseca's home, firemen were fighting the approaching fire. They were too busy trying to save her house to tell Fonseca to leave.

"I still had 14 dogs. I just threw them into the Jeep. Pudgey was so fearful. She was in her kennel, and there wasn't room for it."

When Fonseca opened the door, the terrified pooch dashed out of the carrying crate and took off.

"I couldn't wait ... I had to go," Fonseca said, her voice trailing off.

The sisters are staying at Holiday Inn Express. Fonseca's dogs have moved to a friend's after being cared for at local veterinarian's clinic. Fonseca believes Pudgey might be holed up and can manage alone for a few days. She may even have returned to Fonseca's house, which was scorched but not destroyed.

"I can't get back in there," she said. The pup can get by without food for a while, but she's going to need water.

If someone happens to spot the puppy, Fonseca suggests setting out food and water and calling Fonseca. She can be reached at 605-391-4919 or 342-1078.
Copied from the original news story since no link in the archives could be found.
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Rapid City Journal online archive (click for the full archive story)
August 21, 2002

Steve McEnroe/Journal staff

Pudgey, the missing pit-bull terrier, is safe at home.

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer

Rapid City

She's grubby gray and very sleepy, but Pudgey is home.

The eight-month-old white pit-bull terrier made a wild dash for freedom Friday night while her foster guardian, Karen Fonseca, was loading her in a car to escape the Battle Creek Fire. A story about the missing puppy was in Tuesday's Rapid City Journal.

Fonseca and her sister, Barb Caorsi, were reunited with the pup Tuesday evening at Fonseca's home near Hayward.

For Caorsi, who lost 20 of her more than 40 dogs and her home to the fire, Pudgey is the "something good" to come out of a catastrophe that is etched in her heart. Most of the dogs she lost were disabled or long-time pets. The two sisters are volunteers for the Animal Friends Humane Society.

Caorsi is healing, in part, thanks to the outpouring of concern and help from friends and strangers.

Going back for a reunion with Pudgey made that first step towards her return bearable, she said. Now she can begin dealing with the ashes of her home and pets.

Clinging to the panting pup, Caorsi admitted it would be hard to give Pudgey up to a permanent home.

She just might have found one already.

(Snipped, read the full story at the archives location)

Friends have established a trust fund for the women. Contributions can be sent to:
Trust Account for Barb Caorsi and Karen Fonseca
care of Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & LeBrun
Box 8250, Rapid City, SD 57709

Questions or comments? Contact reporter Andrea Cook at 605-394-8423 or e-mail her at andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com

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Rapid City Journal online archive (click for the full archive story)

August 24, 2002

Montana animal lovers send support to victims
By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writer

HAYWARD - At 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dan and Susan Schroedel left their western Montana home with a trailer full of compassion and drove 800 miles to the Hayward home of friends they had never met.

Any questions they might have had about their mission were quickly dispelled when Louise, Zoe, Bones, Mac, Bruno and the rest came racing out the front door of Karen Fonseca’s home, greeting the visitors with some barking, many kisses and much tail-wagging.

Louise and the rest are among the dozen foster and special-needs dogs that live with Fonseca and her sister, Barb Caorsi, off Highway 40 near Hayward. Some of the dogs have health problems, and others have been so badly abused they can’t be adopted.

These dogs survived the Battle Creek Fire, but more than a dozen other special-needs animals that Caorsi was caring for were not so lucky. They died in the fire that destroyed Caorsi’s home.

Word of the tragedy spread quickly through the animal-rescue community nationwide, after Shelley Cumella of Rapid City e-mailed friends in Montana on Monday. Fonseca and Caorsi have taken in several rescue dogs from Montana, including Pudgey, a pit bull-terrier puppy who was lost for four days during the fire but is now safely home.

"Look at what people did,” Fonseca said with awe as she watched the Schroedels, Cumella and Laura Carstens unload bedding from the trailer. “Isn’t this amazing?”

(Snipped, read the full story at the archives location)

For Caorsi, though, gestures such as the Montana relief effort are helping her heal. “Somebody told Karen that everything happens for a reason, and I believe that now,” she said, even though she doesn’t know yet what that reason is.

“I guess I just want to say thank you to everyone, and I know my babies thank you,” Caorsi said. “I believe that they know that we’re OK.”

Questions or comments on this story? Call reporter Heidi Bell Gease at 394-8419, or e-mail her at heidi.bell@rapidcityjournal.com.

Delivery of Montana Donations 8-24-02
South Dakota home of Karen Fonseca and Barb Caorsi
(Photos courtesy of Shelley Cumella, Black Hills Boxer Rescue, Rapid City, SD)

Barb, U-Haul, Reporter and dogs

Barb, Susan, Toby and Bosco

Barb's house in the background

Dan (petting dogs), Karen and reporter

Karen, Susan and part of Karen's "crew"

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