On Monday night Suzanne Murray, the head of the East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in Adams County, went out to dinner with her kids. That’s when she got a text message from her husband. “It said ‘fire get home’ and right away your heart sinks down into your stomach,” said Murray. While driving back she saw a portion of the bamboo she has planted on her property burning, with flames rising 20 feet high into the night. “Freaking out, getting up here and I called 911,” said Murray.
Murray and her family were able to get the flames under control with their own hoses before firefighters arrived, which was good news for the white tigers, lions, monkeys and 50 birds that call the rescue home. "Our first priority is protecting the animals," said Murray. Because it was just the land that was damaged instead of any buildings, a Pennsylvania Game Commission investigator was dispatched who told Murray some unsettling news. "It was deliberately set. There's no question about that. Why? I don't know," said Murray.
Now she's putting up security cameras and motion sensor lighting. She's also armed. "It's hard. I just, I'd rather not do this but they are our family when they come here they become a family member and like anybody who loves their family you will protect them," said Murray. All the workers at the rescue are volunteers who love the animals they care for. Animals they're ready to protect.
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