Police have appealed for witnesses following the blaze on the premises within the Point Street space of Larne on Wednesday night time.
Vice Chair of Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary Danielle Hollinger stated a bag of donations had been left outdoors the shop only a few hours earlier than the hearth was reported at round 9.30pm.
“We believe somebody has come along and set fire to the bag,” she stated.
“The flames spread quickly and damaged the building itself which caught fire.
“The whole shop front is gone.”
The board member of the animal shelter praised Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service crews for shortly extinguishing the blaze.
However, regardless of the “fantastic response” she stated “everything inside was still ruined” together with a whole lot of kilos price of inventory.
“We are looking at what we can do to salvage as much as we can,” Ms Hollinger added.
“Everyone is just really disheartened and upset that this has happened.”
The PSNI was alerted to the blaze by hearth crews and attended the scene.
“When officers arrived, the fire appeared to be largely concentrated to the front of the shop, causing significant damage to the shutters and signage,” Chief Inspector Bryan stated.
“Firefighters were already in attendance to extinguish the blaze, and at this stage, it is believed that the fire was started deliberately.”
Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary charity store in Larne broken in arson attack
The Antrim-based animal sanctuary is presently home to 30 cats and dogs and solely just lately opened a newly developed welcome centre.
New services embody paddocks along with a sensory backyard and puppy play space.
The mission relies upon upon donations and the income raised by two charity outlets which account for 30% of its annual earnings.
“The store was run by volunteers and all the proceeds go back to the sanctuary which we have invested a lot of money in,” Ms Hollinger stated.
“We depend on these stores to keep us running.
“It’s the beginning of the year which is when we always experience an influx in demand for our services.
“So, I’m panicking now.
“What are we going to do with this loss of income?”
The charity is now reviewing its present price range which was based mostly on anticipated income raised by the shop that’s now closed.
Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary charity store in Larne broken in arson attack
In a joint assertion, the board of administrators stated “the entire Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary family are devastated by the destruction of our Larne store”.
“This is especially upsetting at a time when charities are already facing financial difficulty.”
They stated the lack of the store, which additionally served as a social hub, can be felt by the broader group which has all the time been “kind and compassionate”.
“As such, the staff and trustees would like to express their enormous gratitude for the support already received from the public,” the assertion continued.
“We are currently investigating all available options to minimise the impact of the fire on our animals.
“Our commitment to the cats and dogs within our care currently, and those who will need us in the future, remains unwavering.”
