A Lockerbie couple have said they are overwhelmed by the kindness of friends and strangers as they thanked everyone who has helped them after they lost their home in last week’s floods.
Heather and Aaron Beattie fled their home in the dark of night after the nearby river burst its banks and flooded their home – leaving them and their pets homeless. With four dogs, 10 cats, geese, ducks and chickens all needing rescued Heather and Aaron were grateful for help from family and friends.
Devastatingly during the rescue mission, they were forced to release their animals that lived outside, including their ducks, geese and chickens. They got all the dogs to safety and most of the cats. Friends and kindhearted local rescues in Lockerbie and Annan have taken in the dogs and cats.
Heather said: “The whole experience is quite surreal. We have lost everything, just like that. We’ve literally had to watch our lives flow away.
“We had flood barriers out but they only worked for a matter of minutes. It’s been so hard and I’m not sure the enormity of it has really hit us yet.
“We are so grateful of all the help we’ve received – people have been incredible. The fundraiser, set up by Lee Herron, will really make all the difference.
We’ve set it at £2000 for now but we have genuinely no idea what we are going to need to start to rebuild our lives.
“Some of the animals have needed vet treatment and we don’t know how long they will need to be in the care of others. We also don’t know when we will find somewhere else to live. The house is uninhabitable.”
Aaron, who had been reluctant to leave the family home, said: “We floated all the animals out on boxes. Every wee life mattered and we had to save them.”
However, tragically the couple lost one of their kittens drowned in the water and two of their cats are missing.
“We now need to start trying to think about what’s next. The animals were our priority and they need vet treatment so that comes first. “Then, once we sort out somewhere to stay we will need to start from scratch – we literally left with what we had on our backs.”
“We are overwhelmed and humbled by the help people are offering, people we don’t even know. Thank you doesn’t seem enough, added Aaron.
If You would like to donate you will find the Just Giving link HERE
Article written by LH
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