On the day of the Marshall Fire, Louisville Councilmember Caleb Dickinson piled his two dogs, two cats, three chickens and fish into his minivan to evacuate. He acknowledges how lucky he was to have the opportunity to evacuate his pets, and that many others did not have that same opportunity.
On Sunday, dozens of Louisville residents and their pets gathered at the Louisville Arboretum for the unveiling of the Marshall Fire Pet Memorial, honoring all of the pets lost during the Dec. 30, 2021 fire.
The fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Louisville, Superior and unincorporated Boulder County.
The Louisville Rising nonprofit organization commissioned artist and firefighter Michael Garman to create the memorial. The sculpture sits upon a boulder and shows a cat, dog, bird, snake, lizard and horse shoes.
As Dickinson, chair of nonprofit Louisville Rising, met with residents who lost their home in the fire, he often spoke about photo albums, objects and pets that were lost in the fire. When he mentioned Louisville Rising was raising money for a pet memorial, he realized that it meant a lot for residents to have a place to grieve and remember their pets.
“So many people lost someone they loved, so we knew a pet memorial was the right thing to do,” Dickinson said.
Dickinson said that having an artist who understands how destructive a fire is and the courage it takes to help others during a fire was exactly who the community needed to create the memorial.
Garman said as a wildland firefighter, he has witnessed nature’s fury at its worst. He said each figure represents not just a species of animal, but a life that was cut short.
“This piece is not only about the loss, but also about how animals do touch our lives and remind us of our capacity to love and to be loved,” Garman said.
He hopes the sculpture is not just a symbol of death, but rather a symbol of how powerful love can be.
Mayor Chris Leh said while there were two human fatalities during the fire, the community lost more than just them. He said people lost their memories and histories, and the pets that were a part of the family.
Leh said while grief is a universal feeling, when and how it comes to people is incredibly personal.
“That’s the beauty of this art, it meets us solid, grounded, without expectation and without judgment,” Leh said.
Leh hopes the memorial provides a place for residents to sit and remember their pets, as well as gather with neighbors and friends and share their experiences on the fire.
Councilmember Deborah Fahey said Louisville is fortunate to not have lost many people in the fire, but many pets were lost. Fahey also appreciates that the sculpture is located at the Arboretum, a place that was affected by the fire, as people can reflect on the fire and what the community lost.
“The loss of a pet means just as much as losing a family member, because they’re so close to you,” Fahey said.
