DEPEW, N.Y. (WKBW) — Support is pouring in to help S&L Ranch in Depew recover following the fire that burned down the barn last week, and killed 12 horses and two dogs.
The owner, Marty Snyder, took over the ranch from his father in 1976.
"To be honest I thought maybe this was the handwriting on the wall to cash in and quit you know, but I've got people coming down the driveway with tears in their eyes saying don't you dare leave," Snyder said.
Braedon Guenot, and two workers from his company Tree Inc., came down the driveway with tools. They spent all of Thursday clearing the barn's burnt remnants free of charge.
"I'm a business owner myself so I know that this is his livelihood, and he's got to get back up and running here so I figured we could pay it forward and lend a helping hand," Guenot said.
Others have donated barrels of hay to help feed the seven surviving horses. A memorial is in the works for where the horses are buried on the property. It will include a donated bench that Lancaster Youth Football and Cheer donated $732 towards, according to the ranch.
"I didn't realize the community was behind me as much as they are," said Snyder. "I thought I was just something here you know, but apparently I mean a lot to the community."
Over $15,000 has been raised on two GoFundMe pages, but Snyder said there's still a long road ahead.
