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Jacksonville woman not giving up on dream for animal rescue after roof collapse

A Jacksonville woman’s vision was to transform a historic Springfield home into a nonprofit to help animals find loving homes.

A blue tarp is draped over the home on E. 11th Street after its roof collapsed.

“As soon as we got up on the roof, we heard something go ‘pop,’” Charles Harrison said.

Crews from a roofing company were working on the roof when Harrison says they put too many shingles in one area, causing the roof to buckle.

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He and Ann Chisholm had been fixing up the house since they bought it last year.

Their vision was to open "Anny Mcfur House of Dogs," a part-animal rescue, part-boarding and grooming shop.

According to the Jacksonville Humane Society, 18,000 animals enter shelters in Jacksonville each year.

Chisholm said she hoped to help find some of those animals loving homes, but the future site of the rescue is now condemned by the city.

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“That’s how far we got to open, and now we have a dilemma, a setback,” Harrison said.

Chisholm and her partner both said they're glad no one was inside during the collapse.

They told Action News Jax reporter Brittney Donovan that they are headed down to the city Wednesday to find out when they can begin work again.

Action News Jax reached out to the roofing company for comment on the collapse. We have not yet heard back.