Community Comes Together For Chillicothe Family Who Lost Home and Beloved Pet

The Woodruff Family of Chillicothe, Ryan, Jessica, Landon, Zoey, Keegan, and Camden, recently experienced an unimaginable tragedy. While away showing their goats, the family returned to find their home engulfed in flames. It was a total loss.

Worse still, the fire claimed the life of a beloved family member, their loyal Rottweiler, Sullivan, affectionately known as Sully. Sully was more than just a pet. He was a protector, a playmate, and a constant presence in their lives. When arriving home and seeing their house ablaze, Ryan and Keegan tried desperately to reach him. But it was too late.

The local fire department, Union Township volunteers, arrived quickly to battle the fire, and could sense the gravity of the loss. "We knew this was a bad one," said Huntington Township Firefighter Ryan McCainn. "When we realized a family pet had been lost, our hearts broke alongside theirs." Seeing the pain in the children’s faces, especially as the reality of losing Sully sank in, was something the firefighters couldn’t walk away from.

A dog lover himself, McCainn and his fellow firefighters couldn’t shake the feeling that more needed to be done. Determined to bring some hope back to the Woodruff family, Firefighter McCainn made a few calls. He located two available Rottweiler puppies for the family, and then reached out to Petland Chillicothe, located at 881 N. Bridge Street, requesting some support. Without hesitation, Petland Chillicothe and Petland Charities stepped in to sponsor a heartfelt shopping spree to provide the family and their new puppies with the supplies needed to ensure they have the best possible start.

“Seeing what this family had just gone through, losing their home and their family pet, we knew we wanted to help,” said Petland Chillicothe General Manager Kaylee Sturgill. “Making sure the puppies have everything they need to start off his new life with their new family was the least we could do. Being part of the solution to bring some joy to the Woodruff family during this devastating time was something we knew we had to do.”

For the Woodruffs, the journey to rebuild will be long, but it’s already clear they won't be doing it alone. With the compassion of firefighters and the generosity of Petland, this story is no longer just about loss. It’s about love, community, and the power of the human-animal bond to come together to heal.

To assist the family in recovering from the devastating fire and loss of their home, a friend, Jeffrey Campbell, has established a GoFundMe page to help provide support for the Woodruff Family.

To learn more about Petland Charities’ mission to build a healthier and happier world for pets by improving standards of care, eliminating puppy mills, ending the risk of pet homelessness in our communities, and creating special connections through the human-animal bond, visit petlandcharities.org.