Dog trainer robbed after losing 9 animals in house fire

Smoke from Burnaby fire kills 9 pets Smoke did the damage at the home of a professional dog trainer.

Just days after nine animals were killed in a house fire in her Burnaby home, dog trainer Dove Cresswell has now suffered another devastating blow: being robbed.

Cresswell was teaching a dog agility class Tuesday night when flames broke out, and she rushed home to save the animals.

Overcome by smoke, three of her four dogs were killed, along with four she was watching for friends, and one cat.

Only one dog and cat survived, and Cresswell said she will “never be okay” after the tragic deaths.

Now a camera and portable hard drive containing pictures of her pets has been taken from her home.

Cresswell returned to her home with an insurance adjuster Thursday and noticed there had been a break-in.

She says she doesn’t care about getting the camera back, but wants the SD card and hard drive so she can have the photos and videos to remember the dogs by.

Elisha McCallum, a fellow agility trainer, said Cresswell is “doing as best as she can” and is reaching out to family and friends for support.

There is now security at the home and the remaining valuables are being removed from the home.

Creswell, an award-winning trainer, was active in the dog agility community and frequently boarded dogs at her home.

A bank account in trust for the dog trainer and the other dog owners who lost pets has been set up at TD Canada Trust, under the name Nina Durante -- Transit # 93230 Account # 6401170.