On Wednesday, February 12, a fire broke out around 3:40 p.m. at One Step Closer Animal Rescue (OSCAR) on Sparta Stanhope Road in Andover, New Jersey. The fire originated in the kennel area.
The cause has not been determined.
At the time, the shelter was caring for approximately 43 dogs. Staff released dogs from their kennels to prevent further loss as the fire spread. OSCAR staff, local residents, and employees from nearby Lakeside Construction worked alongside first responders to rescue animals from the building.
Six dogs died in the fire. One dog was transported to Newton Animal Hospital for burn injuries. Four dogs that escaped during the chaos were later recovered.
The remaining 37 dogs have been accounted for and are being placed with foster families, partner rescues, and local veterinary offices.
What They Need
The shelter facility has been deemed uninhabitable. OSCAR currently has no space to accept physical donations such as supplies or equipment.
The shelter is directing all support to its GoFundMe campaign, which has raised almost $500,000 as of this morning. The funds will go toward emergency veterinary care, medical treatment, and foster expenses for the surviving dogs.
Anyone interested in fostering or adopting can apply at oscaranimalrescue.org. Questions can be directed to oscaremergency2026@gmail.com.
What Comes Next
OSCAR’s immediate priority is getting every surviving dog into a foster home. Beyond that, the shelter faces the task of rebuilding or relocating entirely.
The fire is under investigation by the Hopatcong Police Department, the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hopatcong Fire Department, and the Hopatcong Fire Marshal.
