My name is Spencer and I’ve been a farrier in Reno since 2020 and a Reno PD officer since 2024. My wife and I have a house on the east side of Peavine off North Virginia at Red Rock where we live with our special needs dog Gus, his weenie dog Hank, three cats, and my loft of about 30 white homing pigeons and their common friend, Thomas.

This year has been challenging in many unexpected ways. I was shot in the chest on duty in February and was blessed to not suffer permanent physical damage to anything other than my hearing. I am blessed to have such a close community in the horse world as I have received so much support from my horse friends and clients I’m sure it’s what has saved my mental health through that crisis.

The Bug fire displaced our horses and they were evacuated for a week but they ultimately were able to return with just a story to tell their friends.

The Hawk fire hit us on Saturday and we had only hours to get our animals and things out. We stuffed the cars with what Kaley could think of and got our dogs, cats, and 10 of the birds in the car. The rest of the birds I let go to have a chance of surviving the fire.

The fire swept over our property Saturday night only a few hours from the start and we were finally allowed to go back Wednesday, August 26 as our side of the hill was still burning with fire crews still in the neighborhood.

While the stone house itself was spared of all but smoke and dust damage and some damage to the septic system, the rest of the property was completely destroyed.

My blacksmithing shop and everything inside was destroyed with all my tools and my motorcycle. The fences I built for the dogs, the gardens, and the horses were burnt. The pigeon loft was completely destroyed. Our tack room was burnt. All of Kaley’s gardens, our little orchard, and her roses and flowers were burnt. All of our stored clothes, family heirlooms, furniture, and sporting goods were destroyed.

We are starting this gofundme to get us back on our feet while we go through the insurance claim process so I can get back to horseshoeing and set up temporary accommodations for our animals that lost their homes. Even if everything goes smoothly with insurance it will take months to get even some of the structures lost back up with the damage to the plumbing and electrical and while our priority will be making the house livable, all those who know me know I’m trying to get back under some horses as soon as I can.

Shop and loft

Forge area

Tool storage and inventory room for horseshoeing supplies

first generator area

Motorcycle

Pigeon loft, aviary, wood storage and miscellaneous metal

A bird returns after the fire

Tack room

Garden showing tack rooms behind

Fruit trees

farrier tool box by hoof stand

melted septic covers

Grinders and forge at welding station

Up peavine

Pigeon loft and landing area

Shop fridge and second generator

Storage where the cats lived, clothes, sports equipment, and family items