Pantry reopens as owner seeks help for injured dog
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Disaster struck twice for Whidbey resident Tanya Hernandez this year. After floodwaters forced Queen-Bee Pantry to relocate, the nonprofit’s co-founder is now asking the community to help save her dog, Fiona, whose injuries from the Greenbank explosion continue to worsen.
The nonprofit has reopened at 1638 East Main Street, Suite 103 in Freeland following severe water damage at the pantry’s previous location in May caused by a leak from an upstairs business. The organization spent two months closed while searching for a new home, Hernandez said.
The new storefront offers one major advantage over its former site: It’s more visible.
“It’s got good traffic coming through, so that’s a plus for us,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said the pantry has already seen more visitors during its first week than it did at the old site.
The pantry is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and is holding a weeklong sale where shoppers can fill a bag for $5. Hernandez said the pantry’s greatest needs are monetary donations, along with staple items such as sugar and cooking oil.
As the pantry settles into its new home, Hernandez is also raising money for her English bull terrier, Fiona, who was injured during the June 24 explosion on Smuggler’s Cove Road that injured three firefighters and damaged multiple homes.
According to Hernandez, five dogs were inside the house when the explosion occurred. While four of her pups have recovered, Fiona suffered a ruptured eardrum that has not healed despite weeks of treatment.
“She’s in so much pain, she cries all the time,” Hernandez said.
After repeated veterinary visits, medication changes and a persistent ear infection, Fiona may now require a $5,000 surgery. Donations can be made directly through South Whidbey Animal Clinic in Clinton under “Fiona” or “Tanya Hernandez,” in addition to a GoFundMe campaign “Support Tanya’s Family & Dogs After the Fire.”
For Hernandez, the possibility of losing the family pet is especially difficult because the dog belongs to her teenage daughter.
“She is very attached to her so talking about euthanasia is not something we wanted to discuss,” she said. ”But if we can’t get the surgery, that’s probably the next step.”
Despite enduring a flooded pantry and the aftermath of the explosion within a matter of months, Hernandez is hopeful — both for the pantry’s new beginning and for Fiona’s recovery.
“Please help us save our dog,” she said.
Learn more about the pantry at www.queen-beepantry.com.
