Six months after devastating flooding, St. Peters animal rescue is turning tragedy into triumph

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) – A St. Peters animal rescue shelter that endured devastating flooding and the tragic loss of 10 puppies is on the lookout to the potential.

Stray Paws Rescue sat beneath three toes of water previous July, after extra than a foot of rain fell in St. Peters overnight on July 26th.

Linda Roever, President of Stray Paws Rescue, walked along the close by practice tracks in advance of wading into waist deep drinking water to accessibility the setting up early that morning.

“I acquired right here proper about the time the firemen did and we came in, we experienced a single set of pup pens listed here and of training course, we dropped them,” Roever stated. “It was totally devastating.”

Roever mentioned ten puppies perished in the floodwaters, with more mature dogs discovered standing in neck-deep water inside of their crates, terrified but alive.

“We will never place yet another doggy in a crate yet again,” she stated. “We’ve elected for these much larger pens wherever everyone has an elevated mattress and a lot of room.”

The making itself, which the non-financial gain rents, did not have flood coverage. Among 3 and four feet of drywall all over the overall developing was removed thanks to water hurt, alongside with a finish overhaul of the electrical system, doorways, flooring and 1000’s of pounds in materials and foods.

“We essentially arrived back stronger,” she said. “It was a big rate to fork out, but we experienced to make a choice, we both do this for the animals or we step again and allow it go.”

The the fast aftermath, dozens of volunteers assisted obvious out particles and other possessions that were not salvageable. Roever said firefighters with Central County Fireplace and Rescue aided very clear three dumpsters truly worth of waterlogged particles out of the making.

Countless others donated their time, energy and resources to serving to the non-financial gain rebuild.

“We were being so blessed by the donations and all the men and women that arrived into support, it was so unbelievable,” she explained.

By Halloween, the rescue reopened its doorways to animals, housing 15 dogs at a time. Despite their setback, the non-gain aided a lot more than 800 animals get adopted in 2022.

Roever claimed she’s investing in new technological innovation, like cameras in every single home, so she and other volunteers can keep an eye on what is going on at the shelter at all instances.

“We are obtaining ground censors set in so if there’s any drinking water on the flooring we know right absent that a thing is heading on,” she explained.

The volunteers have also designed an crisis strategy in the occasion of adverse weather. That way, she said, all of the canines will have selected households to keep in and absent from the shelter.

“A number of months in the past when they have been calling for snow, I packed my luggage and was completely ready to continue to be the evening since I was not sure if I’d be equipped to get listed here in the morning,” she stated. “Thankfully, it wasn’t important due to the fact we did not conclusion up getting that significantly.”

With the setting up back superior than just before, Roever claimed she’s in will need of foster households and pup foods, which is in short source due to the practically two dozen puppies currently at the shelter awaiting foster residences.

To donate or master extra about fostering and adoption, take a look at www.straypawsrescue.com or phone 314-254-3466.