At a Glance
- Ten puppies died.
- Fifteen adult dogs survived.
- Waist-high water flooded the building.
Stray Paws dog rescue, northwest of downtown St. Louis, saves between 800 to 1,000 dogs each year.
Now the building where animals are held before being sent to foster homes is ruined.
“Everything ... All our dog food … washers and dryers, we had pens, refrigerators keeping our medicine in them … all of our food, collars, bedding, everything is gone,” Stray Paws board member Jennie Miller said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, holding back tears.
(MORE: The Most Staggering Facts About Historic St. Louis Flooding)
Miller and other Stray Paws helpers rushed to the facility in St. Peters, Missouri, Tuesday morning after they saw the flooding on TV at about 5:45 a.m. They picked their way around flooded and closed roads.
“We snuck in behind and we just went into the building, which [had water that] was waist deep,” Miller said.
Ten puppies died in the flood. They were from two different litters and ranged in age from 6 to 8 weeks. Fifteen adult dogs were rescued and taken to another facility nearby for medical treatment. All survived.
A neighboring business owner who's been in the area since 1991 told Miller he had never seen it flood there before.
“The whole downtown … Old Town St. Peters, is underwater,” Miller said. “It’s devastating … We lost puppies, but these poor people lost their homes … cars were submerged, businesses are underwater. It’s affecting everybody here.”
(MORE: St. Louis Flooding, In Photos)
Stray Paws Rescue is accepting donations to help them recover and will need volunteers to help with cleanup. Visit their Facebook page or website for more information.
The group says several other rescues in the area are also in need of dog foster families. They include:
-Helping Strays of Monroe County
-Belleville Area Humane Society
Click here for a look at our live updates from the St. Louis area throughout the day Tuesday.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
