On June 19, a severe thunderstorm swept through Amenia, New York, and hit our 400-acre property, uprooting trees, damaging fences and roofs, and knocking out power lines. A lightning strike brought a tree down onto our donkey enclosure, and another crashed through the roof of one of our dog playrooms.
We’re incredibly grateful that our colleague Isaias Nunez sustained only minor injuries when he was struck by a large branch, and has recovered. Thankfully, no animals were hurt.
When the storm hit, we were preparing to receive 15 new dogs. Part of the prep work involved converting an unused horse barn into dog kennels, which turned out to be serendipitous: We were able to quickly move several dogs from the damaged buildings to the newly renovated barn, minimizing stress and disruption to their routines.
Coming Together to Repair and Rebuild
Just as we step in to help others when they face emergency conditions, our community didn’t hesitate to jump in for us. We’re grateful to all the contractors and volunteers who came out to help us clean up and rebuild. A special thank you, also, to the generous families who stepped up to foster pups, providing them with safe, loving homes while we repair their spaces. (Check out the Instagram posts below to see these heroes in action.)
Words cannot express how truly grateful we are to have such a supportive community here in the Hudson Valley.
It’s also a reminder of how important local organizations are when it comes to quickly responding to communities in need. We’re honored to be one organization among so many that care for people, animals, and the planet. In that spirit, big shout-out to our food pantry partners across the Hudson Valley who help families weather storms of all kinds, every day. (Learn more about our Family Food Pantry program that provides pet food to support the crucial work of community food pantries.)
You Make ALL the Difference
Our community makes our work possible. Please consider volunteering, donating, fostering or adopting, or grabbing some of our great merch to support dogs.
For local friends:
- Please join our Dog Days of Summer celebration at Plan Bee Brewery in Poughkeepsie on August 1.
- Every Saturday in August, we’ll have adoptable dogs at the North East Community Center Farmers Market in Millerton, NY. Come out and meet our team and learn about our work!
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Watch:
Related Coverage:
- Fallen trees injure man, destroy fences at dog shelter (The Millerton News)
