A shelter that had to evacuate hundreds of animals, is scrambling to clean up and find other homes for some of the expected returning dogs and cats and prepare for the arrival of more animals in need of housing.
The Animal Protection League in Anderson made a plea over the weekend for short- and longer-term foster homes for dogs, cats and kittens.
“Our Animal Protection League building is underwater, and right now, we don’t know when it will be safe for our animals to return,” it said in a social media post. “The amount of flood water has made the timeline completely unknown.”
The nonprofit evacuated more than 300 animals, including 103 dogs that were dispersed to various foster homes and vet care locations, and cats placed at two locations, Executive Director Maleah Stringer told IndyStar.
Staff evacuated the shelter at 613 Dewey Street on Aug. 13, and returned after the water receded on Aug. 17. Still, the shelter isn’t ready for the return of any animals.
“Now we’re in the aftermath of cleaning the building, getting it disinfected and just trying to go from the aftermath of the flood,” she said on Tuesday afternoon.
The shelter expects it will still need more people ready to take on foster animals as some fostered dogs are returned.
“We have nowhere for them to go yet, and they haven’t been bringing them in because it’s a state of emergency here,” Stringer said. “I’ve got a place possible located that we’ll be able to house some dogs, but it’s all up in the air right now.”
The shelter also is in need of an indoor-outdoor kennel that can accommodate at least six dogs, to be placed at an employee’s property temporarily; and is seeking a donation of the item or money to go toward its purchase.
Donations can be made by visiting inapl.org.
“We do need financial assistance so that we can survive this; pay our bills, pay overtime, do all those kinds of things,” Stringer said.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson or Bluesky: @cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana animal shelter scrambles after flood damage
Reporting by Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
