More than 100 animals were displaced by a water main break that happened Wednesday at Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, and cleanup efforts are underway. Programs and Community Engagement Manager Mary Wozencraft shows the cat room where a passing sanitation worker happened to look through the window from the outside and notice the animals were in distress due to the flooding.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Cats and dogs have been placed with foster families and cleanup is progressing two days after a burst pipe caused a 2-foot deep flood inside Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling early Wednesday.
Julia Seaman of Mount Prospect and her dad, Patrick, greet a foster dog they will take care of for another foster family that is going on vacation. The transfer between the two families took place Friday outside Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, where 100 animals were displaced by a water main break two days before.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
A sanitation worker who regularly looks through the large plate-glass window to view the cats while driving by in his truck noticed the animals weren’t in their usual places and appeared to be in distress, having instinctively moved themselves to “higher ground.” He then called for help, said Mary Wozencraft, Heartland Animal Shelter programs and community engagement manager.
More than 100 animals were displaced by a water main break that happened Wednesday at Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, and cleanup efforts are now underway. Volunteer Denise Hansen is helping organize donated food that is being stacked in the front lobby for the time being.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
“The firefighters and staff that were first on the scene got everyone out really, really fast,” Wozencraft said. “It was pretty incredible that they got all the dogs out into crates in the back parking lot, and cats to high ground.”
More than 100 animals were inside the shelter, and they have been placed with foster families, she said.
More than 100 animals were displaced by a water main break that happened Wednesday at Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, and cleanup efforts are now underway. This is the current state of the medical room at the shelter.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
More than 100 animals were displaced by a water main break that happened toward the back of this room Wednesday at Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, and cleanup efforts are now taking place.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
Nearly all of the supplies and equipment, including what was in the medical room, was ruined. Drywall already is being removed 2 feet above the floor. A monetary loss has not been determined yet, and the shelter is not expected to reopen until mid-August.
“What matters is everyone was safe and no animals were lost,” Wozencraft said.
More than 100 animals were displaced by a water main break that happened Wednesday at Heartland Animal Shelter in Wheeling, and cleanup efforts are now taking place.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com