Macomb County animal rescue left with severe flooding: "It was just crazy"
An animal rescue in Macomb County, Michigan, is left with repairs and a major cleanup after this weekend's storm caused many of the areas to flood.
Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) says in the 15 years the nonprofit has been up and running, the team has never experienced flooding this severe.
"It was just crazy, and it took us 16 hours just to get animals to safety, dry and moved," said DAWG director Kelley LaBonty.
LaBonty says on Saturday morning, she was shocked to discover the extreme flooding surrounding the 25-acre farm, a nonprofit animal rescue that cares for exotic, domestic, farm and wildlife animals.
"We've never seen anything like it. It was just pouring across McKay Road, which we're on, from the cornfield across the street. Not only was the creek coming up, but it was coming from all directions. We have the north branch of the Clinton River that runs through the back of our property, and it was quickly coming up," LaBonty said.
Her team sprang into action to safely move animals whose enclosures were overwhelmed with water to a nearby shelter.
"Many of them are in the barn, but then our roof for the barn started leaking, and we've never had that either in the 15 years we've been there," said LaBonty.
LaBonty put out a call for help, and the community stepped up. A local roofing company put a temporary fix on the barn roof.
"It's going to need to be repaired and re-shingled in one area where the leak is," LaBonty said.
Meanwhile, others used tools to help move some of the water.
"We had some great people from the community come out to help with water pumps to try and move some of the water, and an excavator came out to try and dig a drainage ditch for some of the water. We were so thankful. Ya know, we can't do this without the community," said LaBonty.
However, with more rain looming this week, LaBonty tells CBS News Detroit she worries the flooding will get even worse.
"We don't know what damage is done yet because the water hasn't receded yet. I don't know how much worse it could get, and we're just praying it doesn't go to more enclosures because now our barn is full, and we don't have room to move more animals. We're hoping that Mother Nature gives us a break here," LaBonty said. "We're funded solely on donations and volunteers, and without them we would not be able to care for all the animals. We take in over a thousand animals a year."
If you would like to show support, the animal rescue needs volunteers. The nonprofit is also seeking monetary donations to help with repairs.
You can contact Kelley LaBonty with Detroit Animal Welfare Group through email at kelcruiser@aol.com or on social media.