Flash Flood at Shelter Killed 4 Puppies and a Dog

Four puppies and a young dog drowned when a flash flood triggered by rain from Tropical Storm Debby created flash flood conditions that made Alligator Creek jump its banks pouring into the Bradford County Animal Control and Shelter in Starke, Florida in the early hours of this morning. Water poured into the closed shelter rising nearly knee-deep inside where the animals are housed.

The puppies that died were part of a large litter recently brought to the shelter along with their mother. The animals were waiting to be picked up by a rescue group when Tropical Storm Debbie decided to pound the area. According to shelter workers it appeared that the mother dog had tried to save all her puppies from the flood but couldn’t. The surviving animals, about 60 dogs, cats and kittens were evacuated to safety on higher ground at the county fairgrounds by sheriff’s deputies and animal control personnel as soon as staff members arrived at work and saw what had happened. The staff is devastated by the deaths of the 4 puppies and the young dog during the flash flood. The flooding also destroyed much of the shelter’s stock of dog food and cat litter. It would welcome donations of pet food as well as clean towels and small bath rugs in good condition that can be used in the animals’ pens.

The mother dog and surviving litter mates have been picked up by a rescue group. Other rescue groups arrived throughout the day to help move animals, help with set up of the fairgrounds and foster or take in other animals from the destroyed shelter.