Humane society appeals for help after facility flooded

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/11/2017 (2909 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Staff at Winnipeg Humane Society surgery lifted an anesthetized dog off the operating room table on Monday as an alarm forced a hurried evacuation.

Veterinary staff carried King, a large German shepherd-terrier cross, in their arms as animals and people briefly evacuated the Winnipeg Humane Society to escape a flood triggered by a burst water pipe.

A day later, King — all 80 pounds of him — seemed no worse for wear, despite having been part of the dramatic exit on Monday.

A frozen pipe burst in the building’s sprinkler system around 1 p.m., flooding the main lobby and adjacent rooms of the structure on Hurst Way with a few centimetres of water.

The damage is extensive, though the full extent had yet to be fully assessed as of Tuesday.

No animals were hurt during the incident or afterward.

Eight dogs were herded outside, while another eight cats and five bunnies were moved to raised kennels in the evacuation.

At the clinic, veterinary surgeons and operating room staff were just stitching up the one-year-old King when the alarm sounded.

The dog had just been neutered.

“When the alarm went off, they were just wrapping up the surgery on King,” humane society spokesman Kyle Jahns said.

“They had to close him up and they couldn’t leave him there, so they carried him out to the parking lot and got him into a warm car and monitored him from there.”

He came around in the car, while other staff and volunteers dealt with the rest of the animals that had to be moved.

“By that time, King was awake, but still groggy, which is normal,” Jahns said.

Jahns said everyone was back inside the building within minutes, although the humane society was closed on Tuesday.

The humane society anticipated it will need public support to pay for repairs and has set up a page for donations on its website.

Baseboards were found peeling off walls and floors were wrecked in the flood.

A YouTube video, posted on Monday evening, shows water pouring into the gift shop and adjacent areas.

At least eight computers used for adoptions and education were destroyed and are among the non-profit organization’s priorities to replace.

“We’re hoping our community will help us out,” Jahns said.

“We have an amazing community of support and we’re hoping this is a cause they can get behind.”

Oh, and King was doing just fine.

“He’s full of energy and life, clearly recovered from the neuter surgery and the hasty evacuation, but he’s not ready for adoption yet,” Jahns said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca