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Safe Animal Shelter reopening following Hurricane Irma flood damage

It’s been weeks of performing repairs and cleaning at Safe Animal Shelter in Clay County- and now, they’re ready to open to the public for the first time since Hurricane Irma.

The shelter is one of two in Clay that had to be quickly evacuated as the flood waters quickly rose with the storm. Clay County Animal Care and Control also had to close because of flooding from Irma, but they have since reopened.

Now, on Saturday, Safe is having a grand re-opening, including tours and adoption specials.

Thank you Tara and Mary !

Posted by Safe Animal Shelter on Friday, December 1, 2017

Shelter Director Sherry Mansfield says essentially everything was ruined, because they took on up to four feet of water in some parts of their property.

“I’ve been through hurricanes, but not the flooding like this before,” she says.

The community stepped up in a big way, though, not only funding all of the repairs and cleaning through donations, but making sure supplies and food are fully stocked as the shelter started taking animals in this week. Mansfield says they’ve also had businesses volunteering labor to restore their computer network, air conditioning, phone system, drywall, and more.

Share: One step closer to being back in operation! Every person and business that has donated labor and supplies helps...

Posted by Safe Animal Shelter on Friday, October 6, 2017


In addition to the businesses and community support that has stepped up to help in the aftermath of the storm, they're also thankful to the resources that came forward to help evacuate. The Jacksonville Humane Society, US Humane Society, and other rescue organizations and foster families helped rescue all of the dogs and cats from the shelter, as the waters were rising, and Mansfield says she never imagined that kind of response.

“With Katrina, you know, all the people that came and rescued animals; and Harvey, you know, people came and rescued animals, but you don’t realize until you experience it, what it’s like,” she says.

Mansfield says it’s difficult to know what impact it had on the animal welfare community to have Safe’s doors closed for so long, but they’ve had a waiting list, and have been incredibly busy since getting back up.

“It’s been a little overwhelming, I will say. We’re already full with cats, we have a full kitten room already, and it’s like we’re now already having to turn people away,” she says.

You can find more details about the grand re-opening on the Safe Animal Shelter Facebook page.

Thank you to PRI Productions and Sevo-Med Jacksonville

Posted by Safe Animal Shelter on Saturday, October 14, 2017

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