The storm that hit the Washington DC metropolitan area on Monday afternoon not only affected homes, vehicular traffic and the electrical power system. That day also became a real tragedy for the owners of ten dogs, whom they loved like family, after a flood hit a fancy daycare center on Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast ( NE) of the city,
That area, close to the subway station that bears that name, is a hollow in which the waters accumulated to the point of reaching a height of six feet (1.80 meters) in a few minutes, leaving several drivers of trapped vehicles, which later managed to be saved by firefighters and rescuers.
The building where the dog nursery is located was one of the most affected, after bursting a glass wall on the façade, giving way to the current of water that penetrated the premises with tremendous force. Surprised, several employees and other workers in the establishment had to grab onto desks and other furniture to save themselves, while the torrent advanced uncontrollably inside, where the pets that had been left in their care by their owners were.
Several of the dogs managed to get out in time and swam against the current, some helped by their handlers, who also had to paddle towards the exit.
Ten other dogs, however, did not have the same luck and drowned, the organization Humane Rescue Alliance confirmed on Tuesday.
District Dogs, which has five locations in the capital area, offers many services including daycare, hotel-style accommodation, dog grooming and training.
The Rhode Island Avenue location, which opened in May 2022, has had problems with flooding before, prompting the owner to plead with the city to do something to fix the flood-prone area. The center was also damaged by flooding in an August 2022 storm, it was reported.
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“WE CLOSE FOREVER”
A deeply dejected District Dogs owner, Jacob Hensley, revealed in a televised interview Tuesday that the dog daycare's Northeast DC location is "officially closed, and forever."
- Hensley said that he is in this business because of his love of dogs.
- "It's completely heartbreaking to make these phone calls and talk to their pet owners," Hensley said.
- “This is not the reason we are in business. This is not something we hope to do,” she added.
- Hensley said he was assured last year by district officials that the area was a safe place to open businesses.
- He stated that the community has supported him and he hopes to "come back stronger" elsewhere.
