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Dozens of dogs were rescued but at least 10 were killed when flood waters overtook the District Dogs facility on Rhode Island Avenue NE on Monday, Aug. 14, leaving the community shell shocked.
Within minutes, flooding went from blocking the front doors of the building to shattering the glass wall, sending six feet of water inside and forcing emergency rescue operations by the staff.
They saved as many as they could. Other dogs weren't as lucky.
"We are heartbroken and want to express our profound sadness to our clients who are dealing with the loss of beloved members of their families," owner Jacob Hensley wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
"As animal lovers and strong advocates for animal welfare ourselves, this is deeply and personally painful," they continued. "This is an absolute tragedy and we are all devastated."
According to the District Dogs Team, as waters flooded the building, staff members went into a frenzy to save as many animals as possible, "despite real danger to their own lives."
Many also had to cling to counters and shelves themselves to stay upright during the rescue operation.
DC Water officials said that there are storm drains in the area around where the flooding occurred, but the agency is still in the process of constructing a tunnel that is expected to mitigate such instances and should be open by September.
"This area has experienced chronic flooding, as far back as the late 1800s, especially during intense rainstorms," they posted online. "DC Water has rain gauges in Northeast DC that recorded approximately two inches of rain in about 45 minutes.
"That type of intense rainfall can overwhelm the existing sewer system, which contributes to the type of flooding we saw on Rhode Island Avenue."
Some were not satisfied with the agency's response, and took the company to task on Twitter.
Owners whose pets perished in the flood are being notified by the District Dogs staff.
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