Photo by Danielle Kelvey
Flooding in Hopkinsville, Kentucky resulted in many businesses being temporarily shut down. One business in particular needed a more urgent response.
The Pet Lodge is a pet boarding and grooming facility located on North Drive. It sits alongside the Little River. When Christian County received a record breaking 12.11 inches of rain during the recent three day storms water rose into the three buildings. The floods came on Spring break, a busy season for the facility. They had 40 dogs and two cats.
Tammy Stratton is the manager at The Pet Lodge. She has worked there for nine years and has taken care of many of their frequent customers since the puppy stage. Stratton was not allowed to go in the front entrance, so she found her way inside from the back. She talks about the damage.
By the time Stratton was able to get to the building, all the roads were blocked.
Members of the Hopkinsville Fire Department and the Christian County Rescue Team came on scene to help get the animals out.
The original call came in for a family stuck in an apartment building nearby, when they realized The Pet Lodge was in need. Christian County Rescue Team provided boats for both departments to transport the animals to safety. The teams started with the smallest dogs at the front before making their way to the back of the building with the larger dogs.
Hopkinsville Fire Department’s Public Information Officer, Payton Rogers was among the group on site. They faced a unique challenge trying to get dogs out that did not know them and were scared. A dangerous situation for any person to be in.
Each trip brought back five to six dogs at a time. Roger said it took well over an hour to get all the animals out.
Stratton thanks the rescuers and all the volunteers who have helped since. Stratton’s daughter, Clippendales Dog Grooming and the Christian County Animal Shelter stepped in to house the dogs.
The Pet Lodge is temporarily closed to all services, but plans on opening again.
