BALLWIN, Mo. — Flash flooding -- it happens quickly and often without warning. This week it affected helpless animals at a wildlife center in Ballwin.
Kim Rutledge, executive director of the Wildlife Rescue Center in Ballwin, recorded video of the flooding that made its way into the center on Tuesday. It happened in flash, heavy rain causing water to surge into the center for the first time in 20 years.
"Very quickly after I finished taking this video, I realized that probably other areas of the property that don't normally flood were flooded -- and we have animals in those areas," Rutledge said.
Both staff and volunteers had little time to react. They were housing more than 200 animals when it happened.
"Most of our enclosures are on higher ground and those guys were fine," Rutledge said, "but we did have some box turtles and some younger animals that we got outside and saw that their enclosures were under at least a foot of running, flowing, muddy waters."
The muddy mess struck at the worst time.
Rutledge says July is baby season. That means they're housing more sick, injured and orphaned animals than usual.
"This is our busiest time of the year, so we have to make sure the animals are being cared for first," Rutledge said. "So we asked for backup."
The back up came in the form of volunteers like Becky Denn, who worked to make sure the shelter was cleared before its annual open house.
"If you like animals, please help support us," Denn said.
Since the rescue center operates entirely on donations. getting everything cleaned up in time for the open house meant everything.
"We're here," Rutledge said. "The wildlife doesn't take a day off just because we went underwater for a few minutes."
The open house will happen as planned on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The list is filling up quickly, but there is still time to sign up.
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