The Bensalem community is rallying around a local nonprofit clinic and animal shelter, the Bridge Clinic, after it received damage during last week’s severe storm.
“It’s a beautiful location but they get a lot of really high winds,” the shelter’s General Manager Chase Miller.
Last week, winds blew down a tree that knocked over a fence and damaged a warehouse that also served as a a sanctuary for 17 outdoor cats.
Twelve of the cats have been recovered, but five of the cats are still missing.
“It was devastating,” said Miriam Griffin, a volunteer at the clinic. “No one was around. My heart broke, my heart sunk.”
The Bensalem community rallied around the shelter, which houses more than 100 cats overall and also provides low-cost veterinary services to community, with a fundraiser to help rebuild.
“We are just completely overwhelmed by the donations that we’ve gotten,” Miller said. “We set a financial goal and we have well exceeded that.”
Miller said the shelter has received so much financial support, it is considering upgrading the sanctuary on top of repairing it.
He also said the shelter is always looking for more volunteers.
“If you want to volunteer at the thrift store. If you want to volunteer at the dog park we are building here. If you want to volunteer are at the cafe. Those a all going to be an option for folks,” Miller said.
As for the missing cats, the shelter is leaving food out for them in the hopes that they return.
They believe the cats are likely still close by and could be recovered soon.