San Antonio livestock sanctuary trapped by flooding, left with significant damages

Pigs enjoy food and drink on Winding Branch Ranch. Credit: Winding Branch Ranch

San Antonio-area livestock sanctuary Winding Branch Ranch has been left with significant damages after Wednesday’s devastating floods.

“Let’s just say I was in complete disbelief,” ranch Executive Director Matthew Aversa posted in the caption of an online video showing the floodwaters overtaking four acres of animal paddocks on the 9-acre property.

On the phone with the Current, Aversa said pig pens at the site “turned into legitimate rivers” as dry creeks filled up and overflowed onto the property.

“The ground is literally disappearing underneath us,” Aversa said.

Aversa said recovery will require “significant repairs,” including replacing the water and electrical lines that serve Winding Branch’s animal barns, repaving its “now-undriveable” driveway and relocating its pig habitat to higher ground.

“This is becoming our new reality,” Aversa stated in the video caption.

The Bulverde ranch also suffered damages during last year’s July 4 Hill Country flooding, which included destruction of paddock fences. According to Aversa, yesterday’s flooding was worse.

And with the increased rainfall expected in the San Antonio area this summer and fall due to this year’s Super El Niño, Aversa said the damage is likely to continue.

Winding Branch Ranch is hoping to acquire an additional 5 acres on higher ground to expand its capacity for rescuing barnyard animals. But for now, the ranch must contend with a sloping property where the increased frequency of flooding is causing it to rethink its layout and scramble to adjust its calendar of events.

An event scheduled for this week at the ranch — a Culinary Camp — has been postponed until next week, causing the sanctuary to issue credits and refunds.

“Our tuition for those programs goes directly into the mouth of the animals and helps us continue to rescue more animals,” Aversa said.

Volunteers delivering food have also been turned away since nearly roads are still blocked from the flooding.

Aversa said he and others who live on the ranch are able to exit the property but aren’t able to use the one access road out of the area. As a result, they’re effectively stuck until the waters recede.

“We are on an island,” Aversa said. “Thankfully we have a great stockpile of food here.”

According to Aversa, the blame lies squarely with politicians when it comes to flood mitigation measures.

“No elected official has taken it upon themselves to propose that we build a bridge or we build something to keep the people who live here safe,” he said.

In the caption of the video taken at the beginning of Wednesday’s flooding, Aversa called for emergency donations to cover the repairs, just like he was forced to do after last year’s catastrophic flooding.

“Thank you for standing with us, especially during moments like this,” the post concluded.

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