- A car crash in April left Utah Animal Adoption Center in limbo.
- No animals were harmed but the shelter faces operational and financial challenges.
- Leaders hope to resume normal operations by summer's end; donations are needed.
SANDY — Leaders at the Utah Animal Adoption Center in Sandy are hoping to rebuild after a car slammed into the building two months ago.
Animals were inside of the building when it was hit by the car. Some cats were even behind the wall that was struck — but none were hurt. However, the organization has been unable to operate as it normally would due to the significant damage done to the building.
"Walls were impacted, spaces were compromised, and our mission was suddenly disrupted," a post on the adoption center's Facebook page Wednesday reads.
On April 19, a driver was trying to make an improper turn when they collided with another vehicle, lost control, and then crashed into the building located near 8500 S. 700 East, according to police in Sandy.
Since then, Rose Bentley, board president for the Utah Animal Adoption Center, said the organization has been working with the insurance companies to figure out how to get the building repaired, which continues to be an ongoing process.
"We're left kind of in this limbo stage of trying to figure out what our options are," she told KSL on Wednesday.
The cost of damage was still being determined, according to Bentley, though some immediate measures needed to be taken after the crash to keep the animals inside of the shelter safe and secure.
"I needed to get it boarded up — like it was wide open to where people could come in." Bentley said. "You know, there's a lot of costs that come when there's incidents like this that are completely unexpected, especially for a nonprofit."
The nonprofit shelter relies on donations and adoption fees to keep the facility operational. According to the center's website, each year it helps hundreds of cats and dogs find their forever homes. Funds raised by the organization also go toward aiding with lifesaving medical attention for pets in need.
Now, since only half of the building is functional, Bentley said they've been unable to allow potential foster families inside the center or host veterinary suite services, just some of the factors leading to a loss of revenue.
"We're hindered from even putting the animals, you know, in a position to be adopted or have people come through to meet them," she explained.
They've also had to halt taking any more animals in for the time being due to limited space.
Fortunately, she said they've been able to work with the city to ensure some of the necessary utilities like water and air conditioning are working.
Bentley said the dogs that were in the shelter were relocated to temporary foster homes, but about 30 cats remain there.
Aside from the immediate temporary needs to keep the facility up and running while figuring future costs for repairs, Bentley said another difficult challenge in the aftermath of the accident has been the uncertainty and financial strain on the shelter's staff.
"It's like a similar situation with COVID, right? When suddenly people can't go to work, it hurts their ability to make a living," she said.
Despite the missed paychecks, several staff members have continued to volunteer their time to make sure animals on site are still cared for, Bentley said.
While she and other leaders of the Utah Animal Adoption Center are hopeful the shelter can return to normal operations by the end of summer, Bentley said people wanting to support the organization can do so with monetary donations or wet cat food. More information on how to help is available on the shelter's website.
"This place is more than a building," the shelter wrote in its post. "It's where second chances begin."
