Manor Restoration for the Mutts

On September 24th, rising at a rate of 2 inches every 15 minutes, the flood waters of Hurricane Florence forced us to evacuate 22 dogs and 5 cats...

The water continued rising until it was 3 feet deep inside the Manor and didn't recede for over a week. The water, contaminated with waste water from a plant that gave during the flood and the carcasses of thousands of drowned animals, destroyed all the furniture, appliances, dog beds and food, cat beds and food, toys, cabinets and cupboards, paperwork/files, photographs, the very floors and walls themselves.

What the water didn't destroy, the humidity did. Ceiling fans wilted like sad little flowers. Mold grew on every surface, even those untouched by water.

The Manor, owned by Mutts and Mittens Manor for the purpose of providing safe haven, in perpetuity, to all the dogs and cats it rescues, was rendered INHABITABLE.

The 22 dogs and 5 cats at the Manor at the time of the flood, and several others that were in disaster-affected foster homes, have been staying at several local shelters or in boarding and at the facility of one of our rescue partners while we work to secure permanent rescue for them.

Mutts and Mittens Manor, dedicated to the Underdog, the dogs that other rescues won't take, won't even LOOK at, and have already left behind, is at a standstill. Never have more animals in South Carolina needed us than now...but our hands are tied. With no safe haven to offer, we simply can't help them.

Because we are not in a flood zone, we did not carry flood insurance. Our regular insurance does not cover water damage, as per most home insurance policies. FEMA came out to inspect the damage, but because FEMA is designed to help individuals/families, and the Manor is owned by the non-profit corporation, there will be no funds from them.

That leaves us 100% dependent on donations from the public, from YOU, in order to rebuild.

Rebuilding the Manor is going to be a huge undertaking, but we have identified the stages of reparation with the goal of being able to move back in as soon as possible.

The first step was to strip the house down to the framework, throwing away all the furniture, appliances, counters, cabinets, and anything that was wood or material or porous. The next step was to treat all the framing and other surfaces with mold-icide. The last of the stripping was finished today and to date, has cost $6000 (3 30 yard dumpsters at $500 apiece, plus renting generators to run rented industrial fans to get everything dry, plus the labor).

The next phase is getting the electric restored and checking the HVAC units for functionality. The electrician came out today to assess what needs to be done to restore power; all the switches need to be replaced, and the wiring in the laundry room area needs to be redone completely. We must also replace every door in the house as the frames and the doors have sucked up too much moisture to be repaired. This stage of construction is going to be $5000 if the HVAC units are operable...or up to $20000 if we have to replace the HVAC units.

The floor must be replaced or repaired--we've opted for the least expensive choice of sanding the concrete and staining it rather than installing new flooring at a higher price. All ceiling fans/light fixtures will need to be replaced as they both wilted and molded. The kitchen will need new cabinets and appliances, as will the laundry room.

The list of repairs goes on and on..but it must be done in order for us to move our displaced pups back in--and in order to continue our mission of saving the Underdogs--the dogs other rescues will not help!

Please make a tax deductible donation today. No gift is too small--in fact, while the total repair bill of $50,000 seems like a lot, it's only 10,000 people giving $5 each...this is DOABLE! Please donate and invite your friends/family/co-workers to donate as well. With your help, we can get this done and get our babies moved back in! Click here to donate, or paypal [email protected] or check to 9095 Highway 701S, Conway SC 29527.