Humane Association overcoming U-Haul truck crash with community support

The driver of the vehicle, who has not been charged in connection with the collision, said the gas pedal got stuck.

Many area residents have stepped up to provide temporary housing for animals at the shelter, Hsu said.

“We had eight or nine dogs left, as of Friday. There may even be less than that now,” Hsu said Monday morning. “There’s been an outpouring from the community, just people making donations and doing what they can to help.”

Maze finds a forever home

One of the dogs to find a “forever home” was a female bulldog mix named Maze. Maze went home Monday with her new dog mom, Melody Reeves of Paint Creek. Reeves heard about the crash on social media and then saw the aftermath, firsthand, when she delivered food to the shelter later.

Reeves said she’s been an animal lover since she was young and felt the time was right for a new addition to her family.

“That’s what we do here in West Virginia. You know? We help each other, whether it’s people or furry friends,” Reeves said. “Whatever’s needed. We always pitch in and make sure it gets done.”

Some situations can be more tentative, though. Some fosters have returned dogs that weren’t a good fit for their homes. As a result, the association continues to need assistance from anyone willing to provide temporary shelter for a dog, Hsu said.

“Not every dog is a good fit for every situation,” Hsu said. “We’re just hoping that people can hang onto them as long as they can.”

‘People were up here so fast’

The U-Haul struck the building near a grooming area and kennels. A large, industrial grooming tub in that area was crushed like a soda can, said Sarah Perry, director of community engagement. No people or animals sustained serious injury.

Perry said the community response was in full force when she arrived at the shelter after the crash.

“The parking lot was full with people just grabbing dogs for us. We had volunteers who were walking the dogs because we didn’t know where to put them, since we were already so full,” Perry said. “It was incredible. People were up here so fast.”

The front of the vehicle punched through a wall and into the building, leaving the structure unsound.

Members of the Charleston Fire Department built a temporary support structure to keep a corner of the building from collapsing.

Hsu said the association is working with a contractor, but there is no firm timeline for when repairs will be completed. The total cost of the repairs has yet to be determined.

“It looks like the damage is not too bad,” Hsu said, “but we’re going to have to replace maybe a fourth of that wall of kennels.”

The community support is appreciated and will continue to be instrumental as the shelter gets back on its feet, she said.

“The County Commission has reached out wanting to help as well,” Hsu said. “A lot of supplies have been donated from the public and, of course, monetary donations. I think that’s most of what we’ve seen so far.”

Hsu continued, “From the moment it happened — the EMS, fire department and police — everything was handled so quickly and efficiently. The public came out to support us. We just want to convey our gratitude for that.”

Here’s how you can help

For anyone who wishes to help, the best way is to shelter a dog.

“As we foster them out, some are getting returned,” Hsu said. “Maybe they can’t keep them long, or the dog just isn’t well-suited for them. It happens. So we still need some help there.”

The shelter, located at 1248 Greenbrier St., in Charleston, is open to the public and can be reached at 304-342-1576.