LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) — A nonprofit animal wellness center in Livonia is facing an uncertain future after a devastating flood left the facility under water and forced its temporary closure.
Laura Kuchinski, founder of Tailwaggers, discovered the flooding when she arrived at the center on Sunday for some weekend work. What she expected to be a quiet day turned into a nightmare as she found herself wading through water that had completely flooded the building.
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"Opening up Pandora's Box. The bathroom has about 2 inches of water in it," Kuchinski said.
The flooding extended throughout the facility, including the clinical areas where Tailwaggers serves upward of 70 pets per day. Water levels reached 1 to 3 inches across the floors, with the lobby resembling a lake.
"There's water everywhere — everywhere," Kuchinski said. "The lobby looked like a lake."
Despite feeling defeated initially, Kuchinski called in her staff for support. Kelly Ewald, a veterinary assistant, was among those who responded to help with the crisis.
"Woah, this is a lot of water. What happened?" Ewald said upon seeing the damage.
The flooding destroyed the cat room and damaged numerous other areas of the facility. The only animals present during the incident were office cats, all of which have rescue stories. Staff had to wrangle them to safety, though Kuchinski noted they were scared but would recover with love and attention.
"They're scared, but they'll get over it. They get a lot of love and attention from us," Kuchinski said.
A plumber determined the cause was a clog 85 feet parallel to a pipe beneath a drain, which has since been cleared. However, the aftermath continues to present challenges for the nonprofit.
Kuchinski expressed relief that the facility's servers and 45,000 active animal files remained intact, calling their potential loss "a disaster."
The founder is currently working with insurance companies and expects upward of $20,000 in covered damage. However, this doesn't include drywall and flooring that will need replacement to maintain safe operations, which she hopes her landlord will address.
"Can we open? Should we open? We have bills and rent to pay and staffing, so it scares me a lot," Kuchinski said.
Tailwaggers relies entirely on revenue from its wellness center operations. The facility is currently closed as negotiations continue with the landlord regarding repairs and reopening. They're expecting to reopen Tuesday.
Kuchinski is asking the community for help through donations to supplement losses and replace damaged items like cat towers. Despite the overwhelming situation, she remains determined to continue the organization's mission.
"We're not quitters. We plug away and try to keep a positive outlook and a smile on our faces, but inside I think I'm crying a little bit," Kuchinski said.
The future of Tailwaggers remains uncertain as discussions with the landlord continue and the organization works to recover from the extensive water damage.
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