Bay Area animal sanctuary cleaning up mess left behind by recent hurricanes

By FOX 13 News Staff
Published  October 16, 2024 1:09pm EDT
FOX 13 News
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Nonprofit flooded after Milton

FOX 13's Barry Wong reports on Horsepower For Kids struggles after Hurricane Milton caused flooding.

TAMPA, Fla. - Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted the HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary in different ways.

"The hardest part is just everything, just watching 30 years of this wonderful place growing, and then all of a sudden just Mother Nature can just tear it all away and take it away," Estela Orosz said.

The nonprofit is close to the water just outside the Oldsmar area, but Hurricane Helene’s storm surge took the staff by surprise.

The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary suffered significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton.

"In our area, we've had flooding before. None as we saw with Helene," Orosz said. "We didn't know that we were going to get three feet of water, when it started rising that night when we're all scrambling to get animals to safety."

All 300-plus animals survived, but the sanctuary has been closed since. The flooding destroyed equipment like lawnmowers and tractors. Most of the animals’ feed and hay were lost. As staff and volunteers started picking up the pieces, Hurricane Milton hit. Instead of water, wind did the damage.

"All the bamboo, the trees were everywhere. You can barely see the ground. It was just covered with debris everywhere. A lot of the enclosures were torn down with the wind," Orosz explained.

READ: Florida lineman hailed 'hurricane hero' after smashing windshield to save car crash victims

For the past week, staff and volunteers have been working nonstop, with the goal of opening back up this Saturday, Oct. 19. That kicks off the sanctuary’s most important event of the year: the three-week Fall Festival Fundraiser.

"We've had a lot of people from the community and neighbors that have come out and cut trees and picking up debris," founder Armando Gort said. "It really humbled us that so many people have come and help even when they have their homes destroyed. All of them are animal lovers, and they want to make sure the animals are OK."

All animals at the HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary survived hurricanes Helene and Milton despite the damage caused by each storm.
All animals at the HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary survived hurricanes Helene and Milton despite the damage caused by each storm.
All animals at the HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary survived hurricanes Helene and Milton despite the damage caused by each storm.

Volunteer Cheryl Trader drove up from Clearwater with a rake and gloves.

"My kids have come here. My grandchildren came here. I just like what they do. They bring in rescues. They let them live out their life in happiness," Trader said. "I see the community coming together not only here, but everywhere, and it's a good thing."

For more information on the HorsePower for Kids Animal Sanctuary, click here.

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