West Virginia animal shelter pleads for help fostering dogs after truck crashes into building

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia animal shelter put out an urgent plea for people to foster its dogs after a vehicle plowed into its building Wednesday, shelter officials said.

The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association said on Facebook that a rental truck struck the building as workers were cleaning. One dog’s leg was injured.

A photo in the post showed the vehicle wedged into the side of the building. The truck “is the only thing holding this side of the building up — which creates a very serious safety hazard for the dogs in our kennels,” the shelter said.

Police arrived at the scene to investigate. Human Association Community Engagement Manager Angie Gillenwater told the Charleston Gazette-Mail the truck was driven by a man who came to the shelter to reclaim his pet. Power to the facility was shut off afterward as a precaution, she said.

Gillenwater said the shelter was at a “state of emergency” capacity at the time. She said about 120 of the shelter’s 250 animals are available for adoption.

The shelter asked people to take the dogs until permanent homes for them can be found. It also was accepting donations. The Facebook post had been shared nearly 5,000 times. Some people commented in the post that they were on their way to the shelter to foster a dog.

“It quite literally boils down to the safety of our animals,” the post said. “Our shelter will be closed for visitors until further notice, but we are in desperate need of fosters. Please help us provide safety for our animals.”