KCHA remains closed after crash, hopes to reopen Tuesday

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – The Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association says there is more work to be done than they had expected after a U-Haul crashed into their building Wednesday morning.

KCHA officials said on Thursday that they’ve found additional, unexpected structural issues as the portion of the building that was struck was built in the 1990s. The engineers inspecting the crash damage found major issues with the attic, saying it wasn’t built correctly. The inspection also revealed that issue isn’t isolated to that area, so, at some point, the shelter will need a new roof and attic.

In the meantime, they’re working to do the best they can to fix the damage from the crash. They also say the HVAC units are still down after being put out as a result of the crash, and they are using temporary units for heating and cooling.

Officials say construction crews worked overnight to assess and start repairing the damage. According to the KCHA, a grooming station was the area that received the most damage, but the crash has put them down to a 40-kennel operation from their usual 108 kennels.

At this time, the shelter portion of the KCHA is working as “closed,” but vet appointments are still happening. KCHA officials say they hope to be reopened on Tuesday but are closed until further notice.

They also say they cannot take in any new strays at this time, and if you find a stray you should contact another shelter or rescue for the time being.

On Wednesday, community members poured in to help foster the dogs now in need of a place to stay. According to the KCHA, there are about 10-15 dogs still at the shelter. They say some of the emergency fosters have had to bring their dogs back, but they are being picked up by new fosters almost immediately.

KCHA officials also say at this time, adoptions are being sponsored by Todd Judy Ford, so they are free. Anyone wanting to help adopt or foster can fill out an application online here .

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