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From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (September 2004):
One hundred homeless cats and dogs were sitting ducks in their cages as heavy rains pushed floodwaters into the front yard of Orphans of the Storm, an Armstrong County animal shelter.
At first, employees and volunteers at the shelter weren't worried, for in 35 years of operation there had never been a flood in the shelter. But by 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17, 2004, it was apparent that the animals, including young puppies and dogs and cats recovering from surgery, would have to be evacuated.
A call went out to W.C. Crytzer Equipment Inc. and Bus Transport a quarter mile away.
Bill Crytzer and several of his employees spent the next seven hours moving the animals to higher ground by flatbed truck and pickup, drying them off and bedding them down. As word of the potential disaster spread, volunteers showed up to help at the shelter, which is on Route 85, about three miles east of Kittanning.
"We were all, people and animals, soaking wet and cold," Crytzer said. "It was raining and blowing and cold. Most of the animals were in cages. Some were on leashes. I don't know how many trips we made. At times, we were wading through 2 feet of water to carry dogs and cats to the trucks. Our repair shop and our parts department became a kennel. Then we had to dry all the cats and dogs."
One of the shelter volunteers was Elaine Crytzer, Bill Crytzer's wife and an Orphans board member. "I don't know how many loads of wet towels she washed and dried at home," he said.
All of the animals were evacuated with no injuries, according to board member Phyllis Wiles.
"Some of the animals took it all in stride and didn't blink an eye. Others were visibly scared," Wiles said. "They were moved back to the shelter Saturday afternoon and, by Monday, all seemed more at ease", she said.
On Saturday, Crytzer's son used one of the trucking company's power washers to clean the kennels, then shelter employees and volunteers worked to disinfect the area before the animals returned, by flatbed truck once again.
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