PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Several cats escaped a sanctuary in Bucks County this week after a severe storm tore through the area.
A strong thunderstorm Tuesday night into Wednesday morning knocked down two trees, destroying the fence that kept the cats enclosed at the Bridge Clinic in Bensalem. The organization takes care of cats that have been deemed unadoptable.
"I got up there and I was like, 'this can't be real. I'm in a nightmare,’” said Rachel Braccia, director of marketing and development at the Bridge Clinic. “The destruction was kind of breathtaking."
Braccia says these cats suffer from various ailments and are not equipped to fend for themselves in the wild.
"To know that some of them have been out, up against the elements. You know, we've got coyotes back here, we've got foxes, we've got crazy raccoons. So these cats aren't necessarily ready or prepared or have the defenses to keep themselves safe."
Volunteers are searching for the missing cats, but they worry that loud noises from chainsaws could scare off any cats trying to return to the shelter.
“The most positive thing I'll tell you that's keeping us strong throughout all of this is that we haven't found one single deceased cat."
According to the organization’s Facebook post Friday evening, 10-12 cats have returned.
“We’re hopeful that more will come back to the food, water, and love waiting for them,” the post read.
The Bridge Clinic will pay for repairs using the more than $13,000 donated by the community.