RENTON, Wash. — Some dedicated volunteers walked for nearly an hour to take care of animals amid Friday's ice storm.
Road closures, flight cancellations and power outages complicated the busy holiday week. While many stayed off the roads, two volunteers in Renton decided they simply couldn’t stay home because there were animals in need.
After 20 years, Sammamish Animal Sanctuary moved to a new location on May Valley Road in Renton this year. The nonprofit organization caters to abandoned, homeless and neglected animals needing a forever.
Founder Diane Gockel says the quality of life and safety of their animals is the top priority. Friday's icy conditions made it impossible for many of the volunteers to make it, but a dedicated few walked more than an hour to be sure the animals had everything they needed.
“Duty calls, the animals need to eat and we want to be sure everyone is warm enough,” says volunteer Janine Hoff.
Janine made the foot commute with her son Nate and spent hours cleaning stalls, feeding animals and providing adorable warmth to the bunny barn.
“Snuggling bunnies is a perk for sure!” laughed Janine.
The chickens and pigs have shelter and heat lamps and the horses and donkeys are wearing blankets for warmth. The alpacas and llamas are built for the cold but the diversity of the animals living on the property make for plenty of work to ensure the animals are safe and comfortable.
Some local families are fostering animals like bunnies during the colder weather, but the volunteers say they are committed to braving the elements to care for all the animals.