Missouri State Sen. Brad Hudson said at least a third of Missouri was affected by the severe storms that hammered the state Friday night.
GRAY SUMMIT, Mo.– When an EF-2 tornado tore through eastern Missouri on Friday night, many areas along Interstate 44 in Franklin County were left in pieces.
One of the neighborhoods struck was Gray Summit, where several buildings at Purina Farms were damaged, including the farm’s visitor and pet center, barn and dog arena.
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Storm debris hangs in trees left standing on Purina Farms after a tornado caused significant damage.
(Purina Farms/Facebook / FOX Weather)
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Getting the frantic call
Allison Mitchell, manager of Franklin County Humane Society in Union, Missouri, rushed to Purina Farms when she heard about the damage.
Tara Fox, a shift leader at Burger King in Villa Ridge, Missouri, was one of 13 people trapped in a bathroom as a tornado barrelled through their store. She, Gabriella Breeding and Stefanie Terry join FOX Weather to talk about their experience from that night.
She said she got a call around 10 p.m. that night from one of the head trainers with Purina’s Incredible Dog team, who also helps run the pet center.
“She called me, and I had actually missed her call,” Mitchell said. “When I saw she didn’t leave me a voicemail, and she didn’t text me, I immediately knew that something was wrong.”
The Animal Barn at Purina Farms was one of several areas damaged by an EF-2 tornado on March 14.
(Purina Farms/Facebook / FOX Weather)
Mitchell said she returned the call as soon as she saw it, and that’s when she was told Purina was hit and the pet center was destroyed.
Mitchell said she feared the worst when she jumped into her car and headed to Purina Farms. She parked about a mile away, and said she was dodging fallen trees on her walk to the farms.
Damage to Purina Farms Pet Center the night of the tornado
(Franklin County Humane Society/Facebook)
“It was pretty crazy walking up,” she said. “All the fire alarms were going off, and you could actually see the flashing lights from the fire alarms.”
Animals such as cows, horses, other farm animals and adoptable cats and dogs all live at Purina Farms.
The farm had been housing four adoptable animals in their pet center when the storms struck, including a cat named Weaver and a dog named Rufio.
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‘Completely destroyed’
Mitchell was told on site that Rufio was safe and secured. Weaver the cat was alive, but still trapped inside the pet center.
While waiting for permission from first responders to rescue Weaver, Mitchell said she went over to check on Rufio, a 5-month-old puppy. Thankfully, the pup wasn’t hurt at all.
After she looked over the puppy, Mitchell set her attention back to getting to Weaver.
She said she waited for a little while before first responders gave the all-clear to enter the pet center to get the cat.
Damage sustained to Purina Farms’ pet center building after a tornado hit on March 14.
(Purina Farms/Facebook / FOX Weather)
“It was completely destroyed,” she said. “It was flooded.”
Mitchell said the second story of the pet center was gone, and a burst pipe was spraying water down onto the first level of the building.
They had to trudge through ankle-deep water and debris to get to Weaver, who was in the back of the building.
A panel had collapsed onto the cat’s crate, but he was tucked back into a corner safe and sound.
“He very funnily acted like nothing was even wrong,” Mitchell said of the nearly 2-year-old cat. Other than being wet, Weaver had no injuries.
Weaver posing with his paw up. He’s available for adoption at the Franklin County Humane Society.
(Franklin County Humane Society)
Despite the damage to the buildings, none of the other animals were harmed in the tornado.
“Our buildings may be damaged, but our spirits are high, and our hearts are full around these guys!” Purina Farms said in a Facebook post, featuring photos of some of their animals and the damage to their buildings.
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Purina Farms said horses were relocated to nearby Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, while their other farm animals were moved to other parts of the farms not impacted by the tornado.
Open Door Animal Sanctuary took back their two dogs that were at Purina, and Mitchell called a temporary foster to keep Weaver and Rufio for the night while she stayed at Purina to help out.
Rufio at his temporary foster the night of the tornado.
(Purina Farms/Facebook / FOX Weather)
After a few hours doing what she could to help around the farm, Mitchell headed home.
‘The outreach has been amazing’
Rufio and Weaver have been doing well in the days since the storm. Another trainer at Purina Farms who had seen Rufio on property offered to foster him, while Weaver is now at the humane society.
Weaver the cat in his temporary foster home after surviving tornado on March 14.
(Franklin County Humane Society)
Mitchell said she’s thankful none of the animals at the farm were hurt.
Purina Farms closes in the wintertime to the public. Mitchell said when they’re in the in-season, the humane society sometimes has 10 or more animals on site at once.
“It’s been a lot to process,” she said.
Rufio at his new foster home, doing well in the days since the tornado.
(Franklin County Humane Society)
In the meantime, the humane society has been doing everything they can to help members of the community impacted by the tornado. Mitchell said they’ve received several monetary and supply donations to bring pet supplies out to families who lost everything.
“The outreach has been amazing,” Mitchell said.
Humane Society workers and volunteers hand out pet supplies for pet owners impacted by recent tornadoes.
(Franklin County Humane Society/Facebook)
Mitchell said the main goal is to make sure no one feels they need to give up their pets in this time of loss and destruction.
“My number one goal right now is to make sure that everyone has not just short-term resources, but long-term resources to keep their animals with them,” she said.
Rufio and Weaver are still available for adoption. For more information, click here.
Purina Farms said they’re closed until further notice as they investigate damage and begin the cleanup process.
Ashlyn Carter-Lawson was taking shelter with her husband and dogs during severe weather when a tornado caused the ceiling to collapse in her home. She said they ended up evacuating their home in the middle of the tornado-warned storm to get to a safer place.
How to help
To make a donation to the Franklin County Humane Society, visit their website here. Mitchell said for anyone wishing to donate to storm victims, please leave a memo specifying so.
To make a donation to Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, click here.
For donations to Open Door Animal Sanctuary, click here.