Villalobos Rescue Center looks for blankets and volunteers

NEW ORLEANS — Fans were blowing and vacuums were running Thursday evening inside the Villalobos Rescue Center as staffers tried to dry out dozens of kennels.

Images the group posted to its Facebook page show what it looked like when water from the thunderstorms earlier in the day got inside their North Claiborne Avenue headquarters.

Staffers were also looking for help in gathering new blankets for the dozens of dogs that live at the center and volunteers who could walk the dogs after a hectic day.

“This kennel was completely covered in water,” said Heidi Ziegler, the rescue center’s medical coordinator. “The ground is very uneven in there, so some parts flooded more than others.”

Dozens of dogs had to be moved, making the day just as stressful for them.

“For the dogs … it's a change of their daily routine and the water actually doesn't seem to faze them very much, but it's all the chaos that comes with it.”

But for all the sudden changes, Ziegler said the dogs handled everything well.

“For the most part, they handled it like champs,” she said.

Anyone who wants to drop off blankets can do so at the center at 4525 N. Claiborne Ave. Volunteers can show up at 8 a.m. Friday to sign paperwork that will allow them to walk dogs.