This update was first shared in the months after Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico in 2017.
María was a devastating experience for everyone on the island. We were fortunate to move all of our animals to the safety of our veterinarian’s clinic before the storm, but the damage was enormous. The area where we housed our dogs was completely destroyed, and we worked at limited capacity for a long time afterward.
More than a year later, we were still rebuilding and hurricane-proofing the shelter. Over half of the facility had been repaired, and our dogs were back home, but we could only house up to 50 dogs instead of the 100 we cared for before the storm. Getting everything back to full strength meant raising an estimated $400,000 for demolition and rebuilding, a geotechnical study, structural design and furnishings.
Through hurricanes, earthquakes and a pandemic, the light at El Faro has stayed on, thanks to supporters like you. If you’d like to help keep it shining for the next storm season and beyond, every gift makes a difference.