SURPRISE, AZ — A Surprise animal sanctuary is working to recover after a powerful monsoon microburst caused significant damage to its property, destroying feed supplies, damaging shelters and disrupting access to clean water for multiple animals.
Sunshine Animal Sanctuary founder Kelly Kilmain said the storm hit with little warning and brought some of the most severe damage the nonprofit has experienced.
“We've not had any real strong damage, little things here and there, but nothing like this,” Kilmain said. “And it just kind of came out of nowhere.”
The sanctuary, which provides care for horses, donkeys and other animals, was struck by extreme winds, hail and heavy rainfall during a recent monsoon storm.
According to Kilmain, the storm destroyed a hay storage structure and ruined large amounts of feed that had been stored on-site.
“Not only was the storage destroyed, but all the hay is over there,” she said.
Several inches of rain also damaged portions of the sanctuary's infrastructure. Shelter roofs sustained damage, and the property's well system went offline, temporarily leaving the animals without access to clean water.
Despite the extensive property damage, Kilmain said the animals escaped largely unharmed.
“The only injury we had, one of my horses has a little small scrape on his nose,” she said. “But they were fine, so that was the biggest relief.”
The sanctuary has been built and maintained through the efforts of volunteers and supporters who help care for animals that need homes.
Kilmain said the organization was founded in part because of the challenges many horse owners face when trying to find suitable placements for aging or unwanted animals.
“It's very hard to find enough homes for domestic horses and donkeys,” she said.
Now, the same community that helped build the sanctuary is helping rebuild it.
In the weeks following the storm, supporters have donated nearly $10,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to assist with repairs, replace lost feed and restore damaged facilities.
The fundraising effort has provided encouragement during what Kilmain described as a difficult period.
“It's amazing,” she said of the community support. “It definitely makes you feel a lot more ... well, I guess a lot less alone in this situation.”
Monsoon storms have caused damage across parts of the Valley this season, with strong winds and localized microbursts impacting homes, businesses and agricultural properties.
For Sunshine Animal Sanctuary, recovery efforts are still underway, but organizers say the response from neighbors, volunteers and donors has helped provide a path forward.
While rebuilding continues, Kilmain said she remains grateful that the sanctuary's animals were spared serious injuries and that the community has stepped up to help when it was needed most.
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