KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Neighbors made sure laundry was not on the to-do list for the KC PAWS rescue group after a water line burst before Christmas.
Instead of pets, people walked out with laundry from the rescue at 7833 Wornall Road in KCMO.
“It was a great Christmas present to us,” said Michelle Cole, the rescue’s director of operations. “We are at high capacity and have more rescue dogs than we’ve ever had and cannot do any laundry.”
More than 60 pets made KC PAWS home Monday while the women working at the facility tried to balance cleanliness with the cost of towels that couldn't be washed in the building.
The damage to the pipe wasn't inside the building, so the nonprofit faces expensive repairs.
“We thought we were going to have a pretty good nest egg from this big fundraiser we just had and now it’s going to be gone,” Cole said. “We’re struggling financially and also just day-to-day, keeping things clean is really hard when you can’t wash stuff, rinse stuff out or do any laundry.”
The nonprofit put out a plea for help on Facebook asking anyone with a washer and dryer and spare time to stop by and pick up a load of laundry.
“I always try and make sure I save it for an emergency because I know people will come out and come through,” Cole said. “It’s very helpful and we don’t know what we would do without help from volunteers and stuff like that.”
Diane Muren, who operates another local rescue, left the building with 3 bags of laundry.
“I know a lot of people don’t work today,” Muren said. “So why not do something good with your time.”
KC PAWS said they will need continued help with laundry for the foreseeable future.
Anyone willing to help should go to their facility at 7833 Wornall Road to pick up bags of laundry.
