SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) – The San Diego Humane Society was hit by flooding at several campuses around San Diego County during Wednesday’s storm.
"It came more furiously than we expected," said Gary Weitzman of the San Diego Humane Society.
As it rained cats and dogs outside, the cats and dogs inside had to be kept safe and sound from the impacts of El Nino.
"We had everything in line. But of course, as soon as it happens, then you have to scramble and actually do it," said Weitzman.
At several campuses throughout the county, the San Diego Humane Society experienced flooding inside and outside of their buildings during Tuesday and Wednesday's storms.
At the Human Society's main location on Gaines Street, workers resourcefully used 25 pound bags of cat litter in place of sandbags. At the older Sherman Street location, rising waters in the roadway made it difficult to access. In Oceanside, the campus on San Luis Rey Road suffered from cascading walls with rain water that had nowhere else to go.
The main priority for the Humane Society employees was making sure that all of the thousands of animals in their charge are cared for.
"We’ve moved animals everywhere. We have moved them to higher digs at Sherman Street. We moved them over here to our Gaines Street campus and we are making sure that everybody is safe and sound," said Weitzman.
Hundreds of other animals were placed into temporary foster care provided by volunteers at their homes.
"We are keeping people overnight so that they can make sure we stay clean and dry and that the animals are safe," said Weitzman. "We know that this is going to go on for the next couple of months. So, with every storm we experience, it's like a dress rehearsal for the next one. So we are not going to let our guard down until well into March and April."