Oldest no-kill shelter in Houston-area sues developer claiming it's flooding the shelters property
HOUSTON - Special Pals sits on almost five acres at 3830 Greenhouse Road.
According to its lawsuit, the property did not have a history of flooding until Grand Oaks Village became a neighbor.
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"When you see what it used to be, and then you see what it is now, it's depressing," said Special Pals Shelter director Becky French.
You won't see dogs being walked or running and playing behind Special Pals Animal Shelter anymore. Why?
There's standing water everywhere.
"The ground is pretty soft here and then all this flooding," French said. "It's completely flooded in there, so we've had snakes out here.
All the standing water is a haven for mosquitos. Something you don't want around dogs, as they can get heartworms.
Special Pals has been at this location for 40 years. It is the oldest continuously running no-kill animal shelter in the Houston-metro area. The shelter's relatively new neighbor is a 70 lot residential subdivision called Grand Oaks Village.
It's the construction work by Woodmere Development, the shelter's lawsuit alleges, that's causing the waterlogged mess.
"We're a small non profit," said French. "We can't afford to fix it."
That's why Special Pals filed suit. It alleges Woodmere Development tore out brush and other foliage that previously helped filter and regulate the flow of water. The developer then grated their property and raised its elevation by several feet.
"The natural flow of the water stopped when the area built up higher, and it has nowhere to go," French said.
The flooding she says is just getting worse. Her biggest concern is the safety of the animals. If a big rain event hits, dogs could die,
"Because the kennels, it's not level, but pretty close. And the water is getting higher, so if we were to have that water, it would definitely get into the kennel system," said French.
We reached out to an attorney representing Woodmere Development for comment, but we've yet to hear back.