10/13/2026
💔 HURRICANE RECOVERY UPDATE: WE'RE STILL STANDING, AND WE'RE DETERMINED TO GET BACK TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. 🐾
Like so many of our neighbors, A HOPE and Snip Happens are facing the difficult aftermath of the hurricane. Our hearts are with every family, business, and organization trying to pick up the pieces right now.
We know we aren't alone in this. Our entire community has been affected, and some of our neighbors are facing losses far greater than ours.
We are incredibly grateful that things weren't worse for us. But we still have a long road ahead before we can reopen.
For now, Snip Happens will remain CLOSED until power is restored and we can safely resume operations.
🌳 HERE'S WHERE THINGS STAND:
Large fallen trees are blocking portions of our parking lot and driveway, and sections of our fencing need repairs.
Our lobby flooded during the storm, but thankfully, the water has since receded, and we haven't discovered any lasting damage. We also experienced one roof leak, but so far, we haven't found any significant damage from that either.
Considering the devastation throughout our community, we know how fortunate we are.
Yesterday, our director, her family, and even their children got to work clearing fallen trees with a family pole saw. We knew it wasn't designed for that kind of work or going to hold up for long, but it was what we had available.
So we rolled up our sleeves and did what we could.
And we kept going until the pole saw finally gave out.
There's still a tremendous amount of work to be done, but we're determined to keep moving forward.
🪚 IF YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HELP, HERE'S WHAT WE COULD USE:
🌳 Chainsaws and tree removal equipment: High-powered chainsaws would allow experienced helpers to continue clearing our parking lot and driveway. Donations, temporary loans, or assistance from tree removal professionals would be tremendously appreciated.
🔨 Fencing repairs: If you have experience repairing fencing, access to materials, or time to lend a hand, we would welcome the assistance.
❤️ Financial support: For those who are in a position to help financially, donations toward our recovery and continued operating expenses would make a meaningful difference.
And please hear us when we say this: If you're dealing with your own storm damage, financial hardships, or simply trying to get your family back to normal, please take care of yourselves first.
We are not asking anyone to sacrifice their own recovery for ours.
We are sharing our situation in hopes of connecting with individuals, businesses, contractors, and organizations who may have the equipment, expertise, or resources available to help us get back on our feet.
❤️ THE CHALLENGE WE CAN'T FIX WITH A CHAINSAW…
Perhaps the most frightening part of this situation isn't the fallen trees or damaged fencing.
It's the financial uncertainty.
Snip Happens is still in its very first year of operation. Like many young nonprofit businesses, we're working hard to establish financial stability while keeping veterinary care affordable for the families who depend on us.
Every day our doors remain closed is another day without income.
But our financial obligations don't stop.
We still have payroll to meet. We still have building expenses, loans, insurance, and the everyday overhead required to keep a veterinary clinic operational.
And now, we're facing the additional costs of hurricane recovery.
It's a scary position for any small business, but especially for a nonprofit clinic that has invested so much into creating an affordable service our community desperately needs.
We aren't sharing this to suggest our struggles are greater than anyone else's. We know countless families and businesses are facing these same fears.
We're sharing it because this is the reality of trying to keep a young nonprofit clinic alive through an unexpected disaster.
🐾 OUR TEAM IS RECOVERING, TOO.
Many of our employees and volunteers are still without electricity in their own homes.
They're navigating the same challenges as everyone else: caring for their families, dealing with storm damage, and trying to restore some sense of normalcy.
Yet they're still finding ways to help us recover.
We couldn't be more grateful for the people who make this organization what it is.
📧 TO OUR CLIENTS WAITING FOR APPOINTMENT UPDATES:
We know many of you have appointments that will need to be rescheduled, and we're working to contact everyone as quickly as possible.
Without electricity or functioning phones, communication has been extremely difficult. We're doing our best to send emails whenever we're able to access the necessary resources.
We understand that many of you are also without power, internet, or reliable communication.
Please don't worry if you haven't heard from us yet. We haven't forgotten you, and we'll work through rescheduling as soon as we're able.
🐱 AND SOME WONDERFUL NEWS ABOUT OUR FOSTER ANIMALS…
Every single one of our foster animals is SAFE! ❤️
Our incredible foster families have made sure of that.
Despite dealing with the hurricane's impact on their own homes and families, they've continued putting the needs of their foster animals first.
These compassionate people have ensured that every animal in their care remains safe, comfortable, fed, and loved.
While so much around us feels uncertain, knowing our foster babies are safe brings us an enormous amount of comfort.
We cannot thank our foster families enough.
❤️ TO OUR COMMUNITY…
We've always believed that community means showing up for one another, especially when life gets difficult.
Right now, that means recognizing that we're all recovering together.
Some people can help clear trees. Some can repair fences. Some may be able to make a donation. Others are doing everything they can just to keep their own families safe and comfortable.
Every one of those situations deserves understanding and compassion.
If you're in a position to help us, we would be incredibly grateful.
If you're not, please don't feel obligated. Your family's safety and recovery matter just as much.
And if all you can do is share this update so it reaches someone with the equipment or resources we need, that is helpful, too.
We built Snip Happens because we believed our community deserved accessible, affordable veterinary care. That mission hasn't changed.
The hurricane may have temporarily closed our doors, but it hasn't changed our determination to reopen them.
We're going to keep working, keep cleaning, keep repairing, and keep doing everything within our power to get back to helping the animals and families who depend on us.
And when we do reopen, we know our community will need affordable veterinary care more than ever.
Until then, please look after yourselves, your neighbors, and your animals.
We're all in this recovery together. ❤️🐾
With gratitude,
The entire A HOPE & Snip Happens team
📩 To offer equipment, tree removal assistance, fencing repairs, or other support, please message our page.
🌐 www.ahopemilton.com
