Monday night's devastating storm destroyed homes and businesses, but one story caught the attention of the public, an animal shelter in Plainfield, where rising floodwaters threatened the lives of the dogs and cats trapped in their cages.

Raven Santana reports on how the owners saved every life and how the community is stepping in to help them rebuild.

So we swam from across the street over the night it was occurring.

Those two major hours the water was just up to the first floor level which meant based on history the entire eight foot basement was full of water.

Torrential rain slammed Union County late Monday night, rising water turning calm streets into raging rivers.

At the Plainfield Area Humane Society, the situation turned dire within minutes.

Board member Salvatore Carrano knew he had to act fast, literally diving into the water, swimming across the street to the shelter, knowing that more than 80 cats and dogs had no way to escape.

They can't care for themselves when they're in the dark, locked either in a pen or a cage, and we knew the commitment was to do what we can, and we did, and gratefully and thankfully we're safe, the animals are safe, and yes the days ahead are hard, but we're here to do it.

Carano gave us a tour of the wreckage.

Mud-caked kennels, ruined food, drowned medical supplies.

Outside where dogs once played, floodwaters still linger.

Water lines etched high on the building walls tell the story.

This storm showed no mercy.

So for the cats, fairly easy, we just scruffed them, put them in higher cages for dogs, especially if they were afraid, and we have dogs 50 plus pounds.

A lot of them, you know, they were scared, risk of getting bit, risk of getting hurt, so we just picked them up, held their muzzles with our mouths, and put them in top cat cages.

Josh Reyes is the director of operations for Hope for Paul's Humane Society in Plainfield.

He, along with Carano and other employees, swam to help get animals to safe areas of the shelter.

As word spread online, a wave of support followed.

Nearby shelters, including the Plainfield Animal Hospital, also stepped in.

Others in the community opened up their homes.

Overwhelming.

We went and we did a post to go and help the Plainfield Area Humane Society, and then it kind of went viral.

We were really overwhelmed with all the community, just in general, in the surrounding areas on how they were really willing to go and just come and drop off all these donations.

Towels, blankets, bowls, crates, kennels, cleaning supplies, and we decided to step up to go and help them.

We've worked with them for a really long time.

We've known them for a really long time, and we want to help them, you know, so we're going to be holding everything for them until we get the green light and they're ready to take it.

Donations are now flooding in, but for Reyes and Carano, the road ahead remains steep.

They say the real need now isn't just food or towels, it's funding to rebuild.

I just want to say we want to get back to the day before the storm.

You know, the community has come together.

We got a lot of physical donations in, but we need monetary donations to bring this building back up to speed, but even more so figure out a new building or if we have to move somewhere else.

The floodwaters have receded, but the emotional toll of this storm still runs deep.

Amid soaked walls and broken crates, one thing remains untouched.

The spirit of this community and its unwavering fight for the voiceless.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Raven Santana.

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