By admin 
MARICOPA, AZ (AZFamily) — People in Pinal County spent the day dealing with damage left behind by Sunday’s storm, which flooded roads and damaged several homes and businesses, including the Gud Ark Animal Sanctuary.
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Animal sanctuary left in shambles
The Gud Ark Animal Sanctuary was left in shambles. Pastures are flooded, enclosures are destroyed and large trees were uprooted.
“It’s been a little crazy. I’ve been here for four years, and this is the worst we’ve had it,” said Amy Petris, vice president of the sanctuary.
Volunteers have been working since 5 a.m., but the damage keeps mounting. Along with shredded shelters, the storm wiped out the sanctuary’s entire supply of animal feed.
“Our hay all got ruined last night. It got soaked, so it’s no longer safe to feed. “We lost about $2,000 worth of food for the animals,” said Mary Vercande, a volunteer.
Front patio destroyed
Down the road, a twisted pile of metal and scrap had been Sheldon Neumyer’s front patio 24 hours earlier.
“We were expecting a storm, but I don’t think we were expecting a storm quite that powerful,” Sheldon said.
Neighbor Brianna Waltman described the moment the patio gave way.
“Terrifying. It completely lifted up and folded in half. I’ve never seen that besides in movies,” Brianna said.
The Neumyers say the storm roared through their Hidden Valley neighborhood with the force of a freight train, tearing their home apart in an instant.
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“We were just lying in bed and heard what we thought was lightning strike the house. Just the loudest boom ever. It scared all of us,” Sheldon said.
Long recovery ahead
As Maricopa picks up the pieces, neighbors and volunteers face a long and expensive recovery.
“It’ll take some time for sure. We’re just going to have to make some sacrifices and do what we can,” Brianna said.
The cleanup is only beginning. Neighbors and volunteers trying to rebuild say they are watching the sky, concerned about what the next monsoon storm might bring.
The Gud Ark Animal Sanctuary is in need of volunteers to help clean up the storm damage. If you’d like to get involved or donate, click here.
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