Car crashes into Utah Animal Adoption Center in Sandy

SANDY — A car crashed into the Utah Animal Adoption Center in Sandy on Sunday afternoon, damaging part of the building but leaving all animals and staff safe.

The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. when a driver attempting an improper turn collided with another vehicle, lost control, and then struck the building, according to the Sandy City Police Department. The driver sustained minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital.

Jode Littlepage, the executive director of the Utah Animal Adoption Center, said she feared the worst when she first received word of the crash.

"Your brain can make up scenarios that are really terrible, and that's what mine was doing," she said. "Just thinking about what I would find when I got here, and making sure that people were safe, the animals were safe."

Littlepage said a volunteer had just left the building minutes before the crash, and no one else was inside at the time. All 16 animals were unharmed, though staff are monitoring them for stress following the incident.

All of the animals remain in the building, though some were moved to different areas as a precaution.

A couple of cats were housed just behind the wall that was struck.

Littlepage said the center is still determining what repairs will be needed.

More information on how to support the organization is available on its Facebook page.

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