Storm Malik has caused 'severe damage' to parts of Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter as high winds battered the region on Saturday.
Staff acted quickly to evacuate the animals and bring them to safety as strong gusts took hold of the Benton rehoming site and left a trail of damage.
The worst hit was 'Doggy Towers', which was housing six dogs when the storm hit and went on to destroy the roof of the kennels block, which allows dogs access to a secure outdoor pen from their individual kennel.
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Among the dogs who had to be evacuated was little Hugo, an eight-year-old Jack Russell Terrier who is already a nervous dog.
Chris Bray, Chief Executive of Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter, said: "When the wind began to pick up, we locked the animals housed in Doggy Towers in their indoor pens for safety.
"As things became worse, we took the decision to move them to a different building and that was absolutely the right decision as the storm has severely damaged the roof of the kennels.
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"I'm very proud of our shelter team here who kept the dogs calm during what was quite a frightening experience.
"Ultimately, we're all very glad that staff and animals are safe but repairing the building does present us with a financial challenge, especially after a challenging couple of years due to Covid."
Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter is a charity that has helped reunite lost animals with their owners and find new homes for those no longer wanted for the last 125 years.
At Christmas, it was visited by Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and Ted the rescue dog for the festive special of 'Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing' .
To donate to Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter's maintenance, please visit: www.justgiving.com/dogandcatshelter.
For more information about the charity, including details on animals available for rehoming, please visit: www.dogandcatshelter.com.
