April 04, 2025
Shaw Local
NewsSubscribePrep SportsObituariesFriday Night DriveeNewspaperLocal EventsShaw Local RadioStarved Rock Country

Illinois Valley Animal Rescue overwhelmed by community support after water pipes freeze in dog building

IVAR still in need of bottled water, fuel and kerosene for donated torpedo heaters

By Jayce Eustice
Illinois Valley Animal Rescue received help from the surrounding community after they say their water pipes located in the dog building were frozen due to the extreme cold.

Illinois Valley Animal Rescue received help from the surrounding community after they say their water pipes located in the dog building were frozen due to the extreme cold. (Jayce Eustice)

On Tuesday morning, Illinois Valley Animal Rescue in La Salle announced that its water pipes at its physical location froze, and they were in need of assistance.

IVAR Executive Director Chris Tomsha said their dog building is an old truck terminal that sits on concrete. The water piping for the building is located within the concrete wall allowing extremely cold temperatures to reach them and cause them to freeze.

“In wintertime, we have to keep the water dripping,” Tomsha said. “[Monday] night it got pretty cold, and that didn’t work and the pipes froze.”

IVAR then asked for help from the surrounding communities to warm up the pipes and to provide bottles of water for the animals until the problem could be solved.

The response IVAR received from its supporters was overwhelming, Tomsha said. Within hours, people began donating supplies to help the organization.

“We received quite a bit of water, a couple torpedo heaters and fuel,” Tomsha said. “That’s what we needed. I don’t know how quick this one is going to loosen up. Normally we can get it done within a day but at this point we don’t know.”

The animal rescue organization was able to secure multiple heaters about six hours after the group originally posted on its Facebook page. The heaters were donated to IVAR from the community.

Tomsha was thankful for the support the Illinois Valley has shown them and other organizations in the area, time and time again.

“We’ve been here for 21 years now, and every time we get into trouble with something like this, the community steps right up and helps us,” Tomsha said. “Not only with the animals, but you can see throughout all the different organizations that our community really keeps going.”

Tomsha also thanked the work her volunteers put in to making sure the animals still are taken care of, even during the extreme weather.

Moving forward, if anyone is interested in assisting Illinois Valley Animal Rescue, the organization still is in need of water jugs or bottles for the animals.

Also, after receiving the use of the torpedo heaters, the focus now shifts to supplying it with fuel, as one heater uses kerosene to warm the pipes and maintain the safety of the building.

IVAR also wanted to remind the community that monetary donations are welcome and go directly toward the animals they take care of.

For anyone wishing to drop off supplies, IVAR’s shifts run from 7 to 10 a.m., noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. daily.

For more information, call IVAR at 815-224-0061 or call or text 815-791-1059.