When the historic blizzard headed toward Tiverton last Sunday, most residents hunkered down and settled in. Roads closed, travel bans went in place, and life seemed to hold its breath. But at Tiverton’s West Place Animal Sanctuary and B Free Farm, closing wasn’t an option. With hundreds of rescued animals in their care — many requiring twice-daily medication — workers at the two animal rescue non-profits settled in for a long haul.

At West Place, executive director Wendy Taylor, operations manager Laura Rejto and board chairman Thomas Humphrey packed overnight bags and prepared for a multi-day “sleepover” so they would not miss a single feeding or dose of medication.

Preparing ahead of the storm meant stocking barns with extra shavings and feed, storing backup water in case pipes froze, and moving tools, buckets, and wheelbarrows under cover so nothing would be buried. Even the Christmas trees the animals forage on had to be secured before the snow hit.

“The dangerous weather and travel bans made it impossible for volunteers or additional staff to travel safely,” Taylor said. But “animal care doesn’t stop because there’s a storm.”

For two days, Taylor, Rejto, and Humphrey worked in isolation feeding, administering medicine, cleaning enclosures, and checking on every single animal. Despite exhaustion, the routine never wavered. The sanctuary’s rescues, blissfully unaware of travel bans and weather alerts, still expected breakfast and dinner on time — and they received it.

To ease confinement during the storm, staff scattered scratch grains instead of bowl-feeding, hid mealworms in hay, laid down Christmas trees for foraging, and even played classical music in the duck house. In severe weather, creativity becomes part of the care.

At B Free Farm, Scott and Amy Macdonald approached the blizzard with the same unwavering focus: The animals come first.

Preparing brought its own stress, as they worked to anticipate every possible scenario. They added extra bedding for comfort, increased hay to keep animals warm and occupied, and prepared meals in advance so feedings could continue without disruption. Because the farm runs on well water, they also stored more than 600 gallons in their heated garage to guard against outages.

When the storm hit, they checked regularly on each of their 17 stalls, making sure every animal felt their presence. “Knowing they were safe — and that we were there — gave all of us peace of mind,” they said. One especially touching moment came when their barn cats, temporarily separated by heavy drifts, were finally reunited near their shelters.

For the Macdonalds, the lesson was simple and steadfast. “We have to make the animals our number one priority,” they said. “Their safety is always our biggest concern. We carry that with us every day.”

Meanwhile, the community rallied from afar. Throughout the storm, calls, emails, and text messages poured in from supporters asking one simple question: Are the animals okay?

“It meant the world to us,” Taylor shared. “So many people reached out just to check in and make sure everyone was safe. That support carried us through those long days.”