The founder of a rehabilitation dog centre has been left to deal with “a complete nightmare” after storm Katie damaged buildings that house the vulnerable animals.

The incident has left the centre unable to take in any more dogs for the foreseeable future.

Kymm White, founder of South East Dog Rescue, is now calling for help after the storm ripped the roofs off three buildings at the site in High Halden.

The storm over the Easter bank holiday weekend, which saw winds of up to 70mph, has caused irreparable damage to two of the three buildings at Brickyard Farm and it is likely that they will have to be taken down.

Miss White, 33, who was in Wales when the storm hit in the early hours of Monday, March 28, said: “It is a complete nightmare. We will have to start from scratch.

“The wind got underneath the roof and luckily it fell backwards away from the dogs.”

Fortunately, none of the dogs were hurt in the incident.

Niall Lester, a dog warden from Dartford and friend of Miss White, helped bring the dogs to safety.

Workers at the The Retreat Animal Rescue, which is based on the same site, also stepped in to help.

South East Dogs Rescue, a non-profit organisation established in 2009, serves as a sanctuary and rehoming centre for all breeds of dogs who are unwanted, abandoned or neglected.

The organisation rehabilitates and assesses dogs from all backgrounds and nurses them back to health.

Miss White said: “We have a true ‘no kill’ policy. We will never put a dog to sleep.”

The retreat can host between 30 to 60 dogs but, after the storm, only 20 remain on the site in other, smaller, buildings, including Miss White’s house.

Other dogs have been placed in groups with foster owners and in kennels in Dartford.

Miss White is appealing for more foster owners to come forward in the aftermath of the damage.

She said: “Some of the dogs would not cope going into foster kennels. They could become very stressed.

“We ask for anyone that has time and is dedicated and, ideally, has another dog.”

Builders visited the site on Sunday to assess and begin repairing the damage, which it estimated will cost £6,000 to £7,000 to make good.

Miss White said: “We have to make the buildings this time so it never happens again. We need to make sure we have even better facilities for the dogs.”

She is calling for help during this tough time, adding: “Donations would help massively. Even if people can source materials and give their expertise, or if people want to sponsor dogs.”

Volunteers and committed dog walkers are also needed.