UPDATE 10/1/2018: Rescue Efforts Continue with a Stop in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Our Emergency Rescue Team continues to assist our shelter partners in the Carolinas and the surrounding areas as they rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence.
Late last week, the team drove three hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, where they were assisting with the live activation of NASCAR on NBC’s PUP SERIES near Charlotte Motor Speedway, to provide relief to the people and animals at Fayetteville Animal Protection Society. Equipped with one of our Mobile Rescue Units, our team arrived at the area’s only licensed no-kill animal shelter with food, water, litter, and other essential shelter supplies that were slowly dwindling since the hurricane made landfall. After the unit was completely emptied and their shelter was re-stocked there was only one thing left to do; save more lives.
Six dogs of varying ages, including a three-legged Pittie named Scooter, and six kittens were carefully loaded onto the climate-controlled mobile unit in preparation for the long drive back to our New York campus. All of these animals will receive the very best of everything Animal League America has to offer – from top-notch veterinary care inside our Pet Health Centers, nurturing human companionship from our shelter associates and Pet Behavior Team, and the opportunity to one day find responsible, loving homes with the perfect adopters.
“I cannot thank you enough or express how much this means to our small but mighty shelter. It’s tough being the only no-kill shelter in the area serving Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and Fort Bragg,” said Jackie Stickley, Executive Director of Fayetteville Animal Protection Society. “However, these donations will go such a long way in helping us save more animals in the area. We are so grateful! Because of you, we will be able to pull more animals that have been abandoned/displaced by Hurricane Florence.”
As the rebuilding continues in the Carolinas and beyond, so will our efforts to assist in any way that we can. Whether it’s replenishing supplies or taking in homeless animals, we will be ready to act at a moment’s notice thanks to your continued support.
For more on our emergency rescue efforts in the wake of Hurricane Florence, tune in to The Rachael Ray Show on Wednesday, October 10th. Check local listings for time and station.
The team returned back to our no-kill campus on Sunday from their week-long journey south, with Mobile Rescue Unit filled with 53 homeless animals – 25 cats, 12 kittens, 5 puppies, and 11 dogs – all of which were rescued from Orangeburg and other nearby shelters before, during, and after the powerful storm barreled through the area. All of these lucky animals were greeted by the smiling faces of our dedicated volunteers and members of our shelter staff, quickly admitted, and then sent over to our Pet Health Centers for full examinations. Many of these animals, having been out in the harsh elements, and are suffering from skin conditions, ear infections, and other ailments that will require immediate medical attention. They will be the recipients of the full gamut of our individualized, compassionate care.
Thanks to your continued support, our Rescue Team is already back on the road equipped with another Mobile Rescue Unit filled with supplies for our shelter partners in Fayetteville, Charlotte and Raleigh. Many of the shelters in these areas, including Fayetteville Animal Protection Society and Humane Society of Charlotte, are overcrowded with displaced animals and in desperate need of food, water, and other essentials, so we are taking swift action to ease the burden as much as we can.
Members of our Emergency Rescue Team are making the drive to Orangeburg SPCA in South Carolina to aid in their on-going recovery efforts. Because of your generous support, Animal League America will be able to continue to help the people and animals affected by this devastating storm, but still be prepared to take swift action the next time disaster strikes. Animal League America Rescue Coordinator, Karla Agostinello, who is making the 1600-mile round-trip journey to South Carolina along with Rescue Associate/Driver Ted Moriates, said they will likely be dropping supplies at surrounding shelters in need of support after making the initial stop at Orangeburg.
“We won’t be heading back to New York until the Mobile Unit is empty and we’ve done all we can to provide some sort of relief,” she said. “These people and their animals have been through so much in the past few days – they’re reeling. We’ll be here for as long as it takes and we’ll be bringing animals back with us to help make room for more animals who were separated from their families during the storm. We’ll know more when we get down there and assess the situation.”
We just transported another 29 dogs and puppies back to the safety of our no-kill campus in Port Washington, NY. Members of our Rescue Team drove one of our Mobile Rescue Units roundtrip to Virginia to pick up these lucky canines, all of whom were rescued from various flood zones and evacuated areas in the Carolinas just before the deadly storm made landfall.
Included on this lifesaving transport were two sweet mamma dogs and their precious litters of young puppies. Both nursing mothers and their seven adorable babies are now resting comfortably in our Sponsor Nursery, receiving 24-hour individualized medical care from our compassionate veterinary staff. They will be provided with everything they need to recover from their recent travels – never again having to worry if they are safe and loved. All of the other dogs and puppies on the transport will also be treated to exceptional veterinary care before being pampered by our Grooming Team, and nurtured by our shelter staff – all in preparation to one day find a loving home to call their own.
As Hurricane Florence passes through the southeast, leaving countless lives uprooted in her wake, we continue to stay prepared. Thanks to those who donated supplies, we have loaded up one of our climate-controlled Mobile Rescue Units and will be heading down to South Carolina to drop them off and rescue even more homeless animals. Please donate today and join us in being the champions these innocent animals so desperately need during these trying times.
The power of your giving allows us to continue to reach animals in need from all over the country and around the globe, and provide them with everything they need to one day find responsible, loving homes of their own. Please make an urgent donation to support our rescue relief efforts today.
As part of our 74-year history of rescue, our no-kill reach is critical. Just like in 2012 with Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Isaac, in 2016 with Hurricane Matthew, and most recently, when Hurricanes Irma, Maria, and Harvey caused record-shattering devastation in 2017 – another catastrophic storm is on it’s way and North Shore Animal League America is ready to respond.
As Hurricane Florence bears down on the Carolinas and the surrounding areas, carrying pounding rains and sustained winds of up to 130 mph, we must act fast. Our Emergency Rescue Team is partnering with Martinsville SPCA to rescue 35 dogs and puppies and provide much-needed relief to other shelters in the area –shelters that would otherwise be too overcrowded to offer refuge to local animals when the Category 4 storm hits. Martinsville SPCA is a hub in the Virginia area for all of the surrounding areas, so we continue to work cohesively to ensure the people and their animals of the affected areas will have somewhere to turn if and when disaster strikes.
The rescued dogs and puppies arrived in New York thanks to flight volunteers at Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART), a 501(c)(3) charity organization that has been transporting homeless animals to safety since 2009. Once safely at our no-kill campus, these animals will receive a complete circle of care® inside our Pet Health Centers, and provided with a nutritious meal and a comfortable place to rest their weary heads. Each one will need a great deal of additional resources and care – and we hope we can count on your support to help us be the hero these defenseless animals need.
We are also working closely with Orangeburg Lakeside Animal Rescue, one of our Shelter partners in South Carolina, to remove even more animals from impending danger. Our Rescue department is in the process of arranging an emergency transport that will save the lives of another 20+ dogs and puppies. With water levels rising to unseen levels and communities being evacuated, these animals would have been left outside to suffer if not these collaborative rescue efforts. In turn, we would not be able to provide the lifesaving care we do without your generous support. We will stay in constant communication with all of our shelter partners in the affected areas and be ready to act at a moment’s notice.
Please make an urgent donation to support our rescue relief efforts today.
