Ben Madilynn
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When Hurricane Helene hit land, the ensuing floods and destruction left people and animals stranded without access to clean water, electricity, and shelter. Many animal rescue organizations have stepped in to help the communities affected by bringing food and water for humans and animals, temporary shelter, and rescue relief efforts. Here are five ways you can help.
Best Friends Animal Society
The emergency response teams for Best Friends are on the ground in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee with staff and volunteers working to support local animal shelters. They are distributing critical supplies like medical, food, water, and even gasoline. The organization has partnered with 26 shelters in North Carolina that are currently without power. Volunteers are helping to relieve exhausted shelter staff. You can follow updates on the Best Friends’ Facebook page, and can donate to the disaster relief fund.
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
This wonderful organization goes into shelters to find high-energy dogs who would make great search-and-rescue dogs. Trainers pull dogs from the shelters and match them with a first responder. The human-dog team are then deployed together whenever a natural disaster strikes to help find people who may go undetected. Hundreds of teams were sent ahead of Hurricane Helene to be on hand to help find and rescue any humans trapped. Check out the paws on the ground teams—and consider donating to help the reliefs efforts.
Humane Society of the United States
The national organization has set up mobile animal vet clinics in several locations to help tend to sick and injured animals, as well as setting up a temporary shelter for animals who need the most assistance. They are bringing much-needed supplies to help assist the communities affected. You can find out more about the Emergency Animal Relief Fund.
ASPCA
Currently, the ASPCA is helping to transport 44 homeless dogs and cats to shelters outside of the Hurricane Helene destruction. In conjunction with rescue efforts, the Humane Society of Charlotte is hoping to clear out the shelters so they can make room for the transported animals. If you’re considering adopting a pet and live in the area, now would be a great time to help the local shelter. You can donate to the ASPCA and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, which was flooded during Hurricane Helene.
Local rescue groups
I want to highlight a few rescue groups in the hurricane-hit region that need immediate financial support. Several organizations are urgently asking for adopters so they can help take in more animals and others are asking for pet supplies to give to those in need.
Jennifer Chen is a freelance journalist and young adult author who lives in Los Angeles with her TV writer husband, twins, two pugs, and a cat named Gremlin. She’s a proud foster kitten mama.
