September 18 was a big day in the world of animal rescue in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence when emergency officials in Horry County, South Carolina contacted the Animal Rescue Team of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) after a call came in from a couple about their home being flooded. It began with a couple who had 12 cats in need of rescue.
A rescue team from the San Diego Humane Society and the National Guard partnered with the Animal Rescue Team who had been in the Carolinas since the week before the storm to get the cats to safety.
It took a few hours to find all of the cats and safely place them in carriers. The cats were then transported out of the danger zone. Just as the team was about to leave their team’s truck was flagged down by a neighbor across the street who needed rescue for her four cats along with five nursing kittens.
The Animal Rescue Team has been on the ground in the Carolina’s as well as Virginia since Hurricane Florence was determined to be a potentially deadly storm (which it has, to both animals and humans). They have a network of partner shelters where animals were picked up from a safe place away from the flooding. The HSUS gave credit to Greenville County Animal Care on their blog stating
“Greenville County Animal Services has been a vital hub for us, with several of our partners picking up directly from them. This gives them the opportunity to not only help with placement but to support states and communities with critical response services. The HSUS Animal Rescue Team ensures that receiving shelters get financial support for the placement of animals and we cover travel expenses related to their transport. This model really broadens the reach of our team during a crisis.”
Their highly trained team will remain in the Horry County area to rescue more animals in need. The biggest danger is ahead in South Carolina as many areas will flood in the coming weeks as water recedes in North Carolina and enters South Carolina.
More information can be found on this source article, including ways you can support their efforts. It’s a good read. I basically did a condensed version with this PoC article.
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The way the news is talking the water hasn’t even hit a high yet. I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Will these pets be returned to their owners or be put up for adoption?
Hopefully they’ll be returned unless the owners want to find them other home.