Supporting the sheltering community in flood-ravaged areas after Hurricane Helene

Posted on Friday, October 04, 2024

On Tuesday morning, we were greeted by pleas for assistance from communities in western North Carolina devastated by flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Shelters are without power or water, workers were unable to reach the facilities to care for the animals, and many of their staff face tremendous personal loss as well. The BISSELL Pet Foundation, our long-time partner in disaster relief, asked the Richmond SPCA to be the receiving hub for animals being evacuated.

Nicole Harrig, assistant manager of admissions, jumped into action to coordinate space in our humane center to bring animals into our care, and soon two dog rehab spaces and one room to house cats were cleared and set aside by the animal care team. Though communication with those on the ground was intermittent due to lapses in cell service, we got word that volunteers from the Shelter Dog Transport Alliance had loaded every dog and cat from the Yancey County Humane Society onto their van and were bound for Richmond.

A second plea answered

The next message came that the vehicle had been stopped by emergency services, and we feared that they weren’t being allowed through. Much to our relief, it was the opposite. They were being asked to take on more animals from Mitchell County Animal Rescue. With two vans packed to capacity with 50 dogs and 90 cats, their estimated arrival at the Richmond SPCA was set for 9 p.m.

Local media reporting for CBS6 and ABC 8 News joined our staff in welcoming dogs and cats evacuated in shelters in western North Carolina.

A collection of staff from across our operations returned to the humane center to greet them, along with two additional Virginia rescues, Homeward Trails and Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF). Animals were carefully unloaded from the vehicles they arrived on and either welcomed into the Richmond SPCA or reloaded onto waiting vans bound for Falls Church and Fairfax Station.

Over the next week, our new arrivals from North Carolina — 30 cats and 12 dogs — will receive thorough veterinary exams, treatment for any medical concerns and sterilization surgeries before we make them available for adoption. To indicate the pets who were part of this disaster relief effort, we will place a blue heart icon 💙 on their adoption bios.

Joyful, tear-filled reunion

When flooding began in western North Carolina last week, Alyce Householter was visiting friends in the northeast. This Thursday, as she made her way back home, where she works at Mitchell County Animal Rescue, she learned that their animals had been safely evacuated to Virginia shelters where they will soon be available for adoption. Alyce wasn’t far from Richmond when she got the news, so she stopped by our humane center in hopes of seeing some of the friends she hadn’t had the chance to say goodbye to.

It was a tearful yet joyful moment, especially when two of her favorites, Ruby and Echo, saw a familiar face for the first time in days. The recognition was unmistakable, and we got to see a new side of these two dogs, who’ve been understandably nervous after the sudden move to a brand new place. They all got some much-needed reassurance this afternoon.