Asheville – Following Hurricane Helene, numerous stories emerged about animals being swept away and running loose. Prior to the hurricane, animal shelters had already begun outreach campaigns to alleviate overcrowding. Surprisingly, while a series of calamities left most Ashevillians digging out and grateful for any silver lining, the Asheville Humane Society is currently experiencing a period of success.
Speaking on behalf of AHS, Caroline Dougherty stated that things were returning to normal. The shelter is not at capacity, but numbers are rising toward that level. This success is the result of thousands of acts of kindness, from organizations launching major logistical operations to families that took in animals and children who donated pet supplies.
The Bissell Pet Foundation airlifted approximately 100 animals from the AHS shelter when it was without water, communications, and electricity. One destination for the dogs, cats, and guinea pigs was the Forsyth Humane Society, which also donated and shipped supplies to assist the families of shelter workers. Other supporters included the Charlotte Humane Society and Burlington Animal Services, all of which had emergency placement plans in place to expedite fostering and adoptions, helping families take Asheville’s pets into their homes.
In total, Bissell flew around 1,000 shelter animals to safety following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, including furry friends from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. The animals were transported as soon as the Asheville Regional Airport reopened.
Residents of Charleston, South Carolina, which experiences an average of one hurricane landfall every seven years, are familiar with utility outages, road closures, and supply chain disruptions. Recognizing that freight deliveries were not an option, the Charleston Humane Society organized a convoy to deliver pet supplies, particularly water bottles.
Jerry Miller, a volunteer with Until They’re Home, a shelter in Fort Collins, Colorado, drove a truck to Asheville to pick up 21 kittens. Kind-hearted Coloradans equipped the truck to ensure comfortable and sanitary transport. The Henry County Animal Shelter also participated, with their sheriff’s department assisting with deliveries. Henry County is located in Virginia, 200 miles away when I-40 isn’t closed. Several animals were sent to Maryland.
COVID-19 also played a significant role in the response efforts. Once again, a formidable challenge proved to be a valuable teacher, and lessons in preparedness left AHS with several programs in place when the hurricane struck. During the COVID era, many people lost their health, jobs, and homes before ultimately surrendering their pets in epidemic proportions. Shelters across the region struggled to avoid exceeding capacity, prompting AHS to adapt.
One program they introduced encouraged individuals who found strays to take them into their homes. AHS would assist by providing donated food and other supplies. They also implemented a pre-adoption program to streamline adoption protocols. Social media became an effective tool for finding homes for pets; after Helene, Dougherty noted that there were so many lost-and-found pet pages that AHS hesitated to create their own. Now that things have calmed down, they support a Facebook page titled “Lost and Found Pets—Supported by Asheville Humane Society,” which currently lists photos of about 200 animals.
Unfortunately, Brother Wolf faced greater challenges. Helene caused flooding and mud damage that resulted in total losses of all their buildings. Having been warned of the impending disaster, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue evacuated all 137 animals in their care within just two hours, including herding 75 cats for fostering. Six months later, they are still searching for what has been humorously referred to as their forever home.
In the meantime, the ASPCA has graciously allowed them to transfer administrative operations to their spay/neuter clinic on Leicester Highway. Kind animal lovers are fostering animals that would have been sheltered at Brother Wolf in their homes. Brother Wolf is providing food, beds, blankets, leashes, bowls, and other necessities for foster families, made possible by generous contributions received. In the first quarter of this year, Brother Wolf successfully completed 130 adoptions.