Nearly 30 cats and dogs from Louisiana have been transported to Atlanta in order to provide space in shelters near the Hurricane Harvey storm zone.
Atlanta Humane Society’s Christina Hill explained how animal welfare organizations across the country are working together to aid animals that have been displaced by the hurricane.
“Shelters in the vicinity where the hurricane is happening really need space to take in those animals,” Hill said. “So by taking adoptable animals, we’re providing them space to take in animals in desperate need.”
Hill said that although they have only received one shipment of animals so far, it has made a big difference.
“When we transport animals in like this during disaster relief it definitely, 100 percent helps,” she said.
In order to make these transports happen, and really help these displaced animals, it is crucial that animal welfare organizations join forces.
“We’re a really a collaborative community,” Hill said. “We always stay in contact and are always there for each other when something’s needed, especially in disaster. If we don’t work together it’s not gonna do any good for the animals.”
The Atlanta Humane Society plans to work as a hub for the Southeast to help partners across the Gulf, Texas and Louisiana as needed.
The Atlanta shelter is anticipating more animal shipments from areas near Houston and along the coast in the coming weeks.
“We only have a certain capacity as well, so we are coordinating these efforts, where we’re pulling animals in from these disaster zones, but also working with shelters to keep moving them [animals] up in order to have space where they’re needed most,” Hill said.
If the Atlanta shelter fills up, it will ship some of its animals north to states unaffected by the hurricane in order to keep providing aid to animals in need.
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