The recent destruction from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in southern states has caused need for intervention in many ways.

Answering the Call

Numerous organizations, both local and country-wide, have reached out to help. One of these ways is rescuing thousands of animals that were displaced or surrendered during and after the disastrous weather.

Along with asking for as many volunteers as possible, almost every shelter in affected areas is working to either reunite pets with owners or find fosters and new permanent homes for the animals.

Relocation

The number of dogs and cats that are now astray, however, is too much for states like Texas, Louisiana, and Florida to handle. Because of this, groups like The Humane Society, a national nonprofit animal protection organization, have been out rescuing and relocating since the storms hit.

Animals have been transported to shelters who have opened their doors for intake in various other states, just a few being Oklahoma, California, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Local InvolvementThe Humane Society in Manassas, for one, received a plane full of dogs on Sept. 2 from southwest Louisiana after Hurricane Harvey.

From there, the animals are seeing veterinarians, and getting placed in many other shelters nearby in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. They will there be put up for adoption.

Local members of the community, like animal-advocate Erica-May Scherzer, are also reaching out to help the animals. Scherzer and her husband Max, ace pitcher for the Washington Nationals, partnered with the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, D.C, and covered all adoption costs for animals to help clear the shelters, and make room for animals impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

How to Help

In addition, there has been a constant need for donations, both monetarily, and of resources needed to care for the stray pets, and new homes for the displaced animals. There are many resources for information on how to reach out and lend a hand to the animals in need, including The Humane Society and The Humane Rescue Alliance.