Displaced Pets Heading To Other States For Better Quality Of Life After Irma
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Alachua County Humane Society rallied together before Hurricane Irma by fostering out animals to make room for animal evacuees.
But now that Irma has done its damage, it has created an influx of animals that have been displaced after the storm – and it's flooding the shelters.
"It's our job as rescue groups to go into those county shelters and take those animals into our program so we can ensure we are not euthanizing any pet for lack of space in one of our community's shelters," Margot DeConna said.
However, in order to carry out this mission, there needs to be room for the animals.
"We've all collaborated together over the past week or so to clear out all of our county shelters in North Central Florida," DeConna said.
All hands are on deck as animals from surrounding counties are flocking to the Alachua County Humane Society to be shipped out around the country.
"The shelter medicine program at the University of Florida is to bring in supplies," said Julie Levy. "Such as vaccinations, antibiotics, parasite treatments and distribute them to shelters that need them… to safely transfer them out of state to other shelters."
Aldwin Roman with Charleston Animal Society says they're "going to fit as many as we can fit into a trailer and our van."
But in order to continue to fulfill this ambition, a lot more outside help is needed.
"Tomorrow morning, we've arranged for two airplanes with the Humane Society of the United States that are coming to Gainesville regional airport," said Roman.
The planes will transfer more than 130 dogs to Wisconsin and Michigan.
A flight with more than 100 shelter animals was supposed to leave Miami before the hurricane hit.
As so many animals are being shipped out, the humane society wants to clarify that these animals have been homeless for quite some time before Irma.
Those that have been displaced after Irma will become adoptable after 30 days.
