Florence Traps More Than 100 Animals, 2 People In NC Shelter

NEWPORT, NC — An estimated 43 dogs, 80 cats, 15 chickens and roosters, and at least two people were left stranded at a North Carolina animal shelter while Tropical Storm Florence wreaked havoc across the coast Friday.

They were trapped on the top floor of the Carteret County Humane Society in Newport. Flooded roads and fallen trees surrounded the old building, which began taking on water as its roof collapsed.

Animals at the shelter had to stand in inches of water Friday, USA Today reported.

At 7:30 p.m., the Cajun Navy was on its way to evacuate the shelter, manager Cassandra Tupaj told The News and Observer.

"We need large vehicles that can get through water," Tupaj added. "I was told that it’s passable with an F250."

Also read: Wild Horses, Ponies Should Weather Hurricane Florence Just Fine

After an evacuation is ordered, animal shelters can become overwhelmed in hurricanes. One shelter in North Carolina this week said it would have to euthanize animals if people didn't adopt them.

"We are avoiding euthanasia at all costs," Jewel Horton, manager of the Pender County Animal Shelter, told the Washington Post Wednesday.

"That’s why we’re begging for assistance."

During severe storms, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals urges pet owners to take the following steps:

• If you evacuate, take your pets with you. Never leave your pets behind or tether them to poles or trees, which prevents them from escaping high waters and getting to safe areas.
• Make sure all pets are wearing ID tags with up-to-date contact information. The ASPCA also recommends micro-chipping your pet as a more permanent form of identification, should collars or tags become lost.
• Create a portable pet emergency kit with items including medical records, water, water bowls, pet food and your pet’s medications.
• Choose a designated caregiver, such as a friend or relative outside the evacuation zone, who can take care of your pet in the event you are unable.

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Photo: Rescue workers from Township No. 7 Fire Department and volunteers from the Civilian Crisis Response Team help rescue a woman and her dog from their flooded home during Hurricane Florence September 14, 2018 in James City, United States. Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm and flooding from the heavy rain is forcing hundreds of people to call for emergency rescues in the area around New Bern, North Carolina, which sits at the confluence of the Nueces and Trent rivers. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)