Friday, October 4: Best Friends is currently working with rescue partners and shelters to establish pet resource sites in impacted areas, as well as a supply staging site to transport necessary items to more remote communities. Our staff are also identifying veterinarians to provide care at these sites.

We are continuing to support both in the field and with remote efforts. Right now, 20 staff members and volunteers are already on the ground, assisting with rescue operations, securing supplies, and setting up staging areas. More team members will arrive today and throughout the weekend to ramp up our relief efforts.
 

Thursday, October 3: In the past two days, the team has worked hard to organize our three-pronged response in North Carolina, while also building strategic relationships to enhance collaboration. 

We’ve opened communication with key partners, including Bissell, FEMA, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Our Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is now set up in Charlotte, NC, with staff coordinating efforts in the field. We are scaling up staffing and volunteer support based on growing supplies and veterinary care needs in affected communities. 

Though our priority is North Carolina, emerging needs in Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida are also being addressed, with efforts underway to organize support in those areas. 

We are working with rescue partners and shelters to establish pet resource sites in Buncombe and Rutherford Counties, as well as a supply staging site to transport necessary items to more remote communities. Staff are identifying veterinarians to provide care at these sites. 

We are also staffing up over the next five days to continue supporting both field and remote efforts, utilizing responses gathered from recent surveys. Additionally, 10 staff members and volunteers are already on the ground, assisting with rescue operations, securing supplies, and setting up staging areas. More team members will arrive soon, although finding lodging in Charlotte remains a challenge. 

Yesterday, several transports moved 27 dogs and 20 cats from North Carolina and Georgia to various locations, including New Hampshire and Ohio. More transports are planned in the coming days, potentially clearing out Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Shelter to help them support other impacted shelters. Several shelters in severely hit areas may not be able to rebuild in the near future, and upcoming transports will continue to focus on shelters in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. 

Starting today, volunteers will assist at Pasco County, Florida’s temporary emergency shelter, helping with animal care as they manage their shelter and support affected communities.

Wednesday, October 2: Ongoing outreach efforts to identify the needs of those impacted by Hurricane Helene continued today, though some communities remain inaccessible due to storm damage.

Our continued focus is on supporting transports, facilitating placement of animals, supply distribution, and animal care. 

As part of these relief efforts, several transports are underway, emergency response volunteers are being deployed, and supply drop-offs are being made to support the affected areas.
 

Tuesday, October 1: Power and connectivity are slowly being restored throughout the impacted areas as Verizon puts up cell towers. With some restored connectivity, we’re starting to hear back from some of the hardest hit areas, letting us know that they are in dire need of support. 

Our current focus is on supporting transports, facilitating placement of animals, supply distribution, and animal care. We're working to provide staffing support in these three areas throughout the impacted region.

Volunteers and staff who are being deployed to the field are bringing in loads of supplies. All deployed vehicles will be loaded with water, pet food, cat litter, generators, cleaning supplies, and human shelf-stable food.
 

Monday, September 30: As we begin to understand the extent of Hurricane Helene’s destruction, Best Friends’ teams are working around the clock to ensure that our staff, partners, and animals in affected areas are safe and well-supported. While the situation is evolving, we’re doing everything possible to react quickly and thoughtfully.

We have staff members in the area and en route, driving supplies to some of our hardest-hit partners.

Emergency response volunteers are arriving to assist our team – including by helping with transports, animal care, distributing supplies and relieving exhausted shelter workers as needed.

Transport efforts are also underway to move animals out of harm’s way and we're working to help place animals in need.

Logistics are a challenge because fuel is scarce and lodging is difficult to secure. We’re getting creative and working on securing accommodations for our team, including VRBOs, Airbnbs, and trailers.

 

As we find out more, we will update this space. You can also check our social media channels for information.

Visit Best Friends’ Facebook page for updates and to follow our work on the ground. Working with our local partners, we are committed to providing support and safety to the animals in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.