Best Friends' lifesaving work in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton
In terms of natural disasters, hurricanes are unlike any other. They announce themselves days, sometimes weeks, in advance, but you never really know what to expect. Sure, evacuations can mitigate human and animal suffering, and you can position emergency supplies and equipment as reasonably close to the impact site as prudent. But there are always exceptions and unexpected twists. With Katrina, it was the failure of the multiple levees with Lake Pontchartrain flooding the city and the Industrial Canal taking out the Lower Ninth Ward and so on across the Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes. With Hurricane Harvey, it wasn’t the wind but the fact that the slow-moving storm parked itself over Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast for days on end, causing unprecedented flooding and incapacitating one of the nation’s largest cities.
Like Katrina, Helene rewrote the books. The mountain country of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee was never considered vulnerable to hurricanes. There’s just too much terrain and rising topography between places like Asheville and the coast where storms normally do their damage. But not for Helene, which did its worst in rural and understandably underprepared mountain communities, wiping out small towns and isolated Appalachian enclaves.
Milton uncharacteristically didn’t begin as a tropical storm off the coast of Africa but rather was cooked up in the Gulf of Mexico, building to a Category 5 storm. It tore through the width of Florida like an exploding bullet with an entry and exit wound, spawning tornados as collateral damage.
Hurricanes are monsters, and however much they announce themselves, you never know the extent of the damage and havoc they will wreak until they have long passed.
In response to these recent disasters, Best Friends has been privileged to stand alongside our partners and supporters, working together to ensure that pets are included at every stage of disaster response and recovery.
Hurricane Helene efforts
In response to the unexpected and shocking impact of Hurricane Helene, our emergency response team — as well as many, many other Best Friends staff and volunteers who quickly raised their hands to help — jumped into action, focusing on lifesaving at every step. We arrived on the ground on September 29, and through collaboration with local shelters and rescue partners in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, we have been able to move just under 200 pets out of harm’s way thus far, getting them to safety and opening space for other animals in need.
Our mobile veterinary clinic has been an important piece of the effort. Set up to rotate between Rutherford and Yancey counties, the clinic has provided much-needed care, treating everything from storm-related injuries to offering basic wellness checkups for pets. The reception from the community so far has been heartwarming and humbling — families lining up for services, expressing their gratitude for the support during such a difficult time.
Meanwhile, we’re working with local volunteers and shelters to distribute supplies, including food, water, and medical necessities to some of the hardest-hit areas, ensuring that pets and their families have what they need to make it through.
This kind of emergency response is critical not only in the immediate aftermath of a disaster but in the long road to recovery. It’s part of our larger goal: ending the killing of pets in shelters nationwide. By helping shelters under stress, we’re not only assisting with immediate lifesaving efforts but also strengthening their capacity for the future.
Hurricane Milton efforts
Then, as Hurricane Milton approached the Gulf Coast of Florida, we were once again ready to mobilize quickly, knowing that many shelters would need help. With the storm hitting some areas hard, it became clear that transport was going to play a key role in ensuring animals’ safety.
Thanks to our partners and volunteers, we have been able to safely relocate animals from shelters in harm’s way to receiving partners across the country. These lifesaving transports — 415 in total as of October 17 — have been vital in creating space for shelters to accommodate new arrivals and keep up with the overwhelming need for care.
On the ground, our team has supported shelters in counties like Sarasota and Pinellas, providing staffing support so local teams could get a much-needed break. We’ve also been working with our partners to deliver essential supplies, including generators, food, and medical supplies, to areas without power.
While the physical toll of the storm was immense, the way our community came together to help the animals and people affected has been truly inspiring. It reminded all of us of the importance of standing together during hard times — because that’s how real change happens.
A broader impact
Through both of these disasters, the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and partners has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. Together, we’ve been helping shelters and communities in need, providing vital care and relief when it’s needed most, guided by the no-kill ethic that values every life. In so doing, we’ve strengthened the foundation of the no-kill movement.
Responding to disasters like these is just one part of our larger mission to make the entire country no-kill. By building relationships with shelters and helping them when they need it most, we’re ensuring they can continue their lifesaving work long after the storms pass.
I want to personally thank everyone who has supported our efforts — whether through donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word. It’s because of your kindness and compassion that we’re able to do what we do. In the face of these challenges, your support has given pets a second chance, and for that, we are truly grateful.
Together, we’re making a difference, and together, we will achieve no-kill nationwide.
-Julie
