DHA cats and dogs will stay warm and dry in foster homes during Hurricane Sandy

Posted on October 27, 2012

As you may know, Mayor Baker has ordered a Mandatory Evacuation of southeast Wilmington by tomorrow evening as a precaution due to Hurricane Sandy. Our shelter on A Street, which at any given time houses up to 40 dogs and 90 cats, is within the evacuation zone.

Emergency preparedness plans are already under way for placement of our cats and dogs into temporary foster homes with staff, volunteers, friends and supporters in the community, and local boarding facilities as needed. Your support is appreciated, but please DO NOT call the shelter with offers to help at this time; we will keep you posted if additional foster homes are needed. We expect to be able to return to the shelter and be back to business as usual by the middle of next week.

This is the same situation that we successfully faced last year with Hurricane Irene, and hopefully the shelter will again be spared any damage this time around. Although our current shelter has not had an issue with the building flooding in the past, plans for DHA's new facility at our current location specify that it will be elevated higher above the flood plain.

October 28th update: The evacuation is coming along! Right now we're in good shape with placing animals in foster homes, and Windcrest Animal Hospital will be boarding some of our cats at a discounted rate. But there is still another way to help! Our operating expenses budget is always tight, and we would welcome additional funds in support of our evacuation efforts. Your gift will help us provide fosters with extra supplies and cover boarding fees.

We want to thank everyone who is helping us out as we batten the hatches, and all year round, whether you're fostering, helping at the shelter, or donating. You all make a difference for the animals, and we couldn't do it without you!

October 28th – evening update: Whew, what a busy day. All the cats and dogs at DHA are safe and sound in temporary shelters! The staff did an amazing job coordinating and implementing the evacuation. Thank you again to everyone who took cats and dogs into your homes today, and to DHA business partners Windcrest Animal Hospital and Playtime Doggie Daycare for providing additional accommodations. We hope everyone and their pets stay safe over the next few days!