Florida Shelter Dogs, Cats Evacuated To Bay Area

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Hurricane Irma's first Florida refugees have arrived in California and the category 5 storm hasn't even hit the mainland yet. The refugees are dogs and cats that had been up for adoption at the Humane Society of Broward County in Ft. Lauderdale. They were moved out of harms way and will now seek their forever homes in the Bay Area.

“We received a call from our rescue partner in Florida early Tuesday when it became clear that this massive storm could cause catastrophic damage to their area,” said Elena Bicker, executive director of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). “By clearing shelter space, they can better respond to recovery efforts and focus on reuniting any local owners and pets who may be displaced by the storm.”

ARF, the East Bay SPCA and Berkeley Humane Society are partners in the rescue. Each facility received some of the animals.

Bicker said that previous storms that hit the Southern Florida area left the Broward County rescue without electricity and water service for several days.

“Our goal now is to find these ‘bicoastal’ dogs and cats loving and safe homes here in the Bay Area,” Bicker said. “In the end, we’re not only rescuing these animals’ from the path of a destructive storm, but also freeing up space and resources in their local area so more animals receive help during a time of crisis.”

The dogs and cats were evacuated on a Livermore-based Wings of Rescue flight funded by Walnut Creek-based ARF and freekibble and GreaterGood.org. The plane arrived in Hayward Thursday afternoon with some 150 pets aboard.

“It’s amazing how quickly and efficiently these operations come together when you have multiple partners all with the best interests of the animals in mind,” Bicker said.

If you would like to adopt one of the dogs or cats, check one of the facilities listed above. Adoption fees have been waived this week in an effort to quickly resettle the animals.

If your home is already filled with furry friends, you can still help by making a donation to help cover the costs of transporting the animals, caring for them and placing them.

-All Photos courtesy of ARF

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