Outpouring Of Donations To Bahamas Pet Shelters 'Unbelievable'

PALM HARBOR, FL — While Hurricane Dorian continued to wreak havoc in the Bahamas this week, staff and volunteers at the Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor reached out to the flooded Humane Society of Grand Bahama animal shelter and other shelters in the islands with an offer to help.

Little did they know just how much help they would be able to provide.

After putting out a plea on its Facebook page for emergency relief supplies, the Suncoast Animal League Thrift Shop was inundated by residents with cars and trucks loaded with necessary items for both pets and their human companions.

"What an amazing and caring community we live in," said Suncoast Animal League Executive Director Rick Chaboudy. "It's been beyond incredible. Words cannot describe how humbled we are by how generous everyone has been in wanting to help the animals and humans in the Bahamas."

On Thursday, volunteers at the Suncoast Animal League Thrift Shop loaded all the supplies into nine vehicles and delivered them to the St. Petersburg-based nonprofit Sol Relief. Local pilots have volunteered to load the supplies on private planes and fly to Lynden Pindling International Airport, which has reopened following the hurricane.

Other airports, including the Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, the island's only airport, have been destroyed.

Courtesy VOA News

The Suncoast Animal League didn't stop at simply collecting supplies for the hurricane-ravaged island. The league has also offered to take in homeless pets from the Humane Society of Grand Bahama, which had to move its surviving pets to storage facilities due to the extensive damage at its shelter.

See related stories:

150 Pets Rescued From Hurricane-Ravaged Shelter On Grand Bahama

Palm Harbor Pet Rescue Seeks Help For Flooded Bahamas Shelter

Tampa Bay Pilots Collect Donations To Deliver To Bahamas

Chaboudy and other staff at the nonprofit league were following the Grand Bahama shelter's dire circumstances through its Facebook page as the shelter staff described working in flood waters up to their necks, trying to save the 300 dogs and cats at the shelter in Freeport. Not only did the shelter house homeless animals but it also served as a pet evacuation shelter for Freeport residents under mandatory evacuation orders.

Chaboudy said at least five other animal shelters in the Bahamas were equally impacted by the hurricane.

An animal shelter in Sebastian, Florida, HALO No-Kill Animal Shelter, is coordinating the evacuation of animals from Grand Bahama and other islands devastated by the hurricane. The first pets are expected to arrive this weekend.

"We are waiting to hear from our friends on the east coast of Florida about their plan to evacuate cats and dogs from the islands," said Chaboudy, who said the league will be seeking foster parents for the rescued animals. "As soon as we know more, we will let you know."

In the meantime, the Suncoast Animal League is preparing for a second caravan of relief supplies to Sol Relief.

Chaboudy said so many people dropped off supplies at the thrift shop at 1454 Alternate 19 N., Palm Harbor, workers have run out of room. He's asking anyone else who wishes to help to drop off supplies directly at the Sol Relief hangar at Albert Whitted Airport, 107 8th Ave. S.E., St. Petersburg.

Items needed include:

• Extension Cords
• Work Gloves
• Chainsaw Bar Oil
• New Gas Cans
• Duct Tape
• Tarps and Ropes
• Hammers and Nails
• Battery-Operated Fans
• Batteries
• Flashlights
• Bug Spray
• Mosquito Nets
• Unused Blankets
• Cleaning Supplies
• Nonperishable Food
• Hygiene Products
• Baby Supplies (No Diapers)
• Pet Food
• Over-the-Counter Medical Supplies
• Solar Phone Chargers
• Phone Battery Packs
• Trash Bags
• Disinfecting Wipes
• Sunscreen
• Camping Lights (Solar and Battery-Powered)

Deliveries can be made ‪Monday through Saturday from 8‬ a.m. to 5 p.m. and ‪Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.‬

Those who wish to make a monetary donation to the Humane Society of Grand Bahama can visit its official donation page at Gofundme.

Anyone interested in fostering or adopted a pet rescued from the Bahamas should check back with the Suncoast Animal League's Facebook page in the coming days.