Hurricane Harvey: Atlanta Humane Society Takes In 100+ Pets, Heads For Texas

ATLANTA, GA -- The Atlanta Humane Society took in more than 100 adoptable animals from their Houston counterpart as a contingent set off for Texas early Friday. The Houston Humane Society is in dire need of space for animals displaced in Hurricane Harvey, so Atlanta is lending a hand.

"These animals are NOT animals that were displaced by the hurricane, lost from their families or strays found on the streets during/after the hurricane," AHA spokeswoman Christina Hill told Patch in an email. "These animals were already adoptable animals at the Houston SPCA before Hurricane Harvey hit."

AHS was set to send a team to the Lone Star State around 4 a.m. Friday, she said. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

"We're headed to Houston," the society said in a Facebook post Thursday. "But supplies are urgently needed.Your support is needed now so that we have the resources to care for as many animals as possible once we arrive on site."

Every dollar that donors give Thursday to help animals will be matched by a group of the AHS' major donors up to $200,000, the society said.

The organization's focus will be on helping with lost or abandoned animals, Atlanta Humane Society Hill said earlier in the week.

"At this time, we will not be bringing animals back with us, but we will be assisting in the field with the immediate animal welfare needs in Houston and assisting with the intake and care of stray, lost and abandoned animals at the Houston SPCA," Hill said.

In recent days, the Atlanta Humane Society has been busy assisting in the effort to save displaced animals in Hurricane Harvey's wake. The facility took in 30 dogs and cats from the Louisiana SPCA and placed them in Alpharetta at its Mansell campus.

The move allowed its Louisiana counterpart to make room for more animal rescue efforts due to the hurricane.

As the storm -- weakened but still deadly -- continues to move out eastward, the Atlanta Humane Society is anticipating the need for even more space at its Alpharetta campus so it has waived adoption fees on all dogs and cats one year and up through Thursday.

Like us on Facebook

Officials from both states said that Texas and Louisiana will be reeling from the effects of Harvey for some time. For Atlanta, the storm system will send cool air throughout the next two days. Highs will be about 80 degrees.

Image via Pixabay