Anyone who works in animal rescue knows the phrase “the calm before the storm” is only talking about the weather, not the people. While families are gathering emergency supplies and windows are being boarded up, animal shelter staff are attempting an evacuation of their own.

Shelter staffs along the east coast are doing their best to empty their kennels, and the SPCA of Wake County is helping these efforts by taking in some of these pets. On Monday, the SPCA took in nine dogs from the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach. We are expecting more than a dozen cats to arrive Tuesday afternoon, but details and logistics are still in the works.

It's important to know, these pets were already available for adoption long before the hurricane, and they do not have families looking for them. The reason they need to leave is to make space for the expected influx of pets that are separated from their humans during Hurricane Dorian.

When the families come looking for them, these displaced pets need to be at a shelter close to home. The more empty kennels there are pre-storm, the more space a shelter has for pets that become lost because of the hurricane.

In situations like these, your support counts double. Not because of a matching gift campaign, but because your generosity will save twice as many lives. Donations make it possible for the SPCA to save these pets and find them new homes. Donations also save the lives of the pets that will stay in those now-empty kennels while they wait to be reunited with their families.

If you have been considering adoption, now would be a great time to bring home a furry friend. Any pet you take home (whether they came from a coastal shelter or not) will open a space for the SPCA to rescue more pets.

If you're not able or ready to adopt, we completely understand! Consider making a donation to help us fund these new rescue efforts. All of these additional pets will need food, vaccines, and other supplies. We need to fuel our transport vans and pay our staff to care for the pets. Your support is truly life-saving!