NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — The aftermath of Storm Barry in Louisiana left some furry friends without a home, so a local shelter in Southwest Florida stepped up to give these animals a place to live.
Sixteen dogs arrived from St. Landry Parish Animal Control, an outdoor shelter in Louisiana. The shelter’s director Stacey McKnight says most of the dogs have had a rough week, like Tug, one of the dogs who survived through the storm.
“He was actually chained outside of his owner’s property during the hurricane. They brought him in. He went underwater,” McKnight said.
Flooding from the storm left many dogs without a home, crowding animal shelters in the areas. McKnight says her shelter had over 400 dogs before the storm hit.
“We were way overcrowded to withstand 75 mile per hour winds and a hurricane coming,” McKnight said.
The Animal Refuge Center in North Fort Myers offered to help. Veterinarians from ARC and VCA Coral Animal Hospitals volunteered to give the dogs immediate medical attention when they arrived at the shelter.
“We draw blood samples to check for heartworm disease, we’re going through de-worming for intestinal parasites, treating for fleas and ticks, and of course, updating vaccines,” said Laura Braun, Board Trustee at the Animal Refuge Center and Medical Director of VCA Coral Animal Hospital.
These new dogs still need homes. ARC is encouraging anyone interested to either adopt or foster any of the animals.
“There are so many great rescue groups here that we can guarantee the right pet for anybody,” Braun said.
For more information on how to adopt, visit their website: http://animalrefugecenter.com/adoption-information
