Old Dominion Humane Society (ODHS) transported rescue dogs last week from the Darlington County Humane Society (DCHS), in South Carolina, to Fredericksburg, helping to alleviate overcrowding from recent hurricanes. The South Carolina rescue facility received dozens of dogs after devastation from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which left many lost or left behind. As DCHS volunteers try to reunite dogs with their families, ODHS brought canines that had already been there to Fredericksburg to find them homes.
The hurricanes have left shelters and rescues in the southern states scrambling to find the dogs’ owners, while also caring for rescues already in their overflowing facilities. To help with the overcrowding, ODHS and other rescues and shelters in the Mid-Atlantic states have taken dozens of dogs to their sites.
The DCHS was expecting 58 dogs within one week. It became necessary to line hallways with dogs in crates to make room for all of them.
“The situation with animal shelters and rescues is that they’re filled, and the two back-to-back hurricanes have left many animals displaced,” said Chrissy Blake, ODHS founder. “ODHS was able to take some of the DCHS dogs that had already been there in order to make room for additional dogs coming in from the hurricanes. We’re happy we can care for these dogs and, hopefully, get them adopted to families that will give them a chance to live a great life.”
Starburst and the “Berry Pups”--Strawberry, Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry--and others are now at ODHS. They’ve undergone examinations and are receiving attention from volunteers and socialization with the other dogs.
Combined with housing more dogs because of the hurricanes, rescue organizations across the U.S. have struggled with a rising number of rescues in their facilities. According to Shelter Animals Count, shelters are caring for 245,000 more animals than they did in 2022. Adoptions have slowed across the board, which is creating a backlog of animals in need. ODHS and other rescues across the country are asking for donations, foster families and volunteers to help with the rising number of rescues entering their facilities.