Woman Shelters 97 Stray Dogs in Her House During Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian has been devastating the small Caribbean nation of the Bahamas, leaving a trail of destruction and heartache in its wake. Already, five people have lost their lives, and more than 13,000 homes have been severely damaged. It is a catastrophic event that will take many years for the nation to recover from.
It is heartbreaking to note that amid the human loss and suffering caused by these tragic natural disasters, animals are often overlooked. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be for these poor creatures, some of whom are already abandoned, not knowing what is happening or if there is a safe place left to take shelter.
The voiceless dogs of Nassau, Bahamas, have only one person they can count on when they feel afraid: Chella Phillips. Chella is the sole individual behind the rescue organization, and she does not receive any help from the government or the Humane Society. However, Chella loves the dogs and refuses to let them down.
So when Dorian hit, instead of leaving many defenseless and scared dogs on the streets to face the storm alone, Chella decided to take as many as she could into her home, ultimately packing 97 dogs in total.
Chella rescues dogs from the streets of Nassau and ensures they are vetted and vaccinated. The dogs then live at her refuge until they can go to a suitable shelter where they can be properly rehomed.
Many homeless dogs have left the streets thanks to Chella and her refuge.
However, keeping up with the demands of the refuge is a struggle for Chella.
“New dogs each day, each week, each month—new mouths to feed and care for. That is a reality I cannot escape anymore,” she says.
“This is a small island, yet thousands of homeless dogs are roaming the streets in search of food, water, and love. They are all looking for the same thing: someone to love them and be kind to them. You would think that is not too much to ask, but here, it is. Not many people see these homeless dogs as sentient beings.”
Since Chella shared her story on social media, she has been receiving donations from all over the world. More importantly, shelters have been offering to take in dogs and help find them new homes.
“Each of my babies deserves to have loving homes, so please, I am begging for rescues to help them! My heart is breaking that I left so many on the streets because I had no more room to bring them. Please... Please!”
If you'd like to help Chella and her pups, you can do so by donating to the regular monthly fundraiser or by using the PayPal address for the refuge: [email protected]
Here's how people have reacted to Chella's story.
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