Woman Shelters 97 Stray Dogs in Her House During Hurricane Dorian
When Hurricane Dorian tore through the Bahamas, the damage was immediate and heartbreaking. Homes were destroyed, lives were lost, and countless animals were left with nowhere to go.
In Nassau, one woman became a lifeline for stray dogs that had no one else to turn to. Chella Phillips, who runs a rescue on her own, opened her home to as many frightened dogs as she could when the storm hit, eventually sheltering 97 of them.
What happened next turned her already difficult situation into a story people around the world could not stop sharing.
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.
It’s the same kind of desperate survival as the abandoned puppy tucked in a shoebox near a house.
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: pawtcake.refuge.inc@gmail.com
Here's how people have reacted to Chella's story.
For another heartbreaking rescue, see how an abandoned dog waited 3 days for her owners to return.
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