Our emergency response
August 11: Tropical Storm Debby finally moved out of the U.S., though some flooding risk and power outages remain. The HSUS is monitoring the situation for requests for assistance. We are continuing to provide critical supplies and funding to various counties that have been affected by the storm and flooding.
August 7: Tropical Storm Debby has moved back over the Atlantic, where it is regaining strength and continuing to drench the coast of the Southeast U.S. The storm is expected to make a second landfall on Thursday on the South Carolina coast. The storm is forecast to dump prolific amounts of rain and bring life-threatening flooding along its path. Debby has already turned roads into rivers and swamped homes in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Our Animal Rescue Team is continuing to work with local communities to provide support where needed and help coordinate critical food and supply deliveries.
August 5: Tropical Storm Debby is causing severe flooding in Florida, leaving countless pets and other animals at risk. The storm is expected to move very slowly and head into Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina throughout the week.
Right now, our Animal Rescue Team is preparing to deploy to rescue animals and provide support to local shelters as needed. This is a developing situation, and we are ready to ramp up our support based on what the state and local communities might need.
Please consider donating to our Emergency Animal Relief Fund today. Your support allows us to respond at a moment's notice in situations like these.
Make a disaster plan for your pets (large and small) now: Prepare a disaster kit, find a safe place to evacuate with your pets and shelter in place. Remember, if it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets.
FAQs on Tropical Storm Debby
What should I do to prepare for Tropical Storm Debby?
Make a disaster plan for your pets (large and small) now. The HSUS offers tips on preparing a disaster kit, finding a safe place to evacuate with your pets and sheltering in place.
Remember: If it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets.
For more preparedness tips:
Livestock disaster preparedness
What is HSUS doing to help?
The HSUS is assisting communities impacted by Tropical Storm Debby in a variety of ways including;
- Distributed animal disaster preparedness and safety information to press and social media in threatened areas.
- Coordinated placement for shelter animals evacuated from Taylor County and Suwanee County in Florida ahead of the storm and is in the process of providing funding to the receiving shelters.
- Provided horse feed to Windhorse Sanctuary in Florida.
- Arranged delivery of dog food, cat food, chicken food and a 53-foot trailer of hay to Manatee County, Florida.
- Arranged delivery of dog food and other supplies to Hamilton County, Florida.
- Purchased 4,000 pounds of horse feed for distribution in Myakka City, Florida.
- In progress: Supplying Grand Strand Humane Society (South Carolina) with additional crates needed for fosters/potential evacuations.
- Our Animal Rescue Team is monitoring the situation for any additional requests for assistance.
My local shelter can take animals. How can we help?
We encourage you to reach out to local shelters in threatened areas to ask how you can help.
Interested in becoming a Shelter and Rescue Partner for HSUS in the future? Find out more.
I need help evacuating pets from my residence/shelter. Where do I start?
If you need assistance evacuating your RESIDENCE/SHELTER, please contact your local emergency manager. You can find that information here:
For Florida: Home | Florida Disaster
For Georgia: Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency
For North Carolina: NC DPS: Emergency Management
For South Carolina: South Carolina Emergency Management Division (scemd.org)
A full list of state emergency contacts can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-management-agencies
I need help evacuating livestock. Where do I start?
The HSUS emphasizes the importance of making a disaster preparedness plan for all pets--horses and livestock included. Individuals looking for assistance with livestock should call the county in which they are located and ask if they have an emergency shelter or location for animals. It is also advisable to call local animal control to flag the property so it is on the radar of emergency officials for assistance, and make all animals have access to fresh water. Check for updates specific to your state here: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-management-agencies
I can drive to [impacted area]. How can I help?
At this time, the HSUS has not received a request for search and rescue assistance. If that changes, people who are part of the HSUS disaster response team will be emailed directly if their help is needed.
Beyond those trained responders, no one must go to the area on their own or self-deploy. The HSUS won’t be able to use volunteers who haven’t gone through official training, and there are already a lot of trained volunteers in the impacted region who are on standby to help when called. If people who self-deploy get stranded, emergency response attention must then add them to the potentially long list of rescues, and divert attention away from the existing priority rescue work. It is simply too dangerous, and may result in lost/stray animals not going through the official systems that can ensure they are reunited with owners.
If you are not a trained volunteer but would like to become one, you can learn more about the requirements and fill out an application here: Volunteer with our Animal Rescue Team | The Humane Society of the United States
I heard that a particular city or area needs help. Can you help?
In order for an out-of-state agency to assist in a disaster zone, there must be an official request from the appropriate agency or emergency official. [Florida/Georgia/North Carolina/South Carolina/Vermont/New York/] has a protocol for how to make these requests during a disaster, and if a group or agency requires help, we ask that they contact their local emergency officials, who—if assistance is needed—will get the request to us. These protocols are in place to ensure there is not chaos created by outside groups coming in unrequested, and to ensure the assistance is sent to where it is needed most.
How can I support HSUS’ efforts to help animals impacted by Tropical Storm Debby?
Those interested in supporting our efforts so we can be there at a moment’s notice when future emergencies such as natural disasters and animal cruelty cases occur, can make a gift through the Emergency Animal Rescue Fund.
I have an animal or a friend or family member who needs rescue--what do I do?
If you need rescue, or have friends, family or pets in an impacted area and in need of rescue, call 911.
I want to donate supplies for local animal shelters. What should I send?
The best thing for out-of-state folks to do at this point is to donate money and supplies to impacted shelters and those that are taking in animals. Please check with those organizations before sending supplies to make sure what you want to send is needed and helpful; many shelters will have lists of their top needs on their websites.
