Lost animals by Hurricane Dorian fly to Southwest Florida for adoption

Hurricane Dorian did not only change the lives of the people living in the Bahamas. It also left pets stranded without a family. Now, you can help them.

It is a doggone good day for dozens of animals impacted by Dorian. A plane full of dogs and cats flew from Nassau Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale Monday morning.

Then, teams with the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County, the Humane Society of Naples, and 10 more Florida shelters brought them back to their home base.

“We started unloading the animals and sorted out who was getting which dogs and which cats,” said Gordon Smith, a volunteer for the Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County.

The shelter in Nassau made room for animals on islands hit hardest by the Category 5 hurricane.

“They want to keep them in the Bahamas,” said Karen Slomba, executive director, Animal Welfare League of Charlotte County, “so that people can claim their animals rather than sending them to the U.S.”

Now, they are here in Southwest Florida, but not quite ready for adoption. The animals brought to Charlotte County will have to be quarantined in a special room for two weeks.

People working with those animals will have to wear protective gear that prevents the spread of disease from one animal to another. For instance, the same hands that clean the cages can spread the diseases.

But before they move into their forever homes, they will need a little tender, love and care. “They need love, care, baths,” said Smith, a volunteer. “We’re gonna fatten them up. We’re gonna give them their shots. We’re going to make sure they’re healthy.”

The 17 animals at Charlotte’s Animal Welfare League and the 11 at the Naples Humane Society will go up for adoption after their two-week quarantine is complete.

“Any time something like this happens that when we know, we have to respond in any way we can,” Smith said.