Unleashed Pet Rescue in Mission, Kansas, took in 71 dogs from animal shelters affected by Hurricane Florence last week, and the vast majority are still up for adoption.
Three Unleashed employees and the CEO rescued animals in various cities in North Carolina that were already in shelters and waiting for adoption to clear room for displaced animals to recover from the storm.
The group returned from the nonprofit's first natural-disaster rescue Wednesday, according to Unleashed's social media and public relations director Rebecca Taylor.
“We knew that there was going to be a need for rescue in the Carolinas,” she said. “And we always like to think, if we were in situations where we need help with our animals that other rescues would reach out and network and help.”
The shelter raised at least $5,000 to help fund the trip. Once there, a Facebook group helped locate animals that needed rescuing from the floods caused by torrential rains. Taylor said volunteers with the Louisiana Cajun Navy helped the Unleashed team navigate the high floodwaters to get to the shelters.
“This is just all about working together, and rescue takes a village,” she said.
Danielle Reno, one of the rescuers, said in a Facebook Live video that a donor agreed to make a matching donation up to $5,000. Taylor said the shelter’s foster volunteer orientation session Saturday drew the organization's largest class.
So far, only six dogs out of the 71 rescued are still waiting to be placed in a foster home.
“It was really amazing to see the community in Kansas City come together and want to help and want to be involved,” Taylor said.
Celisa Calacal is an intern at KCUR 89.3. Follow her on Twitter @celisa_mia.
