If you’ve ever wondered why Life With Dogs exists, what we’re about, why we do this for no money, what matters at the end of the day when the laptop closes and I grant myself a few hours of sleep before getting up to do it all over again – read on. Your answer awaits.
Neil,
I just wanted to send a huge thank you to you for your help in making THIS (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7994457/a_phoenix_moment.html?cat=53) possible.  With incredible timing, you posted Mocha/her pups’ story just a few hours before the worst storms in 25 years hit Greene County (over 25 tornadoes hit Eastern NC that night). By the time they hit, Mocha already had over 100 likes/comments and the shelter was able to “piggy back” onto that thread that the shelter had gone from (an all-too-common-in-NC) rural shelter in chronic need of food/supplies to one in dire straits/crisis mode.
When a State of Emergency is issued down here, the Animal Controls are now expected to serve as a holding point for animals w/owners that have been displaced….which doesn’t mean anything good if you’re a stray/unwanted animal at the shelter and the shelter needs to make room. This meant that either the shelter, whose runs were totally full,  had to either euthanize all their residents OR get them out (and get them out ASAP).
People immediately came over to the GCAC page from Life With Dogs in large numbers and offered assistance, cross-posted, you name it! Somewhere down the line, someone suggested that Lynn (of GCAC) post the shelter’s plight to The Patrick Miracle also. Things went from “white hot” to “stratospheric” within hours. The bottom line is that ALL the adoptable animals made it out safely to rescues, foster homes, or permanent homes in under 24hrs…..except for one Pitbull whose prospective adopter “no showed” (and on whom many people are working to help find her safe harbour). This BIG miracle at a tiny shelter could NEVER have happened if you hadn’t agreed to post Mocha’s story when you did.
I’ve been a fan of your page for a while now and I’m an even bigger fan now! THANK YOU!!!!
Sheley Revis, MD
UberDog Foundation
Director, Rural Shelter Assistance Program
.
Thank you Sheley – I would never have known had you not followed up. This kind of news is good for the heart.
And sincere thanks to each of you who jumped in to help with this. We’ve had a number of such happy endings when you’ve been moved to assist, and I only hope to have more of this kind of news to share in the future. Now let’s hear the rest of the story – North Carolina is in rough shape and will need even more assistance in order to regroup and rebuild.
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Hey Neil,
I spoke with Dianne Cowand of Bertie County HS (legal/historical name: Roanoke Chowan HS….the group started as an HS for one County in VA and one in NC and then they split but retained name).  This is a 750sq mi County (NC’s largest) and was also THE hardest hit by the tornadoes that ripped through.
Dianne said that they had 5 main volunteers and they are, literally, going door-to-door to check on animals’ welfare.  They are finding dogs left in pens beside houses that are damaged beyond repair and being bulldozed and all manner of scenes like that. They are trying to start a Community Pet Food Bank because they know that the County residents are so shell-shocked right now that they haven’t given thought to long-term feeding of their pets, etc. They’re trying to enable families to KEEP their animals with them.
As I noted, Greene County still has long-term needs but they got their miracle last weekend and are set temporarily. Right now, I’d say that Bertie is one of the most needy shelters. I will send a separate list of others later tonight.
Bertie is a 501c3 (so all donations are tax-deductible) and they JUST started a ChipIn. I have donated myself b/c I KNOW they need it desperately. They could use a platform like Life With Dogs. You can reach Dianne Cowand at [email protected]
Their ChipIn link:Â http://roanokechowanhumanesociety.chipin.com/homeless-pets-in-bertie-county
Their FB page:Â https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bertie-County-Humane-Society/93008103060
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Here is the list of tornado-affected shelters. I HOPE that I have included everyone who needs assistance. I am about 4hr away from most of the affected territory so I am relying on the shelter personnel I know/have spoken to in the area (I have not, unfortunately, been able to speak to someone at each of these…but I know they’re extremely busy with the aftermath of the disaster). I hope I have not left anyone out! I have included a list of FB pages when I could find one.
I really think Bertie County is the shelter that isn’t getting much press but is flailing. Please see this note that was just posted: https://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/beth-edwards/another-nc-county-hard-hit-by-last-weekends-tornadoes/10150241936366209
I have seen the news footage there, too, and it looks grim…
1) BERTIE COUNTY (the worst hit and largest County in NC):
Bertie County Humane Society (legal name:Â Roanoke Chowan HS)
PO Box 516
Powellsville, NCÂ 27967
Contact:Â Dianne Cowand
252-325-3647
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bertie-County-Humane-Society/93008103060
2)Â LEE COUNTY (the county where the huge Lowes Home Improvement & Tractor Supply Stores were destroyed):
Lee County Animal Services
1450 N. Horner Blvd.
Sanford, NC 27330
Phone: 919-776-7446
email:Â [email protected]
Facebook:Â no page
3)Â GREENE COUNTY:
Greene County Animal Shelter
1985 Hwy 903 North
Snow Hill, NC 28580
Phone: 252-747-8184Â (they are managed by the Health Dept and this will connect you there)
Contacts:Â Lynn Graves (kennel attendant), ACO Randy Hawkins
email:Â [email protected]
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/pages/Greene-County-NC-Animal-Shelter/182453968443505
4) WAYNE COUNTY: (these folks have taken in a large volume of animals. They are a military town (Seymour-Johnson AFB) and already have a high-intake there due to all the military families transferring).
Animal Adoption and Education Center
1600 Clingman Street
Goldsboro, NC 27534
(919) 731-1439 (Phone)
(919) 731-1381 (Fax
Director: Vicki Falconer
Email: [email protected]
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wayne-County-Animal-Adoption-and-Education-Center/151810534864752?ref=ts&sk=wall#!/pages/Wayne-County-Animal-Adoption-and-Education-Center/151810534864752?sk=wall (this doesn’t seem to be very active but it is the OFFICIAL shelter page)
Facebook for “Friends of Wayne County Animals”, which is NOT affiliated w/the shelter but is same County:Â https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wayne-County-Animal-Adoption-and-Education-Center/151810534864752?ref=ts&sk=wall#!/pages/Friends-of-Wayne-County-Animals/180147265344530
5)Â BLADEN COUNTY:
Bladen County Animal Shelter
506 Smith Circle
Elizabethtown, NC 28337
Phone: 910-862-6918
Facebook:Â none
6)Â PERSON COUNTY:
Person County Animal Shelter
2103 Chub Lake Road
Roxboro, NC 27574
Phone: 336-597-1741
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Protection-Society-of-Person-County/95364381308?sk=wall#!/pages/Animal-Protection-Society-of-Person-County/95364381308?sk=wall (this is for the Animal Protection Society of Person County…a 501c3…not actual shelter,which doesn’t seem to have an FB page)
7)Â CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Animal Services
4704 Corporation Drive, Fayetteville, NCÂ 28306
Phone: 910-321-6852 · Fax: 910-223-3357
Email: [email protected]
Facebook:Â none
Thank you VERY much for any help you can provide!
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Please consider sharing in the interest of assisting area shelters, and thank you for participating whenever we encounter such situations. As you can see, it truly matters.
