Often during hurricanes animals have nowhere to hide. So people from the affected and nearby communities and the Humane Society teamed up to help save as many animals as possible. During Hurricane Florence one lady even came close to saving 30 animals before getting arrested.

Tammie Hedges saved over 27 animals from Hurricane Florence. She also administered medicine to certain animals. When authorities found out, they charged her with over 12 counts of practicing medicine without a veterinary license. Wayne County Animal Patrol put Hedges on notice telling her to release the animals or they would gather a warrant and take the animals from her.

The US Animal Rescue Team has been responding to needs ever since the hurricane hit. Prior to the storm, they provided financial and logistical support for the evacuations of over 400 adoptable animals, and over 100 animals owned that were not able to be saved by their owners. The Humane Society continues to offer support and coordinate transport of animals the Carolinas alone donated $50,000 to the Humane Society.

“The Humane Society is good, because they are saving animals lives, and helping people who can’t save their own pets,” sophomore Brenden Price said.

Local government run animal shelters were getting full and needed space so there only option was to euthanize animals to make space.

“We are trying to avoid euthanasia at all costs,” Jewel Horton, manager of Pender County Animal Shelter, told The Washington Post.

But, the shelters were just getting too crowded. Knowing this Kevin Raffe stayed until the last minute before the storm hit and saved as many animals as he could get into a nine foot moving truck, later dubbed the “Fluffy Truck” By Raffe.

“Animals shouldn’t be euthanized they deserve to live,” Price said.

In the past week, Patrick Mckann, a horse trainer from Virginia said he and his friends have rescued six horses, two donkeys, around 14 guinea fowl and lots of chickens threatened by the disaster’s encroaching waters, he is now known as the “Hurricane Cowboy,” according to “Meet the ‘Hurricane Cowboy’ who rescues animals in Florence’s aftermath” at cnn.com

“I could never join the Humane Society because if a dog was dying I couldn’t handle it” junior Evan Wasson said.