Welcome back. (Please visit Part 1, originally posted on September 18, 2017)

Now for some good news: Remember Kat and her flooded out shelter? Here’s a photo of her reuniting with the dogs!

There are still major Harvey animal rescue efforts happening as I write this, weeks after the storm. Just this morning I received an email from City Dogs Rescue in DC that they were preparing to receive 10 Houston dogs that were on transport now. They need funds of course to support these new dogs.

And an organization based in Los Angeles, Operation Blankets of Love which usually collects and donates comfort items and food to shelter dogs in LA donated and transported tons of food and crates to hurricane efforts.

Meanwhile, just as Harvey started to quiet down, Irma became the big news and set her sights on the Carribean and Florida. As we all saw, the Carribean was just brutalized as were parts of Florida.

In Florida, many organizations were able to evacuate their animals ahead of the storm. The New York Times reported about flamingoes, dolphins, and pigs that were all moved to safer ground!

Many of the animals on the Caribbean islands were left behind and private parties are either making efforts to rescue them, or there are some smaller rescue groups doing the best they can. But man it breaks my heart when people evacuate without their pets and don’t make an effort to return.

While there are thousands of more stories to share, I’ll end with this one. As mentioned in part 1, my mom lives in Florida. Her friend, Lisa, and Lisa’s husband, Bob, evacuated with their dog further from the water for safety. Well, they were safe, but in the chaos of the storm, their dog Donovan got spooked and bolted.

Donovan was missing for 24 hours and while many people saw him, no one could get close enough to grab him. Finally, a kind man was able to scoop him up, call Lisa and return Donovan safely. It turns out, the man used to be the president of the Lakewood Ranch Humane Society! He just can’t help but keep on saving dogs in need.

If you are looking for ways to help the animals but just haven’t yet, any of the organizations listed here (plus many many more!) can use your financial assistance.

p.s. If you are wondering how you might help people still in need after Irma, I received this (now excerpted) information from a people organization called Ultraviolet:

1. The Florida community is encouraging folks outside Florida to donate to the Hurricane Irma Community Recovery Fund.

2. Islands in the Caribbean, including U.S. territories, are in desperate need of help. You can give through Global Giving, as recommended by the New York Times. After ensuring emergency response is covered, this fund will shift to longer-term reconstruction.

3. You can also support women living in temporary shelters by donating to Support the Girls. They provide pads, tampons, and other feminine hygiene products, so women don’t have to choose between their personal health and their next meal.