Asheville shelter saves 100 pets from Helene's floods but more help is needed

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - A race to evacuate over 100 animals from Asheville, North Carolina’s main animal shelter ahead of Hurricane Helene’s torrential rains and devastating flooding likely saved all of their lives. But now comes the struggle to find more permanent housing, as the shelter would later become destroyed in the historic flood.

"It’s been a really, really hard week for everyone," said Leah Craig Chumbley of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. "We're working around the clock."

The shelter cares for mostly dogs and cats, but also such pets as rabbits and guinea pigs.

"We know that when the river rises, we get some water in our building. And we really thought worst-case scenario, 6 to 12 inches," she said. 

But this storm was going way beyond those levels. 

"So we knew that we needed to get our animals out," she said. "The day before this storm, we sent out a social plea and email to our supporters, our fosters, our volunteers and said, you know, can you help us?"

100 animals evacuated in 2 hours 

And the community rallied to save the animals.

"We got 100 animals out of that building in two hours (and) we already had 50 animals in foster care," she said. "So, since the storm hit, you know, we woke up, I actually went to the shelter the very next day. And you still just didn't know what to expect because we were cut off from the rest of the world immediately. And, you know, you're seeing water in your neighborhoods, and you're hearing stories from people. But these are the very early hours of realizing the catastrophe that happened."

Then she reached the shelter building to find it in ruins.

"When I went there, and I saw everything underwater, it was just devastating," she said. "And also, my gosh, thank God we got them out … If we hadn't done that, all of them would have perished in that building."

She said their buildings had saved the lives of over 100,000 animals in its history "and (the buildings are) gone. Everything we have is gone."

"The support that we bring to this community is so vital because we work throughout all of western North Carolina," Chumbley said. "So all of these communities that have been impacted are ones that we serve. We know these communities. They don't look anything like the ones that we knew. But we are going to be here to help them and to get back on our feet after this."

And now comes the process of making sure the evacuated animals are well cared for as they begin the long rebuilding process.

"Luckily, our fosters have been really proactive at keeping those animals safe," she said. "Nobody thought that they were going to need to be taking care of those animals in conditions like this or for this period of time."

As for the shelter, support has been pouring in across the country, but more will be needed.

"We need so much support, and we're just so glad for everyone who is caring and sending love our way," she said. "Asheville is amazing. I mean, Asheville is love. Asheville is community, and Asheville is Dog Town USA … This is what Brother Wolf has seen for years from this community. We are supported only by this community. It is the heart and soul of this community that makes up Brother Wolf. And we need this community. We need the whole country right now to look at us and help us rebuild."

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