Local shelter to help dogs homeless after hurricanes
AKRON , Ohio (WJW) — One of a Kind Pet Rescue in Akron expects to travel to Florida in the coming week to bring back dogs that have been displaced by hurricanes Helene and Milton after they tore through the state just weeks apart.
Executive Director Tanya Jonda said Florida shelters in harm's way shipped their animals out of their buildings before the storms hit.
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"Knowing that this was going to be a very big storm, they wanted to remove the animals, take them to safety and a shelter off-site while the storm came through. Otherwise, they are looking at animals basically drowning to death in their containers," said Jonda.
Following the storm, hundreds of displaced family pets have also crowded local shelters. One animal shelter in Polk County is trying to find the owners of more than 100 dogs and cats that are now homeless.
The Akron rescue has already sent a truck load of leashes, collars, stainless steel bowls and other pet supplies to areas of North Carolina devastated by Helene.
It is also part of a network under the "Best Friends" rescue, which has been reaching out to its affiliated shelters for help.
"We responded right away, said 'Yes we can make room.' With our regular adoptions in addition to our foster program, we were able to move animals pretty quickly and we complied," said Jonda.
"We are not touching the ones that belong to people. We are only focusing on the ones that have been sitting in shelters for months. I think that a lot of people are just unaware of that," she added.
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The Akron shelter is privately operated and so it relies on fundraising and contributions to do its work.
Jonda expects there to be additional expenses, to include fuel for the trip to Florida and additional veterinary expenses to assess and care for the animals that are being relocated from Florida.
After they arrive in Akron, they will not return to Florida, but will be fostered out to new forever homes in Northeast Ohio.
She is standing by now, waiting for instructions about where she will need to go, expecting to leave sometime in the next week.
"Our mission is to rescue pets in danger and right now those in the most danger are in Florida or in North Carolina. That's where we are going because that is where the danger is," said Jonda.
