Animal shelters in South Florida are frantically searching for foster families so they can reduce their kennel populations as they anticipate a deluge of lost and abandoned pets after Hurricane Milton.
Milton, similar to previous hurricanes, is likely to have displaced many dogs and cats, who may have wandered from their homes or got scared and ran as they experienced the storm, said Arielle Weinberger, spokeswoman for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
Several shelters have been posting their pleas on social media. In Palm Beach County, the shelter is offering food and supplies to families who take in a dog or cat for two to three weeks.
“We find ourselves in urgent need of your help!” Broward Animal Care posted Oct. 7 on its Facebook page. “Our shelter is currently home to over 200 wonderful dogs and cats who deserve a safe, loving environment, especially during the impending inclement weather. To ensure their safety and well-being, we are calling on our #BrowardCounty community to provide foster homes and temporarily care for a homeless pet in need.”
The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach has taken in about 20 dogs from Clewiston Animal Services, near Lake Okeechobee, and sent a transport team to St. Francis Animal Rescue of Venice, on Florida’s West Coast, “to evacuate as many of their cats as possible before it’s too late,” according to its Facebook page.
The Humane Society of Broward County took in 29 cats and four dogs from a shelter in Manatee County, which is in the path of the storm, spokeswoman Cherie Wachter said. Fortunately, the society had a successful adoption event over the weekend and found homes for 60 animals.
If you want to foster or adopt, contact one of these shelters. Make sure to call ahead as some are closing for the storm.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control: 7100 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach; 561-233-1200; discover.pbc.gov/publicsafety/animalcare
Broward County Animal Care Division: 2400 SW 42nd St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-359-1313; broward.org/Animal
Humane Society of Broward County: 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale; 954-989-3977; humanebroward.com
Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League: 3200 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach; 561-686-3663; peggyadams.org
