LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - Dozens of cats who were in harm’s way have been saved from danger, thanks to a South Florida animal rescue organization.
Volunteers with Saving Sage Animal Rescue Foundation have been doing their part to get 82 felines everything they need after their shelters were destroyed by Hurricane Helene, and now they are hoping to find them loving homes.
Lauderhill is now a refuge for the dozens of cats from North Carolina that were rescued by Saving Sage.
Michelle Reichler with the nonprofit spoke with 7News earlier this weekend.
“Four of our volunteers drove up and distributed everything to people in desperate need, and then we emptied everything and packed up the van with 82 animals,” she said.
Volunteers drove vans of food and medical supplies to hurricane survivors on Thursday. They also toted empty crates, cat litter and cat food.
Those crates came back full of felines early Saturday morning.
It began with a call for help from Saving Sage’s sister shelter.
“There were two shelters that were completely devastated that were full of animals,” said Gina Harke with Saving Sage. “They had flooding, they have no electricity, they have no power. They’re having a hard time with refrigeration for vaccines; then they got the wave of people whose houses are destroyed, and now they’re surrendering their animals.”
Saving Sage is aiming to ease these shelters’ burden until they can get back on their feet.
“To bring these animals who would otherwise be completely helpless. They don’t even had euthanasia drugs up there, so we are giving them everything that they need,” said Reichler, “and we have no business taking on more animals here in South Florida, but this is life and death.”
That’s because South Florida is dealing with its own animal shelter crisis, but Reichler said this is where the community can pitch in.
“If you have thought about adopting or even fostering, now would be a great time,” she said. “By adopting an animal locally, you are making room for more animals to be brought here and saved.”
Other South Florida rescues are helping to care for these 82 cats. Volunteers with Saving Sage said the animals will be posted for adoption and will also be taken up to the Northeast to find homes.
For more information about Saving Sage, click here.
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