Long Islanders aren’t the only ones suffering from the devastation from Hurricane Sandy. Their pets are suffering as well, some still without their families.
Hundreds if not thousands of pets disappeared from homes and backyards when doors and gates flew open from the high winds or when they slipped out of their collars. According to the American Humane Association, 15 million dogs, 14 million cats and 1.5 million horses were in Hurricane Sandy’s path.
To some people animals unfortunately aren’t much of a concern, but to others, pets mean everything. They’re a part of your family and once someone from your family is gone, it doesn’t feel whole anymore. For some, their pets are what make up their family.
A Facebook page was created to help owners find their lost pets and it enables people to upload pictures and list important information on the animal that was lost or found. The page, Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets already has over 23,000 likes. The page has already reunited pets with their families, and also has a list of animal shelters and temporary emergency shelters for people who need a place for their pets to stay.
This page isn’t the only effort being made to help these homeless pets. The Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA have had teams of people working around the clock looking for animals who need aid. They deployed teams to New York and New Jersey to assist in search-and-rescue operations, give out food and medical care, and create temporary emergency shelters for pets found lost in the storm.
When a storm warning is issued, be cautious to where your pets are. Keep them inside during the bad weather and take them out on a leash if needed. When Mother Nature gets in the way of things, it is sometimes hard to react the way we planned. Remember, material items can always be replaced but lives can not.
People think now that the storm is over and power is coming back on that things are slowly going back to normal. If you were severely affected by Sandy, you know this is far from true. It’s still a scary sight out there, especially with Long Island being hit with a Nor’Easter so shortly after this storm. It has complicated things and there are still hundreds of animals without a place to call home. Please visit the Facebook page to stay updated and lend a helping hand, the more help the better!
