Animal Shelters Nationwide Flew and Drove Rescue Pets Out of Louisiana Ahead of Hurricane Ida

Helen Woodward Animal Center

Louisiana is still assessing the damage left behind by Hurricane Ida after the natural disaster made landfall in the state as a Category 4 storm on Sunday afternoon, but many of the state's shelter pets missed the hurricane thanks to animal lovers across the country.

After Hurricane Ida rapidly gained strength ahead of Sunday's landfall, animal shelters and rescues across the country sprang into action to protect Louisiana's adoptable pets, transporting the animals in the state's shelters to facilities outside the storm's path. These efforts served rescue animals in two ways: transporting shelter pets out of Louisana ensured those animals were safe during the storm and still able to find homes, and it made room in the shelters for animals injured or separated from their owners during Hurricane Ida.

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Among the shelters that stepped up to assist Louisiana shelter pets is Helen Woodward Animal Center. The California-based animal rescue took in 40 orphan cats and 25 orphan dogs from a Saturday emergency transport flight planned by Greater Good Charities in less than 24 hours.

Helen Woodward Animal Center