Photo: Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — MSPCA-Angell is feeling stretched thin after taking in dozens of animals from Hurricane Helene.
The Boston-based humane society has brought in nearly 100 cats and dogs from southern states hit hard by the storm, with each animal needing several things upon arrival.
"Basic vaccinations, deworming, spay-and-neuter surgery, evaluation for behavior, and they need to adjust to a new environment," listed Mike Keiley, Director of Adoption Centers for MSPCA-Angell. "[Massachusetts is] very different from many southern states."
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MSPCA-Angell is getting the animals up for adoption within a few days, but it's no small feat, especially with some staff members providing veterinary care in North Carolina via a mobile vet clinic.
"It does interrupt everybody’s lives," Keiley told WBZ NewsRadio Monday. "It interrupts our normal flow of work when it comes to helping animals locally get adopted."
1 of 2 Cats are loaded onto a flight from Florida to Massachusetts.Photo: Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell
2 of 2 Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville, North Carolina was completely destroyed by Hurricane Helene.Photo: Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell
Adding to the strain, Keiley noted, is that devastating hurricanes like Helene and Milton came at a time when shelters around the country are already filled to capacity.
"So on top of that issue, we’re getting these huge disasters that are also impacting animals’ lives, so it’s just sort of one crisis after another," Keiley said.
One silver lining is that many animals were moved out of Florida ahead of Helene, so fewer were caught in the storm when Milton hit last week.
Keiley told WBZ NewsRadio forever homes are the number one commodity MSPCA-Angell needs right now, but short of that, food and pet toy donations would go a long way.
WBZ's Jeromey Russ reports.
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