The Humane Society of North Central Florida is looking to get all of its animals under foster care before Saturday.
The shelter needs to be empty in order to take in stray or lost pets after Hurricane Dorian’s arrival in Florida, said director of development Margot DeComma.
According to a Facebook post from the Humane Society, the shelter is looking for fosters to take in animals in case there is building damage, power outages, or if it needs to take in more animals from worse areas.
After Hurricanes Irma and Michael, the shelter is “nationally known for [its] hurricane response efforts,” DeComma said. They are looking for people to get all adoptable pets in the shelter out to foster homes for a two-week period of time.
The shelter will provide foster families with any necessary supplies during the two-week period including food, crates, leashes and cat litter, she said.
Those interested in fostering can sign up by going to The Humane Society of North Central Florida’s website and filling out an application.
Alec Karmen, an 18-year-old Santa Fe College computer engineering freshman, said he is trying to find a way to take an animal in himself.
“I really want to do my part and help out,” Karmen said. “I feel like fostering for two weeks is the least I can do.”
Even though his roommate is allergic to dogs and his apartment requires a pet deposit prior to bringing a pet home, he will try to work around this in order to help out the animals, he said.
“It's crucial that we find ways to care for these animals,” Karmen said. “It may not be convenient for everyone but we need to be making every possible effort to support local shelters like this one. The animals need our help.”
Kylie Gurthie, 3, and a volunteer play with the newly adopted 5-month-old dog Joey during the Summer Lovin’ Adopt-A-Thon at Alachua County Animal Services on August 17.
Nora O'Neill is a fourth-year journalism and philosophy student and the Enterprise Editor for The Alligator. She previously served as the Avenue Editor and the business and economics beat reporter. In her free time you can find her reading books with no plot and abusing her Chemex.
