Woman Rescued 97 Stray Dogs Abandoned When Hurricane Dorian Hit

Sep 06, 2019 by apost team

As Hurricane Dorian bore down on the Bahamas, residents took numerous preparations for the anticipated devastation. While others loaded up on groceries, boarded windows or even evacuated, Chella Philips focused on helping the many dogs that likely would perish in the terrible weather conditions that were expected.

When Dorian hit, it was a Category 5 hurricane with winds that gusted to 200 miles per hour. The destructive winds were combined with a monstrous storm surge and heavy rainfall. As the storm passed over her country, Chella posted pictures on Facebook showing dozens of dogs running through her home.

The caption indicated that Chella had taken in 97 stray dogs. According to her, 79 of those animals were living in her bedroom. Chella has a history of kindness toward animals. She manages a rescue group called The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, which has served approximately 1,000 dogs since its inception according to The Daily Mail.

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Chella indicated that the storm’s force was frightening many of the dogs. To create a soothing environment, she played music and ran her air conditioner. To protect the dogs inside her home, she surrounded the structure with sandbags. Her kind heart was obvious when she stated that the dogs had relieved themselves throughout her home numerous times, but she was not concerned about that. In her post, she described feeling heartbroken about the dogs that she was not able to take in and that had to endure the storm outdoors. Many people who read Chella’s Facebook post have provided support, such as by donating dog crates.

Hurricane Dorian made a direct hit to the Bahamas, and it, unfortunately, stalled over the area for agonizing hours. Rather than blowing over quickly, the storm continued to show its force for hours longer until it finally picked up speed again. As per ABC News, some water leaked into Chella's home and that she no longer had electricity. However, considering that many people passed away in the storm and more than 13,000 homes have been destroyed according to The Guardian, Chella is one of the lucky ones.

Similar animal rescue efforts are taking place in the United States as the storm meanders up the coastline. For example, the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast has accepted cats and dogs of families who have been displaced by the storm reports The Daily Mail. Altogether, mandatory evacuations have affected more than a million people in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida according to NBC.

What do you think about Chella's big-hearted gesture? Would you take in 97 stray dogs during a storm? Let us know in the comments below.