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Evacuating for Hurricane Florence? Some NC shelters will welcome your pets
If you are evacuating your home to escape Hurricane Florence, or perhaps a loved one or friend from the eastern part of North Carolina is hoping to get out its path, you may be concerned about what to do about your fur family.
Our pets are as much a part of our families as the humans who share our walls, so it’s understandable that you want to keep them safe during the storm.
According to Purina, neither veterinarians nor animal behaviorists can agree what part of a storm causes pets the most stress. Needless to say, though, the triggers – whether it being loud noises, flashing lights or something else – will run the gamut when Florence nears.
Keeping in mind our pets are our family, if you evacuate ahead of the hurricane, it is important to remember to take your pets with you.
“If it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets,” the Humane Society of the United States insists. “You have no way of knowing how long you’ll be kept out of the area, and you may not be able – or allowed – to go back for your pets. Pets left behind in a disaster can easily be injured, lost or killed.”
Just as a number of counties are offering refuge from the storm, many shelters also offer solutions for keeping our furry family safe. Nearly three-dozen shelters offer pet-friendly sanctuary from Florence, while many other counties will help you find a safe shelter to keep your pet.
Alamance, Beaufort, Edgecombe, Franklin, Guilford, Martin, Orange, Pitt and Sampson all offer alternative solutions to the general population shelters opened for the storm.
Shelters require pet owners to provide proof of ownership, a current rabies vaccination and shot records. Pet owners should also bring bedding, a kennel, bowls, medicine, and enough food for several days for their fur family.
Most shelters also require that pet owners to stay at a general-population shelter in the county, meaning if you choose to stay at home, keep your pets with you.
If you are planning to stay at The Lamb’s Chapel in Haw River in Alamance County, staff from Burlington Animal Shelter will be on hand to take your pets to the shelter until a time when you can safely pick them up after the storm.
In Beaufort, evacuees can board their pets at Beaufort County Animal Control. Proof of rabies vaccination is required; otherwise, pet owners will need to pay $10 for their pet to be vaccinated.
Edgecombe County is offering an animal shelter at 2906 Anaconda Road in Tarboro.
While the Louisburg Senior Center in Franklin County will not allow pets, the Franklin County Animal shelter is open to pets of Franklin County citizens who need to evacuate their homes during the storm.
In Guilford County, Animal Services will be available at the Glenwood Recreation Center to assist those who have pets.
Residents of Martin County who have domestic animals (read: dogs and cats) and are evacuating to the Riverside Middle School shelter can take their animals to the Martin Community College horse arena at 1161 Kehukee Park Road in Williamston.
Service animals for the hearing and visually impaired will be allowed in Orange County shelters. Otherwise, Animal Services staff will be on hand to board pets in the best manner possible.
In Pitt County, pets and other non-service animals are not permitted in general population shelters. However, emergency animal sheltering options will be available through the Pitt County Animal Shelter located at 4550 County Home Road in Greenville.
And in Sampson County, a pet shelter is available at Livestock Arena, located at 93 Agriculture Place in Clinton. The shelter is only available to residents staying in a general population shelter, and pets must be picked up from the shelter within three hours after the general population shelters close.
Below is a list of general-population shelters that have been designated as pet-friendly.
Bertie County
Bertie County Middle School
652 US 13N
Windsor, NC 27983
Bladen County
West Bladen High School
1600 NC 410 Hwy.
Bladenboro, NC 28320
Brunswick County
South Brunswick High School
280 Cougar Rd.
Southport, NC 28461
North Brunswick High School
114 Scorpion Dr. NE
Leland, NC 28451
West Brunswick High School
550 Whiteville Rd NW
Shallotte, NC 28470
Chatham County
Northwood High School
310 Northwood High School Rd.
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Chowan County
Chowan Middle School
2845 Virginia Road
Tyner, NC 27980
Craven County
Benn Quinn Elementary School
4275 Martin Luther King Blvd.
New Bern, NC 28562
Cumberland County
Pine Forest High School
525 Andrews Road
Fayetteville, NC 28311
Seventy-First High School
6764 Raeford Road; Opens Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 3 p.m.
Fayetteville, NC 28304
South View High School
4184 Elk Road
Hope Mills, NC 28348
Duplin County
James Kenan High School
1241 NC 24 &50 Hwy.
Warsaw, NC 28398
Durham County
Hillside High School
3727 Fayetteville Rd.
Durham, NC 27707
Greene County
Greene Central High School
140 School Drive
Snow Hill, NC 28580
Halifax County
Halifax Community College
100 College Dr.
Weldon, NC 27890
Hoke County
Don Steed Elementary School
800 Phillipi Church Road
Raeford, NC 28376
Johnston County
West Johnston High School
3935 Raleigh Rd.
Benson, NC 27504
Lee County
SanLee Middle School
2309 Tramway Rd.
Sanford, NC 27332
Lenoir County
Lenoir Community College
231 N.C. Hwy 58
Kinston, NC 28501
Mecklenburg County
Ardrey Kell High School
10220 Ardrey Kell Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28277
East Mecklenburg High School
6800 Monroe Road
Charlotte, NC 28212
North Mecklenburg High School
11201 Old Statesville Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
Olympic High School
4301 Sandy Porter Road
Charlotte, NC 28273
South Mecklenburg High School
8900 Park Road
Charlotte, NC 28210
Moore County
Moore County Agriculture Building
707 Pinehurst Ave.
Carthage, NC 28327
Nash County
Nash Central High School
4279 Nash Central High Rd.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Robeson County
St. Pauls High School
648 North Old Stage Road
St. Pauls, NC 28384
Wake County
Garner Magnet High School
2101 Spring Dr.
Garner, NC 27529
Southeast Raleigh High School
2600 Rock Quarry Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27610
Knightdale High School
100 Bryan Chalk Ln.
Knightdale, NC 27545
**KNIGHTDALE HIGH SCHOOL IS AT CAPACITY**
Wilson County
Fike High School
500 Harrison Dr. North
Wilson, NC 27893
Of course, if a shelter doesn’t fit your needs, there are a number of other options, including pet-friendly hotels, independent rentals like Airbnb and Homeaway, and even friends and family.
NOTE: Pet of the Day will not appear on WRAL Noon News on Thursday or Friday, but our shelter partners have links to adoptable pets on the Pets section of WRAL.com.