ASPCA Assists More Than 600 Animals Displaced by Hurricane Florence as Rescue Efforts Continue in the Carolinas

New York—The ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced it has received a $100,000 grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation™ to help fund the ASPCA’s work in South Carolina following the devastation and severe flooding caused by Hurricane Florence.

At the request of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, the ASPCA recently deployed water rescue teams to Georgetown County, S.C. to assist with search-and-rescue efforts to save stranded and displaced animals. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, the ASPCA has been actively assisting several municipalities in the Carolinas by deploying dozens of responders to impacted areas. To date, the ASPCA has assisted more than 600 animals through search-and-rescue, wellness checks, emergency sheltering, relocation of homeless animals, and pet supply distribution.

“Even though the hurricane has passed, the crisis is ongoing for animals and pet owners in the Carolinas who are still coping with family separations and dangerous conditions,” said Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA. “The Rachael Ray Foundation’s generous support will be extremely valuable in our effort to rescue and care for many of these vulnerable animals. We thank Rachael and The Foundation for that support, and Rachael for her significant and unwavering commitment to helping animals.”

The Rachael Ray Foundation is funded by a portion of proceeds from each sale of Rachael's pet food, Nutrish®. Through March 2018, more than $27 million dollars have been donated to animal charities and other organizations that do good for animals.

In addition to conducting field rescue operations in South Carolina, the ASPCA is continuing to assist with sheltering hundreds of displaced animals at the Robeson County Animal Shelter in Lumberton, N.C., at the request of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Last year alone, the ASPCA responded to six disasters including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the wildfires in California, assisting more than 37,000 animals through pre-evacuation, field rescue, and post-disaster relief efforts. The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team deploys nationwide to assist in relocation, search-and-rescue, sheltering and placement of animals during disaster situations including wildfires, tornadoes and floods. In addition, they work closely with local agencies across the country to help enhance their animal response capabilities through grants and training opportunities.