A group of local volunteers took a road trip to North Carolina Oct. 18 to provide relief for animals affected by Hurricane Florence.

Volunteers with Minnesota Aid for Hurricane Florence Animal Rescue worked together to raise $1,555 in donations, along with approximately 2,000 pounds of food and other supplies like clean water, toys and fresh linens.

The care package was split between two North Carolina animal shelters struggling with an overabundance of stray and abandoned dogs and a lack of access to resources needed to care for them.

“I was going to be happy if we just got an SUV-full. Just one,” group organizer Bobbi Brandt said. “Now it looks like we’re going to have to rent a U-Haul.”

After Hurricane Florence swept through the state, animal shelters were flooded with stray animals while high waters cut off easy access to supplies, according to Candice Leigh Gary, director of non-profit animal rescue Unforgotten Souls. By the time Hurricane Michael hit in early October, the burden was too much for many shelters.

The two shelters the volunteers visited, Granville County Animal Shelter and The Unforgotten Souls of Columbus County Animal Control, quickly ran out of both space and resources for their animals.

The group’s efforts will support the two shelters for several weeks, Gary said, while any extra supplies will be distributed among local animal owners. The rescuers brought five cats and 16 dogs back to shelters in Minnesota to free up space for additional strays coming in.

“People don’t realize how connected the rescue community is,” Brandt said. “When we work together, we can get things done in a day’s time if we need to.”

The trip was the brainchild of Julie Deitering, a retired Minnetonka native with a passion for rescuing animals, especially dogs, from euthanization.

In mid-September, Deitering brought the idea to several of her friends after hearing about the struggles of North Carolina animal shelters. Minnesota Aid is not affiliated with any shelters or professional organizations.

Deitering said the team was “an ad hoc group of volunteers,” and she chose to keep the rescue effort on a smaller scale to reach shelters before more dogs were unnecessarily put down.

The group of total strangers came together through the internet.

“It’s all done through Facebook,” Brandt said. “Most of these people I’ve never even met, and we talk everyday.”

They might be strangers, but Brandt said their motivations are alike.

“When we get a dog that’s been in a shelter in a bad situation … once they get into that vehicle, their first ride to safety, they take a nap,” Brandt said. “Right before they fall asleep they have this sigh … they know they’re going to be safe and things will be better.”

Sawyer Rutan can be reached at sawyer.rutan@stthomas.edu.