Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts - Abaco, Bahamas.
On the Ground, post-Dorian.
Only a few days after Dorian hit, we were on the ground working with Air Flight Charters to bring supplies down to Treasure Cay. Working with Abaco Spay/Neuter, over a course of three days, we were able to speak to full-time homeowners who had lost everything but refused to leave without their animals. Only with the help of an amazing search and rescue team, Daniel Braithwaite, Tony Rosado and Timothy Bird, we were able to successfully round-up and get off the island 7 dogs and 1 cat. I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for the help of those men who helped me. Treasure Cay was a war zone, the only way to communicate was by satellite phone which I didn’t have, and it was 100 degrees with no shade anywhere. This mission would not have been the success it was without their help. Abaco Spay/Neuter and my only option at the time upon landing in the states was to bring the dogs back to foster homes a few people had offered. 20 minutes before landing, Big Dog Ranch Rescue reached out to Abaco Spay/Neuter saying not only could they help house the dogs, but they will treat them for any medical needs, house them, feed them and keep them for up 6 months until their owners could have a better handle on what their long term plan was. We could not be any more grateful to Lauree and her team at Big Dog Ranch for everything they have done for the animals and the people of Abaco.
Hero’s of Treasure Cay
As I mentioned above, we were lucky enough to meet and help one couple who refused to leave their animals behind, Dan and Judy Riley. The Riley’s lost everything. Their home was completely destroyed by the hurricane and, like many other home owners on Abaco, they didn’t have hurricane insurance. They had been living in Treasure Cay for three weeks without running water or electricity, and sleeping outside where their house once stood.
The Riley’s had three dogs - Whipple, Butch and Elroy, and weren’t sure what they were going to do, because they didn’t have anywhere for their dogs to go. At the time, we didn’t have any fosters who could foster their three dogs for 6 months to 1 year while their home was rebuilt. We had to tell them that we had exhausted all efforts to find a foster home for their three dogs and, in order for us to help, we were going to re-home their dogs. If you can imagine, this was the hardest things we had to do. After taking one day to think over their options, the Riley’s agreed that sending their three dogs to the states to be re-homed was what was best. This was yet another difficult decision that they faced, after everything else they had just endured during the eye of the hurricane.
We have included Dan’s personal account below and the news article about Erick “the barber” (Dan’s name somehow was changed to Steve in the story) who lost his arm as he reached out to save his Mother who was swept away by the currant. She was the only recorded death in Treasure Cay. Their story can be read here.
Thanks to Big Dog Ranch stepping forward and fostering Whipple, Butch and Elroy, Dan and Judy will get their dogs back when they are ready!
From Dan’s personal account of what happened in the eye of Hurricane Dorian, one of the most destructive hurricane’s the world has ever seen:
“Judy's saying to me ,Are we going to die and all I said was I don't think so.”
To read his full account, click here.
Our previous work in Abaco.
For 3 years, the HIT Living Foundation has been transporting supplies to Abaco, Bahamas for the Abaco Shelter and the Abaco Spay/Neuter program. We’ve also participated in 3 spay and neuter clinics, as well as transporting Potcakes to Los Angeles to help find them loving, forever homes.
If you would like to help us continue our work in Abaco, you can make a tax-deductible donation to our foundation where we will continue to help bring down supplies, perform pop-up wellness clinics for pets and work on getting the dog/cat population under control with continued spay/neuter clinics with Abaco Spay/Neuter.
