It’s been nearly a week since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast, and communities are still assessing the damage. As of Wednesday, more than 180 deaths had been reported, while communities hit hardest by the flooding still lacked electricity and cell service. Countless homes and business have either been swept away by flooding, destroyed, or seriously damaged. Devastated roadways are also isolating many of the hardest hit areas. Though it will take time for official figures to come in, it’s believed that there are billions of dollars in damages. Animal shelters and rescues have not been spared, either.

Organizations across North Carolina, where the most deaths have occurred and the mountain haven of Asheville has been particularly devastated, are sharing what they can. That includes Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville, which posted photos on social media of the destruction wreaked on its shelter.

In a Facebook post, they said the flooding reached levels no one had imagined. They had assumed they’d return to some standing water, but, instead, floodwaters reached the tops of their buildings and destroyed their vehicles and everything else inside. They called it a “disaster zone.”

There were bright spots, though, in the form of dedicated volunteers.

They write, “At the same time, we feel lucky that only our physical assets were destroyed. All of our animals were evacuated thanks to our beautiful community. The heart of Brother Wolf is not a shelter; it’s all of us coming together to impact both people’s and animals’ lives in a positive way.”

The organization, which was started in 2007, says it will rebuild. Partner shelters have also taken in some of their animals.

Another organization in nearby Maggie Valley, Sister Kitten Animal Rescue, looks after feral cats and has a trap-neuter-release program. In a Facebook update, they shared photos of Helene’s aftermath at one of their feeding stations.

It shows a railroad track suspended in the air, with the ground that had been underneath it washed away. They put out food in case any of the cats survived, and they were heartened by a certain discovery soon after.

They write, “Well, today we found lots of kitty footprints in the mud around the feeding station! We haven't seen any of the cats here yet but this gives us hope.”

About 50 miles up the road from Asheville sits Erwin, Tennessee, where Unicoi County Animal Shelter is located. The floodwaters also destroyed their building, supplies, and equipment, though they’re working on regrouping with the help of supporters.

They shared photos of flooding in their area, as well as updates on how the community has come together for them. That included fosters, volunteers, and other shelters helping evacuate animals as the storm bore down on the community.

These stories illustrate both the devastation of the storm and the spirit of community that remains strong in the aftermath. Our partner Greater Good Charities is on the ground in impacted areas providing their own aid. You can help efforts to evacuate pets and provide supplies for displaced people and pets.