Hurricane Isaias slammed the Gulf Coast on Friday evening as it made landfall as a Category 2 storm near Destin, Florida. The 105 mph winds uprooted trees, ripped roofs off buildings, overturned vehicles, and left roughly 400,000 households without power. The torrential rain flooded streets and homes as emergency crews now attempt to access the damage.

At least four people have been killed, and thousands are in need of emergency aid to recover from this disaster. Recovery efforts continue including removing debris from the road, welfare checks, and distribution of water, food, and tarps. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 27 Florida counties. Power is slowly being restored as crews work into the early morning hours. Residents are urged to boil water, keep portable generators outside in well-ventilated areas, and have carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. 

Families are stranded without power or a roof over their heads. Pets have been displaced and need our support until they can be reunited with their families. 

Animal shelters in the projected path of Isaias searched for fosters prior to the storm and many people stepped up to help. However, overcrowded animal shelters in Florida and Alabama were already struggling to care for animals with their limited resources before the hurricane. 

Lake County Florida Animal Shelter shared how they took in six dogs from a shelter in the direct path, even though they were already full. They said, "With their area in the storm’s projected path, they reached out for help to keep these dogs safe, and our Lake County Animal Shelter staff answered the call. They drove through the night to meet these sweet dogs and bring them to safety."

Our partner, Greater Good Charities has teams in Florida ready to help and are assessing the impacts and working to fill requests for emergency aid to support people and pets.