TITUSVILLE, Fla. — As the clock ticks down to Tropical Storm Helene making an anticipated landfall along the Gulf Coast, some Central Florida animal control organizations are doing what they can to lend a helping hand to other counties gearing up for the storm.

What You Need To Know

  • Central Florida animal shelters lending a helping hand to nearby animal control organizations ahead of Tropical Storm Helene

  • SPCA of Brevard assisting neighboring shelters in the storm’s path by temporarily taking in dozens of animals

  • To counter the influx of animals coming in, the SPCA of Brevard is offering the community an opportunity to help by temporarily fostering their animals through their Thunder Buddies Program

  • 15 animals were signed out through SPCA of Brevard’s Thunder Buddies program Tuesday

The SPCA of Brevard County is helping animal shelters in the Big Bend area since many shelters there have limited resources and are outdoors, directly in the storm’s path.

Close to twenty dogs were picked up in Marion County Tuesday and will be temporarily sheltered at the SPCA in Brevard until the storm passes.

Both cats and dogs are available to be fostered for at least a week through the Thunder Buddies Program to give staff some breathing room and these furry friends a place to call home during the storm.

“Those shelters over there, specifically animal controls. A lot of them have very little resources. They’re all outdoors and they’re in direct paths of the storm,” says SPCA of Brevard’s executive director, Susan Naylor.

Naylor says the SPCA works directly with the Florida State Animal Response Coalition to identify which shelters need help with evacuations. 

While they’re eager to take these animals in, their priority right now is getting their own animals into foster care to create some space.

“We always feel like dogs and cats, but you know specifically dogs, would much rather be cuddled up with somebody going through the storm than sitting in a kennel because our cats do get to be in community rooms,” said Naylor.

So far, 15 animals were signed out through the Thunder Buddies program on Tuesday, including a 7-year-old cat named Biggie, that is being fostered by Brevard County resident, Liane Rensing and her two kids.

“If we can help out in any way, then you know we can, we will,” says Rensing.

Even though they plan to foster Biggie for two weeks, they’re not excluding the possibility of giving her a forever home.

“We can give the animals a home and love that they might not be able to do here,” says Rensing’s daughter.

While some animals might need more help to integrate into a new home or at least a temporary home, Naylor says there are plenty that work well with other pets and that would love a chance at a forever home.

The Thunder Buddies program was initiated in 2017 around the time that Hurricane Irma hit Brevard County.

That year, Naylor says they managed to get 50% of their animals in foster care, half of which ended up getting adopted afterwards. 

Even though she says she doesn’t expect everyone to adopt the animals long term, it’s always a happy bonus when it happens.