Woman houses 97 dogs to save them from Hurricane Dorian

A woman has opened her heart as well as her home in the Bahamas to 97 dogs to keep them safe from Hurricane Dorian that recently hit the area. The hurricane is the most powerful storm on record to hit the islands. 

“[Ninety-seven] dogs are inside my house and 79 of them are inside my master bedroom,” Chella Phillips said in her Facebook post last Sunday, Sept. 1. She described the situation as “insane.”

https://www.facebook.com/chella.melnechuk/posts/10219195257973459

In an effort to further protect the animals, she turned her air-conditioning on and played music “in all directions of the house.”

Phillips was not alone in helping the dogs. She said some people donated dog crates, which “the scared ones and the sick ones” needed.

Rescuing animals is nothing new to Phillips. According to her post, she runs a refuge for homeless dogs, “The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, Bahamas.” Coincidentally, Sept. 1 marked the refuge’s fourth anniversary, and she said that the organization has cared for nearly 1,000 dogs since it began.

Phillip’s effort to save the animals quickly went viral, gaining 56,000 shares on Facebook, as of this writing.

In a separate post yesterday, Sept. 3, she updated her followers and assured them that she and the dogs were all safe “and made it through Dorian so far”.

She revealed that it is still not safe to let the dogs out of her home since thunderstorms are expected to hit their area. Despite only having “a week’s worth” of dog food left for the animals, Phillip remains hopeful.

She could not help but thank everyone who has supported her efforts, especially those who have donated cash to help her get resources for the dogs, saying, “Thank you does not even cover the gratitude in my heart right now.” NVG

RELATED STORIES: 

LOOK: Man saves dog hanging by electrical cord near overpass

Rescue dog saves couple from burning house

For Marikina evacuees, leaving pets behind is not an option