Hurricane Dorian is still raging over the Bahamas, leaving a trail of extreme destruction in its wake. Five people have lost their lives in the storm, with 13,000 houses severely damaged. It is a tragedy of epic proportions for this small Caribbean nation, one that will take many years to recover from.
Amid the human suffering and loss that these natural disasters inflict, animals are often forgotten. My dog is so terrified by a distant rumbling of thunder that he runs immediately to the shower to take shelter. I can’t imagine how traumatic a category 5 hurricane must be for these poor creatures, especially those that have already been abandoned.
The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, Bahamas don’t have a safe place like a shower to run to when they are afraid. All they have is Chella Phillips, the one and only person behind the rescue operation. Chella is not an official rescue shelter or organization, she is not affiliated to the Humane Society and she doesn’t receive any kind of help from the government. It is just her and her love for the homeless dogs of Nassau.
So rather than leaving defenseless dogs out on the streets to face the hurricane alone, Chella took in as many as she possibly could, packing her house with 97 pooches of all shapes and sizes.
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Chella rescues dogs from the streets of Nassau and gets them vetted and vaccinated. They then live at her refuge until she is able to find a rescue willing to help her with them in the United States.
Countless homeless dogs have left the streets of Nassau and are now enjoying life being loved and cared for by their families.
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
But it’s a constant struggle to keep up. “New dogs each day, each week, each month, new mouths to feed and care. That is a reality I cannot escape anymore,” she writes.
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
“This is a small island, yet thousands of homeless dogs are roaming the streets in search of food, water, love. They are all looking for the same, someone to love them and be kind to them. You would think that is not too much to ask, but here, it is. Not many people see these homeless dogs as sentient beings.”
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Since her post went viral, Chella has been receiving donations from well-wishers all over the world. Most importantly, however, is the willingness for proper shelters to take the dogs in and find them loving homes.
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
“Everyone here gets along and welcome the newcomers with tail wags because they know they are their brothers and sisters in suffering on the streets,” Chella wrote in an update on the situation.
“Each of my babies deserve to have loving homes, so please, I am begging for rescues to help them!!
My heart is breaking that I left so many on the streets cause I had no more room to bring them. Please.. Please!!”
Image credits: Chella Phillips
Image credits: Chella Phillips
You can help Chella and her pups out by donating to the regular monthly fundraiser or using the PayPal address for the refuge: pawtcake.refuge.inc@gmail.com. Let’s hope the hurricane passes soon and all of these doggos can go on to find the loving homes and families they deserve!
Image credits: Chella Phillips
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