Asheville Animal Rescue asks for support, announces matching donation drive

ASHEVILLE, NC (WSMV) – A North Carolina animal rescue organization is asking for support after Hurricane Helene devastated the shelter.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville, North Carolina, said it was grateful it was able to evacuate its 150 animals to foster homes and that all team members were accounted for after flooding caused by Helene devastated the region. However, they lost their shelter and all other physical possessions in the floods caused by Helen’s remains.

Brother Wolf’s team said they worked in a makeshift office with a small team to keep the animals safe, but faced obstacles such as “impassable roads, no electricity, fuel shortages and extreme communication difficulties.

On Friday, rescue workers were able to help adopt or transport 100 animals to partner shelters from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Massachusetts.

“Brother Wolf Animal Rescue plays a vital role in rescuing more than 5,400 animals each year, more than 60 percent of which come from rural shelters, which are often under-resourced and under-resourced, in Western North Carolina,” Brother Wolf said. “The sudden cessation of operations threatens not only Asheville but also the surrounding communities that rely on the services of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue for their most vulnerable animals. »

The relief effort is launching a matching donation campaign that it credits to a “compassionate donor,” with all contributions matched dollar for dollar up to $500,000. The money will be used to establish a temporary headquarters and move to a new facility in Asheville.

“We are incredibly humbled by the response from the community so far,” says Executive Director Leah Craig Chumbley. “But our fight is far from over. We urgently need financial support to rebuild and continue to serve the communities and thousands of animals who depend on us each year.

Anyone interested in donating can visit www.bwar.org.