Marin Humane staff travel to storm-battered Tampa Bay for cleanup

(KRON) -- Following the devastating hurricanes that impacted Tampa Bay, Fla., in late September and early October, staff with Marin Humane were compelled to assist “however was needed,” the animal shelter said Wednesday.

According to Marin Humane, which is located in Novato, SPCA Tampa Bay reached out for help at a time when many animal welfare organizations in the southeast United States were facing the daunting task of caring for animals and their own families after the storms petered out and the country moved on.

“We immediately agreed,” Marin Humane said.

Five staff members from Marin Humane traveled to the Florida facility to assist in cleanup and daily operations, as well as provide “relief to the exhausted Tampa Bay staff still reeling from the hurricanes’ impacts on their community and their own homes,” the organization said.

During their time in Florida, the Bay Area crew cleared debris, repaired a damaged chicken coop, set up temporary housing for dogs, distributed pet food to residents in need, fed displaced wildlife and walked and played with shelter dogs.

Marin Humane staff also said they helped with many people who needed to surrender their pets after losing their homes and livelihoods.

“This is what the animal welfare community is about,” Marin Humane shared on Facebook. “It’s showing up even when the spotlight has faded. And it’s about doing the work with an open heart, knowing that even small gestures of support can go a long way toward healing.”