INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every week, “Pet Pals TV” shares a fun, interesting, and informative story about our-four legged and furry friend population.

As recovery efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Helene, local and national organizations are stepping up to provide relief for both people and pets.

Shelters in North Carolina have been devastated, and many animals are in desperate need of assistance. One organization leading the charge is Silver Snout Rescue in central Indiana, which helps senior dogs find safe, loving homes.

Chelle Allen, of Silver Snout Rescue, stopped by Daybreak Saturday morning along with 16-year-old rescue dog Jerry to chat.

Allen says her rescue is already working to provide aid. “We loaded up a 26-foot U-Haul this morning, and it’s on its way to North Carolina.”

The truck is packed with donations, but the group still needs more support. “We weren’t able to fit all of the donations in, which is amazing, but we plan to make another trip down,” Allen said.

Many animal hospitals and rescues in North Carolina have been left with nothing, according to Allen. “Some shelters were completely demolished. They’ve set up makeshift shelters in parking lots with no electricity or running water,” she said.

While the effort is well underway, additional resources are needed. Allen stressed that donations, both monetary and in-kind, are crucial to support their work. “The larger moving van was rather expensive. Our original plan was to bring some dogs back with us, but we’ve had to halt that until we have more funding,” she said.

Silver Snout hopes to rescue senior dogs from the affected areas and transport them to Indianapolis, where they will be placed in foster homes. The organization runs a “nursing home for dogs” on Indy’s west side, where volunteers care for senior rescues like Jerry.

However, more foster families are needed.

“We absolutely need fosters,” Allen said. “All of our dogs go into a foster home. We like for our dogs to live in homes rather than shelters whenever possible.”

To learn more about how to help, visit Silver Snout Rescue’s website or follow them on social media.

How you can help:

• Donations: Monetary support is needed to fund transport and care for rescued animals.
• Fosters: Volunteers to foster senior dogs are essential to give these pets a safe place to stay.

Catch more of this story on Pet Pals TV, airing Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. on WISH-TV.