Ali Standish couldn’t believe what she saw when she arrived to pick up the dog she had committed to foster for the weekend.
She was surprised by how many people were waiting in line to aid a homeless dog that was trying to flee Hurricane Florence. People were patiently waiting in line behind her.
“When I saw the line, I was a little taken aback.” The Dodo was recounted by Standish. “Wow, the need here was much larger than I imagined,” was my initial response. Wow, people have really risen to fulfill this need, was my second thought.
Standish snapped a photo and posted it to Twitter along with the caption, “The line of folks waiting to pick up foster dogs for the weekend so coastal shelters can evacuate here before #HurricanceFlorence. Many more behind me. Sometimes humans are okay.”
Volunteers from Saving Grace, an animal shelter based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, had worked diligently throughout the week to make room for animals evacuated from coastal shelters in the Carolinas. And the community had answered their call.
“We have a ‘weekend host’ program that happens every other weekend,” Molly Goldston, founder and director of Saving Grace, told The Dodo.
“This is an opportunity for people who cannot commit to fostering a dog long-term, but are willing to open their home to a dog on a short-term basis. We reach out to these folks for emergencies as well.”
Standish and over 100 other potential fosters stepped up so that the displaced animals would have a safe and comfortable place to weather the storm. But with two rescue dogs of her own, Standish was unsure of how her foster puppy, Floyd, would fit into their family dynamic.
As soon as she got home, she saw there had been no need to worry.
“Floyd is about the best puppy I have ever met,” Standish said. “He is down to play if you are, but also totally fine to chill. He is respectful with our other two dogs, great on his leash and mostly potty-trained, which is pretty impressive for a 4-month-old!”
Little Floyd was all than glad to share the couch with Standish’s dogs, Bella and Keeper, and the pit bull mix hasn’t stopped showering them with kisses and cuddles in appreciation.
He has the cutest tiny face and adores being taken up and caressed, according to Standish. “Whoever chooses to adopt him as their forever dog will be a very lucky family,” I said.
Just before Florence made landfall Friday morning, something totally unexpected happened — Standish’s tweet went viral. Standish was shocked when she realized her post about a small but generous act had amassed over 13,000 retweets and 70,000 likes.
According to Standish, “I have received literally thousands of responses from individuals since last night expressing that this photo changed their day, moved them to tears, or helped restore a little of their confidence in mankind.” And I believe the reason is because, even though each person in that line was there to do a single tiny act of kindness, many small acts of kindness may have a significant impact.
The fact that our sanctuary can now house hundreds of dogs in safety is due to all of us, not just one of us, said Standish.
But for dedicated shelter staffers and volunteers, the work doesn’t stop once Florence blows through.
“We have assisted with multiple hurricanes and disasters in the past, but this one is hitting especially close to home,” Goldston wrote in a statement. “We need your support not only to care for the dogs we have taken in this week but those who are to come after Florence’s devastation. We are prepared to help where needed and look forward to providing love, medical care, supplies and safety to dogs in critical need in the weeks to come.”
If Standish’s community has anything to say about it, those dogs will not be left wanting.
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