A rescue mission after Hurricane Helene brought four small puppies out of harm’s way.
Volunteers with the nonprofit Paws of War arrived to assist at some of the harder-hit sites in North Carolina after the hurricane swept through.
Niki Dawson, director of animal welfare and logistics for Paws of War, was one of the volunteers who provided relief for people and their animals.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dawson shared that many people who evacuated took their pets with them.
But many people, especially in the smaller areas of North Carolina where flooding was extreme, were caught by surprise – and "few" pets and their owners survived, Dawson said.
"The animals we saw were actually with their family members," she said. "So, it turned from a search and rescue operation to supply distribution for people who were sheltering in place, people who were in their homes that were uninhabitable, and they were just kind of stuck there."
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"We just tried to provide them with supplies for humans, supplies for the animals."
That included one family in Asheville, North Carolina, who had rescued a dog eight weeks prior that delivered puppies the next day.
After the hurricane hit, Dawson reported that the family was "really struggling to provide for her" as well as her Shepherd-mix puppies.
"They were feeding her chicken and steak, and she was living on human food," she said.
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"And she was very, very thin and really not able to sustain all of these puppies, as well as herself, with this food that they were able to provide for her."
The Paws of War volunteers were able to provide the family with gas, pet food and other supplies. They also made plans to take the four puppies at the request of the family.
Dawson explained to the family that the puppies would be taken to safety and re-homed with military veterans and first responders.
"They were so incredibly grateful," she said. "[The owner’s] exact words were, ‘That tickles my heart,’ because his grandfather was a Vietnam veteran, and his dad was also a veteran."
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"I think that really gave him a sense of comfort and even pride," she added.
The puppies’ mother was very friendly with the volunteers, although they were told she was previously "very defensive" of strangers, Dawson shared.
"She ran right up to us and gave us kisses and let us pet her," she said. "And the owner said she's never done that to anyone before."
"So we were kind of patting ourselves on the back, saying, ‘She knows we're going to take great care of her puppies and give them a wonderful home.’"
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Dawson described feeling "so grateful" that she and her team were able to help, as they continued to provide aid around the area.
The volunteers plan to provide the same relief for animals and humans affected by Hurricane Milton.