GREENVILLE — Five days after Tropical Storm Helene blew through the Upstate, laundry is backing up at Greenville Animal Care.
Laundry is backing up at Greenville Animal Care on Tuesday, Oct. 1, five days after Tropical Storm Helene blew through the area and took out power. The animal pound has generators, but they don't have enough power to operate the industrial washing machines the facility uses to clean about 200 towels and blankets a day.
The animal pound has generators, but they don't have enough power to operate the industrial washing machines the facility uses to clean about 200 towels and blankets a day.
The space on Furman Hall Road in Greenville has — like most of the area — had no power since the storm. With about 200 dogs and cats under its roof, Greenville's animal pound typically washes about that many towels and blankets a day.
The pound expects power to be back by Oct. 4.
People can help, said Greenville Animal Care Director Shelly Simmons, by donating blankets and towels. For the first time since Sept. 26, they were also starting to adopt out dogs and cats on Oct. 1.
Partners in Animal Care, a group that supports the pound, has set up a wish list at Chewy and Amazon. The organization is also trying to identify businesses willing to be drop-off points for donations.
"You know, five days without power at an animal shelter is pretty rough for these animals, and we just want to make them as comfortable as possible," Simmons said.
The shelter's industrial ventilation system has been down, too.
Still, about 40 of the pounder's 60 regular workers made it in on Oct. 1, and they were walking dogs, taking donations, managing adoptions, and washing down floors.
"Every day we're still coming in," Simmons said. "We're taking care of the animals, but that's too long for animals to be here in a facility that isn't, you know ... I mean, there's no, way to do laundry, there's not much lighting."
Sandrine Bastian, a case worker for pet support at Greenville Animal Care, waits at the facility's back gate for donations on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The animal-pound operation for Greenville County has been without power and unable to clean towels and blankets since Tropical Storm Helene blew through the area five days ago.
Greenville Humane Society has helped by taking 19 dogs on Sept. 30. Another 20 cats went to the humane society on Oct. 1.
"They have really helped and given us a little breathing room," Simmons said.
The storm knocked out the care center's phone, but people can text the pound at 864-467-3985 to set up a time to come by. As ever, she said, these animals need a home.
Greenville Animal Care has not been able to maintain its no-kill status since the pandemic, Simmons said. Some days more than 50 dogs will come in.
"Even though we're closed and we can't do things the way that we normally do, we're still doing adoptions and we're still allowing fosters," Simmons said. "The difference is that we're doing it by appointment."
Paul, a chihuahua mix, found a new home on Oct. 1.
He sat on the car console between his new owners, Billy Martin and Johnnie Bell wagging his tail and licking.
Cat Kennel Technician Dina Bradshaw comforts a kitten on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Greenville Animal Care, the animal-pound operation for Greenville County. The facility has been in the dark for five days since Tropical Storm Helene took out power to most of the area. This kitten was left there the morning after the storm.
"We've got another dog," Bell said, "but it's kind of lonesome."
At the pound's back gate, Sandrine Bastian waited for donations. Every few minutes, cars would pull up with a bag of towels or dry food.
Dogs await adoption in the dark Greenville Animal Care on Tuesday, Oct. 1, five days after Tropical Storm Helene blew through the area and took out power.
"What we really need is wet food," Simmons said. "When they come to us, they often don't want to eat. Wet food gets them eating."
Cat Kennel Technician Dina Bradshaw comforted a kitten abandoned in the pound's parking lot the morning after the storm.
Simmons said that if anyone spots a stray dog or cat in coming days to please "be a good neighbor" and try to find the animal's owner. It usually belongs to someone close by.
"We are asking people not to contact animal control or the sheriff's department unless they really have an actual animal emergency," Simmons said. "We don't have the means right now to take in stray animals."