As Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida, animal shelters across the state faced a race against time. For many, the only option was to evacuate their animals before the storm struck.
At Miami-Dade Animal Services, staff knew the task of moving nearly 400 dogs would require a miracle — or the help of a compassionate community. A few days before landfall, they posted an urgent plea on Instagram:
“With the tropical storm approaching, we are taking all precautions to keep our shelter dogs safe,” the post read. “We are urgently in need of fosters … If you are able to open your home and keep our shelter pets safe from flooding, please reach out to us.”
The response was immediate and overwhelming.
Even while preparing their own homes for the hurricane, people showed up in droves to help. One Miami resident, Mari Gvozdeva, welcomed a foster dog named Scout into her home. Within hours, Scout had enjoyed a warm bath, some playtime, and a cozy bed — settling in as if he’d been there all along.
As word spread, the shelter’s front doors were soon flanked by lines of would-be foster families. Just two days after their initial call, hundreds of people had arrived, eager to offer safe refuge to the dogs.
“We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible support from our community,” shelter staff said.
By the time Hurricane Milton arrived, every single dog — all 388 of them — was out of the shelter and safe in a foster home.
In the days following, many fosters shared photos and videos of their temporary companions, introducing them to the world and helping them find potential forever families.
Some of these posts have already led to adoptions — unexpected happy endings born from the chaos of a looming storm.
For Miami-Dade Animal Services, the outpouring of love was proof that, even in the face of disaster, kindness can be just as powerful as any hurricane.
To support Miami-Dade Animal Services, you can make a donation here. You can learn more about their adoptable dogs here.
