Did you lose your pet during Hurricane Helene? Hunt to reunite dog and owner

A North Carolina animal shelter has issued a desperate appeal to find the family of an obviously beloved dog that washed ashore during the recent hurricane.

Forgotten, Now Family Rescue, based in Charlotte, has taken in a Great Pyrenees mix found near a river after the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Helene.

The dog, which they named River, was found in an area that was completely inaccessible, but with the help of an all-terrain vehicle, a conservationist, a veterinarian and a member of the animal control team, they were able to get him to safety.

Now the shelter is determined to reunite River with his family. Because of his friendly, loving temperamentthey are sure there is a family out there looking for their beloved pet.

Shelter worker Chrissy Elder shared Newsweek: “River is the best boy. We are so hopeful that we will find him his incredible family.”

“Somehow, despite his horrific situation, he still gave away love. River is the best dog and we know he needs his family out there somewhere,” the shelter wrote in an appeal to them Instagram page, @forgotten_now_family_rescue, on October 9.

“We are looking everywhere for them, so please share River’s story again and again in hopes that someone recognizes him or his family sees this,” the shelter said.

In the videoLiked more than 110,000 times, they showed photos and videos of the beautiful dog and said he was found in the Pensacola area of ​​Yancey County. He is now with a foster care provider in Charlotte, and despite there being a flood of people offering to adopt him, the shelter explains that they are not accepting adoption applications.

“We are working to find his family. We want nothing more than to see him home,” the report reiterated.

The rescue shared a new appeal on October 18, confirming that his family has not yet been found, but that they remain confident “there is an amazing family out there looking for him.”

Referring to the devastation Hurricane Helene has left on the area, the shelter said: “They have potentially already lost everything. The last thing (we) want is for them to lose their dog too.”

Animal lovers were moved to tears by River’s story and the heartfelt appeal to reunite him, with one user writing: “Prayers you find this angel’s family soon!!! Bless you for saving this sweetheart and I hope May he be rescued quickly.”

“Thinking of everyone who suffered there,” wrote another, while a third said: “I hope he finds his family. I can’t imagine how scared and confused he is. So many lost pets breaks my heart. I just pray he still has a family to go home to.”

Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina and claimed 95 lives in the state, according to officials.

According to the newspaper, more than a dozen victims remain unnamed North Carolina Department of Health and Human ServiceS. Yancey County, where River was found, had 11 Helene-related deaths.

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