Thanks to a couple of brave animal lovers, one lucky North Carolina dog was saved from the floodwaters of Florence ― and she couldn’t show her gratitude in a more adorable way.
The black-and-white female pit bull was found drenched and alone on a porch in South Lumberton, North Carolina, on Sunday by Brent Scott, 37, and Sam Woodman, 35. The pair drove down from Maine on Thursday to rescue animals in the aftermath of the storm.
“She was so appreciative to see us,” Scott told HuffPost of the abandoned pooch. She had no tag around her neck, and a cut section of leash dangled around her neck.
“These people [in the neighborhood] weren’t even going to take her,” he said. “They just were ignoring her, and we said, ‘Well, we’ll take her now.’”
If the sweet pup’s unrelenting tail-wagging and big licks for her rescuers are any indication, she couldn’t be any more thankful for their efforts.
The two men documented the rescue and subsequent ride to safety in a Facebook Live video on Sunday.
“We’re gonna get you a nice towel, get you dried off,” Woodman can be heard in the video comforting the rescued dog inside their van. “You ever see somebody so happy?”
During their first days in North Carolina, the pair said they delivered pet food to area hotels where people had been forced to evacuate with their animals.
“Responsible people take their dogs” or at the very least leave their contact information around their neck, Scott said.
Asked if he’d thought of a name for her, Woodman said, “How about Florence! I couldn’t do that. That would be too corny.”
Fortunately, Scott and Woodman aren’t the only ones working hard to rescue animals threatened by the historic storm. Freelance reporter Marcus DiPaola rescued six dogs in Leland, North Carolina, on Sunday after they were left locked up in an outdoor cage.
A pastor and two members of his church in Jacksonville, North Carolina, pulled both multiple dogs and cats from the floodwaters on Friday while searching for stranded humans.
Roughly 50 miles to the north, a team of rescuers set out Saturday on jet skis and motorboats with a mission to save four-legged friends in need. They rescued at least 18 dogs that day.
Florence, which made landfall on Friday as a Category 1 hurricane, and has since become a tropical depression, has killed multiple people and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.