There is one thing you can count on in this world is that someone will help you in a desperate time of need. Those people are usually called heroes, but in this case, there are actually charges being made against the hero.
Natural disasters are unpredictable and terrifying but they tend to bring communities together. and force strangers to work together.
After Hurricane Florence, ripped through North Carolina a woman may face charges for sheltering too many pets. Others have a lot to say about it too!
Tammie Hedges was saddened by just thinking about what would happen to peoples pets during the hurricane.
She is a genuine animal lover and the owner of Crazy’s Claws n Paws which is a non-profit group that helps low-income families take care of their pets. Because she had a huge warehouse she offered the space to be used to shelter pets during the storm.
“The goal was to make sure they were not out there drowning. We had an elderly couple, they were evacuating that afternoon, and there was no way they could take 18 animals with them.”
During the disaster, Hedges was able to temporarily sheltering 27 animals (17 cats and 10 dogs).
Several volunteers and a few donations made it possible to keep the pets safe during the storm.
After the storm passed, she received a call from Wayne County’s animal services manager, saying, “You can voluntarily hand over the animals or I can go get a warrant.”
Hedges had no choice she had to turn the animals over.
“So a group of us got together to do something to help those animals is why we opened our building to them so they’d have a safe dry place to go until their owners returned to get them,” Hedges told local reporters.
“I had not gone out and gotten any animals, but a couple of independent rescuers had gotten some from flooded areas and brought them to me.”
“Each one had its own cage or playpen, its own water, its own food, and cats had their own litter box. There was a kennel set up with pads that dogs could be taken to use the bathroom,” she said.
Wayne County service manager, Frank Sauls, said Hedges could be charged.
“If we didn’t feel like anything was being done wrong, we would not have taken (the animals),” he said. “But that is for the courts to decide.”
Hedges is horrified by the reality that her generous action could end her up in court.
“We’re not just gonna let (the animals) suffer and die and drown,” she said.
“I think it’s really sad that when someone tries to do the right thing, they’re punished for it,” Davidson chimed. “I’m hoping they don’t file charges. We’d like to see him reach out to her and push the reset button.”
Social media users expressed their frustration.
“Punishing this loving woman for caring and saving the lives of pets that were in the water and in danger of drowning, and providing these pets a warm safe place to be? UNBELIEVABLE! She should be given an award!!!” one user wrote.
“Absolutely infuriating and a waste of resources. Calling & voicing my disgust from California,” another commented.
Do you think Hedges should suffer a penalty for setting up a makeshift shelter during a hurricane?