Pets from shelter hit by Hurricane Michael arrive

They are tail-wagging Hurricane Michael survivors in need of homes.

Four cats and 44 dogs, including more than a dozen puppies, arrived Monday afternoon at the Humane Society of Broward County after making the 555-mile trek from Alabama.

A four-member team from the Humane Society left Sunday to pick up the animals from a shelter in Dothan hard hit by the storm.

The precious cargo included a buff-colored, 12-pound mix named Bailey, who was surrendered by his Tyndall Air Force Base family when they lost everything.

The owners were heartbroken to give up their loyal friend, said Cherie Wachter, a spokeswoman for the shelter who made the drive to Alabama.

Wachter and her team arrived at the Alabama shelter with pet food, water, a generator and supplies donated by animal lovers in South Florida.

They made the drive back in nine hours, with the pets loaded into two vans, said Mary Steffen, senior vice president of operations at the shelter.

“We have lots of puppies,” Steffen said, pointing to one kennel with nine pups at play, not tired in the least from their ninehour trip.

Two mama dogs from the same shelter were brought to Dania Beach before the storm hit, Steffen said.

The hound mix has 10 puppies and the pit bull mix has five.

A 1-year-old Siamese, an orange tabby and two kittens also made the trip.

The shelter in Alabama is still tending to 20 dogs and 20 cats in another building that made it through the storm.

“They still need food, so we may go back later this week with more food,” Steffen said.

The shelter, a block west of Interstate 95 at 2070 Griffin Road, is open daily for adoptions at 10:30 a.m.

To see who needs a home, go to www.humanebroward.com