Woman Who Created Safe Haven for 97 Dogs in Her Home During Hurricane Dorian Gets Help

There's a happy ending to the story about the woman in the Bahamas who took nearly 100 dogs into her home to protect them from Hurricane Dorian.

After the storm had passed, Chella Phillips, manager of The Voiceless Dogs of Nassau, Bahamas rescue, got a big assist from Guardians of Rescue and other animal rescue groups, who took about 70 of the dogs and flew them to safety in New York and Florida, where they will receive medical care and then find permanent homes.

But before they arrived, Phillips had a packed house in New Providence, Nassau.

"Ninety-seven dogs are inside my house and 79 of them are inside my master bedroom. It has been insane since last night," Phillips posted on Facebook.

"We have barricaded the refuge and nobody is outside, the music is playing in all directions of the house and the AC is blowing for them. I managed to bring some less fortunate ones and I really appreciate some of you donating for crates. I really needed it for the scared ones and the sick ones. so Thank you!"

Phillips posted photos of the dogs: Some were sleeping or lounging, while others were just standing around, though they did create a lot of poop and pee in the house, "... but at least they are respecting my bed and nobody has dared to jump in," she wrote.

They all appeared to be getting along.

And that, apparently, was the one question on many people's minds when they saw the puppy-packed home.

"For all the ones asking.. yes.. everyone here gets along and welcome the newcomers with tail wags cause they know they are their brothers and sisters in suffering on the streets," Phillips wrote in another post.

"They are not like the selfish humans that mistreated and abused them or simply passed them by and let them die on the streets. Each of my babies deserve to have loving homes, so please, I am begging for rescues to help them!! My heart is breaking that I left so many on the streets cause I had no more room to bring them. Please. Please!!"

Help from strangers

Phillips works with animal rescues across the U.S. to get dogs off the streets and into adoptive homes. She noted that on Sept. 1, the day she brought the dogs inside, it was the fourth anniversary of the rescue's creation. Since then, she says they have taken in nearly 1,000 dogs and found them homes.

Phillips' Facebook posts were shared and liked thousands of times, helping to spread the word about the small rescue. An online fundraiser with a goal of raising $20,000 had tallied just more than $304,000 at the time of publication.

"All services are down, all TVs are fried from the lightning so no more cartoons for the sick dogs until we can purchase new ones," Phillips wrote in an update.

"I pray for the other islands who have unimaginable damages and I don't see how any dogs or any living being could have survived outside. My heart goes out to them. Thank you for the outpouring support and heartfelt prayers from so many people that don't even know us, my post from yesterday went viral and total strangers are reaching out to us giving us the exposure that we need so badly. Thank you!"

Phillips wrote that she only posted the photos to amuse her followers and show how bonkers she was about protecting dogs. The response was "mind-boggling" as she was overwhelmed by the support she received all over the world.

"I don’t even know what to say, how to thank you, your love, words, donations are keeping me alive, giving me hope and I want you to know, that no matter how much is raised, every nickel will go to saving dog's lives," she wrote.

"There is so much to do now, there will be so many more dogs that your donations will allow me to save, please know that your money will be spent saving lives, buying food, getting their medical expenses paid, buying them toys so they can know happiness for once in their lives, finding them great, safe, peaceful forever homes... My heart is full, and I want everyone that has reached out to know that."