Helene leaves dogs and cats in the dark at Greenville pound | Hurricane Wire

Still, about 40 of the pounder's 60 regular workers made it in on Oct. 1, and they were walking dogs, taking donations, managing adoptions, and washing down floors.

“Every day we're still coming in,” Simmons said. “We're taking care of the animals, but that's too long for animals to be here in a facility that isn't, you know … I mean, there's no, way to do laundry, there's not much lighting.”

Greenville Humane Society has helped by taking 19 dogs on Sept. 30. Another 20 cats went to the humane society on Oct. 1. 

“They have really helped and given us a little breathing room,” Simmons said.

The storm knocked out the care center's phone, but people can text the pound at 864-467-3985 to set up a time to come by. As ever, she said, these animals need a home. 

Greenville Animal Care has not been able to maintain its no-kill status since the pandemic, Simmons said. Some days more than 50 dogs will come in.

“Even though we're closed and we can't do things the way that we normally do, we're still doing adoptions and we're still allowing fosters,” Simmons said. “The difference is that we're doing it by appointment.”

Paul, a chihuahua mix, found a new home on Oct. 1. 

He sat on the car console between his new owners, Billy Martin and Johnnie Bell wagging his tail and licking.

“We've got another dog,” Bell said, “but it's kind of lonesome.”

 At the pound's back gate, Sandrine Bastian waited for donations. Every few minutes, cars would pull up with a bag of towels or dry food.

“What we really need is wet food,” Simmons said. “When they come to us, they often don't want to eat. Wet food gets them eating.”