Misa Martin will spend Saturday night at the Elmsford Animal Shelter, keeping dogs and other pets safe during Hurricane Irene
Photo credit: Luis Garcia

ELMSFORD, N.Y. -- While many people are working hard to keep humans safe during Hurricane Irene, others are making sure animals too remain unharmed through the storm.

That’s the case of Joy Sarnelli Carson and Misa Martin, respectively the executive director and the director of behavior and training of the Elmsford Animal Shelter. They are among the 10 staff and volunteers that will spend Saturday night at the shelter with around 500 pets, mostly dogs, cats and rabbits.

“The building is not supposed to get flooded, but the access roads will,” explained Carson, referring to the Warehouse Lane, where the shelter is located, an area of Elmsford particularly sensitive to heavy rains.        

Martin spent Saturday morning preparing radios for the staff to communicate and filling up water supplies.

“We are just setting them up and hoping this is all for nothing,” she said.

Other precautions included placing animals away from windows and giving each dog a toy to chew.

“So that they can think of something else besides the pouring rain,” Martin said.

Are you a volunteer at the Elmsford Animal Shelter? Tells us a bit about the preparations for the Hurricane Irene. You can do it at Facebook.