Animal clinic collecting supplies for tornado victims

Catherine Shelby’s day is only complete with one thing: the loving barks of three dogs as she walks through the front door.

“I was fortunate enough to be spared in the April 27 tornado,” Shelby said of the Tuscaloosa tornado. “I can’t imagine a tornado coming though my town again, blowing away my house and my dogs just being out there somewhere. I would just hope whoever found them or took them in would have the things needed to take care of them.”

It was that mindset that spurred her creation of Alabama for Oklahoma Animals. AOA is a grassroots effort to rally supplies for animals affected by the May tornadoes in Moore, Okla.

Shelby mobilized herself and her organizations to respond to the needs of shelters. They took supplies like animal food, treats, crates, flea-mediation, cleaning supplies, collars and cat liter.

She utilized her friends and contacts around the state like Allison Grabes-Cheatwood, Vestavia, networking sites like Facebook and youcaring.com, and stores like Pet Supplies Plus and Freek on a Leesh Pet Bazaar to raise supplies.

“The animals need just as much as the humans,” Grabes-Cheatwood, said. “It’s just really hard, because something that we noticed about the tornadoes (in Tuscaloosa), the humans were taken care of, the animals were not.”

Altadena Valley Animal Clinic volunteered as the drop-off location for Birmingham. AOA organized 21 other drop-off locations around the state and trucks delivered supplies to animal shelters in Moore last month.

 “It’s unbelievable the generosity people have,” Grabes-Cheatwood said.

Shelby and Grabes-Cheatwood have both been astonished by the response people have given.

“I think it has a lot to do with people from Alabama have been through this tragedy before,” Shelby said.

As of now, Moore is supplied and most of the needs met.

Visit facebook.com/AlabamaForOklahomaAnimals for more.