Hilton Head’s hidden piece of hurricane prep: 69 shelter cats’ life-saving trip from SC to Ohio
.jpg "Shelter cats from Hilton Head Humane that were transported to Ohio in preparation for Hurricane Imelda that was initially anticipated to impact the Lowcountry in Sept. 2025.")
When most people think of hurricane preparedness, they imagine sandbags, bottled water and boarded-up windows.
But on Hilton Head Island, where cats are often as much a part of the landscape as palm trees and salt marshes, storm prep sometimes takes a softer, furrier form.
As Hurricane Imelda loomed offshore last week, the Hilton Head Humane Association quietly orchestrated a life-saving evacuation for a handful of four-legged felines.
With help from Beaufort County Animal Services and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 69 unowned shelter cats were transported out of the potential danger zone to a recovery facility in Columbus, Ohio – just as the storm pivoted away from the coast.
While not a typical piece of Lowcountry hurricane prep, it’s a testament to how disaster readiness is as much about heart as it is about logistics.
“It’s always a part of natural disaster planning to be as prepared and proactive as possible,” said Amanda Kruczynski, senior director of operations at the ASPCA Cruelty Recovery Center. “The goal is to get animals out of harm’s way and to free up local shelters to have space to respond in the aftermath of a disaster.”
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Seven people, 69 cats & two vehicles
When Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency for South Carolina on Sept. 26, ahead of Hurricane Imelda, HHHA and BCAS didn’t hesitate. Knowing the region’s existing vulnerability to hurricanes – and the large number of animals already in their care – they reached out to the ASPCA for assistance.
The team sprang into action, traveling to Hilton Head to assess the animals, speak with local shelter staff and make selections.
Within 72 hours, ASPCA staff members selected 69 cats for transport, secured health certificates and loaded up two vehicles for the 10-hour journey to Ohio.
By moving the shelter cats to a new home up north, 57 kennels were cleared, opening up more space in the wake of potential storm destruction and giving these animals a better chance to find homes outside the disaster zone.
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The cats arrived safely in Columbus on Tuesday, Sept. 30, as Imelda shifted harmlessly out to sea, but Kruczynski said the decision to move them was still the right one.
“You never know where a storm is going to go until it’s already there,” she said. “It’s always better to act early.”
Why Ohio?
The ASPCA’s recovery center in Columbus was the designated destination – chosen for both its capacity and strategic location.
Kruczynski said that this facility was opened to serve as a centralized location to assist when animals are displaced by natural disasters, cruelty investigations or overcrowded shelters across different regions of the U.S.
The 69 cats from Hilton Head will now undergo a brief quarantine and health check period before settling into their new Midwest home and being made available for adoption.
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For Kruczynski, who has spent over a decade in animal welfare – from a crowded municipal shelter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to disaster response with the ASPCA – she says this mission should serve as a model for what pet preparedness should look like for shelters and pet owners, too.
“We prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” she said. “But it’s also important for pet owners to be as prepared as possible. That’s the first line of defense in emergencies like this.”
The Atlantic hurricane season officially concludes on Nov. 30. For a breakdown of hurricane preparation and evacuation routes for Beaufort County, click here.
This story was originally published October 4, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
