Woman Finds Homes for 100 Pets After Florida Nursing Center Closes
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida. – A Daytona Beach resident successfully found a safe place for about 100 animals in just a few days.
Shoshanna Tempest ran Compassion In Healthcare, a pet shelter on Beville Road. Due to financial difficulties related to the pandemic, she was unable to keep the institution open.
In the end, the building fell under arrest. From that point on, Tempest was in charge of a tortoise, a chinchilla, several birds, horses, dogs, and cats. The new owners have notified her that she must vacate the property by Wednesday noon.
“He had his ups and downs, but more ups than downs,” Tempest said. “People came and cheered us on.”
After several days of hard work, all the animals were either adopted or rescued by another team. Employees of the Halifax Humane Society helped clear the building.
FOX 35 News crews watched as the police watched her leave. Tempest said she would not have been able to get the animals where they need to be without the help of community partners.
An organization called Poodle and Pooch Rescue stepped in to rescue some of the cats, though this is not their typical protocol. Rebecca Lynch, a board member for the rescue organization, said several pets needed medical attention and she couldn’t help but help. Tempest spent months searching for solutions, but found no response.
“She has spent her life taking care of other people and taking care of animals. And when she needed help the most, everyone turned their backs on her,” Lynch said.
Lynch believes that this was indicative of a problem seen everywhere.
“This is just one case in Daytona Beach. But the reality is that it’s all over the state of Florida and beyond,” Lynch added. “She encourages people to volunteer at a local animal shelter or rescue organization to help people not be overwhelmed by such animals in the future.
Tempest is unsure about her next steps, but said she is determined to help animals and people move forward.
“These animals bring a lot of healing to people,” Tempest said, “and we need to treat them too.”
