Wherever you are in the world, stories about natural disasters affecting people and their lives are often heartbreaking. However, sometimes, we can find a silver lining during these times of grief. For example, Chella Phillips, a woman who lives in Nassau, who opened her home to 97 dogs that needed shelter from Hurricane Dorian.

Phillips has actively cared for homeless dogs ever since she moved to the Bahamas 12 years ago. She stores dog food and water in her car in case she encounters a stray when she is on the go. Also, she makes frequent trips to areas where she knows there are stray dogs. Then, she regularly feeds these strays to create trust between them. Eventually, she builds a strong enough relationship with the dogs that she can take them in until she finds a rescue willing to help.

When Hurricane Dorian hit the islands, Phillips did not hesitate. She opened her doors to as many dogs as she could. Today, she still has a heavy heart for all the dogs that she couldn’t save. Phillips took care of the 97 dogs in her home, describing the night as “insane.” Sadly, the dogs were extremely stressed due to the atmosphere the hurricane created.

She turned on air conditioning and music to make the dogs feel better, but at one point, the house suffered a power outage.