Help is on the way for four-legged friends in Bowling Green

The Knox-Whitley Humane Association are collecting donations for both pets and people affected by the tornadoes.

The association will deliver the items on Tuesday, Dec. 21 to the Muhlenberg County Humane Society. Volunteers will be travelling with the group to assist with search and rescue efforts for pets.

“What you are seeing on the news with this is a lot of human tragedy, but one of the aspects of this also is that pets are an integral part of the family dynamic,” said Christian Mansfield, a volunteer coordinator with the Knox-Whitley Humane Association. “There have been a lot of displaced pets and animals as well.”

The association has a complete list of requested donation items on its Facebook page, but Mansfield said one of the most needed items is crates.

Crates are useful not only to residents who want to keep their animals with them, but also for volunteers who are transporting animals to foster homes.

The association will be collecting donations until Dec. 18 at the humane association office at 66 Busy Lane Corbin, KY 40701.

The association is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The office is closed on Sunday and Monday.

When the association travels to Muhlenberg County on Tuesday, it does not have a limit on the number of volunteers that can go, but participants must be willing to provide their own transportation.

Mansfield said participants will need work gloves, work clothes and sturdy shoes. Since much of the work will be outdoors, individuals should dress appropriately for the weather.

The group will leave the Knox-Whitley Humane Association office at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, will work until dark, and return home Tuesday evening.

“While we are hopeful that we can help locate some miracle situations we also know with the timing and the magnitude of this disaster, that there will be some heartbreak as well,” said Mansfield.

The Knox-Whitley Humane Association is partnering directly with Muhlenberg County Humane Society.

Individuals who wish to provide a monetary donation can send checks or money order directly to the Muhlenberg County Humane Society at PO Box 164 Greenville, KY 42345.