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US Congress – Joanne Terry
Governor – Charlie Crist
Attorney General – Aramis Ayala
Chief Financial Officer – Adam Hattersley
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State Representative District 34 – Karen Greb
Justice of the Supreme Court – Justice Jorge Labarga
School Board - Cynthia Gibbs

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Treasure Coast shelters take in animals in need of adoption after hurricane

Treasure Coast animal shelters are getting cats and dogs sent here as Southwest Florida recovers from Hurricane Ian. Shelters received more than a three dozen pets from Southwest Florida, which took in many strays. The shelters on the west coast are transferring animals in their care to make room for animals displaced by the hurricane.

Kate Meghji, CEO of the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, said the facility has reached full capacity after taking in 20 dogs up for adoption from Southwest Florida shelters. "We need people to adopt and foster, pretty, pretty please," she said. "Even if it's just a temporary foster for a weekend or a week just to get some of the dogs out of the shelter for a little bit of time. Our staff is continually working 24/7." Meghji said staff every day is making sure each animal's needs are met. "It's constantly looking at animals that are coming in, animals that are going out," Meghji said. "Where's the best place for them to be. What do they need while they're here. It's kind of a complicated sort of puzzle we're doing right now, so all the animals get the care that they need everyday."

The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast in Palm City took in 10 dogs and 10 cats, said Sarah Fisher, a spokesperson for the facility. The Palm City shelter is at full capacity and also took in dogs and cats already processed at shelters in Southwest Florida, Fisher said. "They are trying to transfer those animals out so they can make room for those strays that are lost during the hurricane," Fisher said. 
The Humane Society of St. Lucie County is unable to accept animals because it's over capacity, said Glenn Camelio, its executive director.

Some local shelters also expect to see horses sent to the Treasure Coast from Southwest Florida, as more are corralled from areas decimated by Hurricane Ian. Tish Luke, a professional horsewoman and rancher of Indian River County, said many of the horses are still on the west coast and are in need of tons of food and supplies. "We don't really have a lot of horses that have migrated or been evacuated over to our coast," Luke said. "Peace River basically cut our state in half from our coast to their coast, so you had to go far south or far north to get around." Luke put together a haul of horse feed and other supplies to go to the west coast. A trucking company from Georgia volunteered to take tons of horse feed to Venice, Florida.

Luke estimated each trailer carried about 18 tons of feed and two have gone out as of Thursday. People took all of the bags of feed immediately.

"It is very, very dire. It is absolutely devastated," Luke said. She said horses have no shelter after Hurricane Ian decimated Fort Myers and Venice. Taking care of all the horses will be a long-term recovery, Luke said.

Horse shelters on the Treasure Coast are expecting to receive horses in need of a place to stay in the future.

Nancy Dunn, the barn manager of the Equine Rescue Adoption Foundation, said she has not received any requests yet, but is keeping an eye on the situation.

"There's still a lot of rescue efforts with the horses," Dunn said. "They have some places for them over there right now. But I think eventually as people realize that they don't have homes for the horses that they may have to look at possible surrender."


Mauricio La Plante
TCPalm

TALLAHASSEE — The only TV debate between Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democrat Charlie Crist has been rescheduled for Oct. 24 — after being postponed in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. 

WPEC-TV CBS 12 in West Palm Beach will air the debate at 7 p.m., from Fort Pierce’s Sunrise Theater. It’s also being broadcast statewide on TV stations after being moved from its original Oct. 12 date. 

Hurricane Ian’s impact on Southwest Florida has commanded much of DeSantis’ recent focus [and given him free airtime]. Crist, a three-term member of Congress from St. Petersburg and a former Florida Republican governor, also has been making stops in the region, helping deliver food and supplies. 

Crist faces an uphill battle in toppling DeSantis. Polls show
Ron DeSantis holds big lead over Charlie Crist for Florida governor.

Both campaigns, though, have maintained a significant TV and social media presence even as storm recovery work continues. The TV debate will take place the first day early voting begins in Florida ahead of the Nov. 8 election. 

The Real Clear Politics polling average shows DeSantis with a 7% lead in the contest, helped by a recent survey by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy which gave him an 11% edge, with only 6% undecided. 

DeSantis, seen as a potential White House contender in two years, has far outraised Crist.

The governor Is powered by a $187 million war chest, compared to $24 million for the Democrat, according to the campaign tracking site, OpenSecrets. 

The money difference has helped DeSantis gain an overwhelming advertising advantage. The Wesleyan Media Project reported late last month that DeSantis held a 15-to-one lead over Crist in broadcast advertising totals, with 13,000 airings during the previous two-week period, compared to 881 for Crist. 

The statewide TV debate could prove Crist’s best shot at changing the race’s trajectory. 

 

John Kennedy 
USA TODAY Network’s Florida Capital Bureau