Shelter worker endured ‘so much loss’ after Helene. Then came touching adoption
A shelter worker endured “so much loss” after Hurricane Helene — then came a heartwarming adoption.
Colleen Daly, whose apartment flooded in the storm, rushed to save her two dogs. A few months later, one of the pups got sick and died, leaving her “devastated,” a North Carolina animal shelter wrote April 17 on Facebook.
But then, Daly’s co-workers at the Asheville Humane Society encouraged her to meet Bali, a resilient and cuddly dog. The pup was the right fit for her family, which ended up adopting her.
“She was in isolation for a great portion of her time here due to having parvo,” Daly told McClatchy News via email. “But one of our animal care staff (members) describes her as ‘an absolute sweetiepie’ and indicated that she was well loved.”
Bali, now named Buu, got a fresh start after Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of Western North Carolina in late September.
When the storm hit, Daly’s family reportedly “watched as the water rose around their apartment.” Her husband, Brian Asheland, swam through the floodwaters to find help for a neighbor.
“They lost their apartment, both of their cars, their belongings,” the humane society wrote.
Daly’s dogs survived, and she was there as 100 animals from the shelter were flown outside the hard-hit area.
“In the coming months, Colleen heard the same question ‘How are you so positive?’ She always had the same response ‘The dogs are okay. They’re my world,’” according to the shelter.
Then she lost one of her dogs, Lemonny, to kidney disease.
“Colleen wasn’t alone in her grief,” the shelter wrote. “Tadpole, Colleen’s oldest dog, has a disability and struggles socially. Without Lemonny, he seemed lost. He refused to get off the couch to greet people — he was unrecognizable.”
Eventually, Daly was introduced to Buu, a “playful” and “affectionate” dog who had arrived as a stray in February. Daly and her husband adopted Buu, giving their once-struggling pup Tadpole a new best friend as the family waits for their next apartment.
“She bounces around him, accommodating his wonky version of play, and snuggles up with him — just to be,” the shelter wrote. “Tadpole? He is brighter than ever before.”
This story was originally published April 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Shelter worker endured ‘so much loss’ after Helene. Then came touching adoption."
