These dogs survived Hurricane Florence but were shot before returning to SC, cops say

As Hurricane Florence charged toward the Carolinas in September, people and pets were evacuated in an effort to save their lives.

Two of the dogs that safely escaped the deadly storm were supposed to return to South Carolina, but they never made it back.

Whiskey and Humphrey were killed.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office said the dogs were shot and killed after they got into a fight with another dog on Oct. 19, the Knoxville News Reported.

The dogs were part of a group of canines evacuated from the Saint Frances Animal Center by Tennessee resident Tony Alsup, who used a school bus to transport more than 60 animals in South Carolina and North Carolina who were in the line of danger presented by Hurricane Florence, according to WVLT. The dogs were being kept at Alsup’s house at the time of the shooting, though he was not home at the time.

“It was a tough call, but they saved one pet by (shooting),” said Alsup, WVLT reported.

Posts on his Facebook page show Alsup had taken his bus to Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.

It was one of Alsup’s neighbors who fatally shot the dogs, according to the sheriff’s office, Knoxville News reported.

The Sheriff’s Office reported attempts to stop the dogfight by Alsup’s wife and the neighbor were unsuccessful, including the use of a water hose, according to WVLT. It was then that the neighbor got a gun and shot Whiskey and Humphrey, the sheriff’s office said in a report.

“We have heartbreaking and devastating news,” Saint Frances posted on Facebook Oct. 23. “A neighbor came over to help — but, unfortunately, if you are not familiar with dog behavior and dog fights, dog fights can be a scary thing. They made the decision to shoot and kill Humphrey and Whiskey.”

Domino, the third dog involved in the fight, required surgery for injuries he suffered before being released into the care of the foster boarder, per Knoxville News, which reported he and the fourth dog, Mandy, were scheduled to be brought back to S.C. Sunday.

“Whiskey and Humphrey were fabulous, sweet, goofy dogs whom we loved dearly, and they deserved so much more,” Saint Frances posted on Facebook.