Dog evacuations continue from Western Alaska villages hit hard by remnants of Typhoon Halong

As evacuees from villages like Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Nightmute and Tuntutuliak boarded military helicopters bound for safety, many had no choice but to leave their dogs behind.

The mass evacuations from Western Alaska villages in the wake of ex-Typhoon Halong are mostly over. More than 600 people were airlifted to Anchorage aboard military helicopters and transport planes.

But a parallel effort to shuttle dogs and other pets out of storm-damaged villages aboard everything from Cessnas to cargo planes is continuing — and many of them are coming to Anchorage.

“People know how they would feel if this happened to them, so they want to help,” said Julie St. Louis, the cofounder and director of The August Foundation for Alaska’s Racing Dogs. She started the nonprofit to find long-term homes