STATESVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) -- Animal search and rescue teams were sent to western North Carolina after Helene devastated the area. “After being out in the western side and in Asheville and Black Mountain, Ashe county, Buncombe, Watauga, they are going to need our help for a really long time,” said Krissie Newman, the founder and president of Rescue Ranch. Newman has been on rescue missions each day since Saturday not only to help the people in western North Carolina but their animals as well. The animal search and rescue teams across the country have been deployed to save all types of animals from horses to dogs to guinea pigs. It is a huge team effort to help out all of the people as well as their pets. Rescue Ranch in Statesville has become the home base to debrief the rescue teams and get donations and supplies up to the people and their pets in need. “We just go in and help where we can,” Newman said. They never leave empty-handed. “Anytime we are going in on a daily event, we try to have a supply cache both of large animal and companion animal food and water,” said Eric Thompson, the executive director of ASaR. Their trucks and trailers are also full of equipment to help them get animals and supplies through any type of terrain. “Every disaster is completely different. You never know what you are getting into, and we kind of pick up and go. We are all doers, and we just make it happen,” Thompson said. Helene’s devastation in Western North Carolina presents a lot of challenges. “Traditionally in a disaster situation, people would call their emergency operations center or their ... sheriff’s offices, and we would have communications to give us visibility on who needs help. This has been a challenging environment because communications have been down across the board," Thompson said. But the crews are determined. Teams from Colorado, Michigan and North Carolina are currently stationed at Rescue Ranch in Statesville. “To be able to support people in your own community is why we started the ranch in the first place ... This is just about supporting our community,” Newman said. After a day of missions, any animals that needed to get out were taken back to the ranch. That is where Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network comes in. They plan to help find foster and provide other temporary shelter for all animals. “If you have ever considered adopting ... if you ever considered trying to foster or to get involved in any way shape or form volunteering, now would be the time to step up and do that,” said Lauren Riehle, the executive director at RDFARN. Several pets have been brought back from Asheville to the Triad. The dogs were up for adoption before the storm, an they hope to find homes in the Triad so that there is more space for strays to be reunited with their owners at western North Carolina shelters. “We are really good at responding in the short term, but this is going to be a marathon to help with this recovery. It is not going to be done by Friday. It is not going to be done by next Friday,” Riehle said. Riehle said if you are interested, contact any animal rescue to volunteer, foster or adopt. If you want to donate supplies, they can be dropped off at All Pets Considered in Greensboro or at Rescue Ranch in Statesville from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The greatest need is dog food, cat food, water, towels and blankets.