At the docks of this Caribbean outpost, families with dogs and cats in carriers waited under a blazing tropical sun beside the wrecks of pleasure boats tossed ashore by Hurricane Irma. Another hurricane, Maria, was on the way, and could hit the already ravaged island of St. John and surrounding Leeward Islands as soon as Monday. Originally from Hermosa Beach, Lamar made St. John — the smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands — her home and stayed on even after it took three days to dig out from under Irma’s debris. We don’t know when we will be able to come back. We don’t know if we should put ourselves and the dogs through this.”She checked on Momo, the couple’s pug-poodle, and Bella, their German shepherd mix.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 18, 2017 03:41 UTC