AP PHOTOS: Survivor, Lucky and other pets get help in floods

NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) — A bedraggled kitten in North Carolina got a new nickname — “Survivor” — when it was pulled with its owner from floodwaters unleashed by Florence.

That wasn’t the only weary animal needing help getting to high ground as rain-swollen rivers inundated highways and neighborhoods across the Carolinas.

Some dogs — including one named “Lucky” — got a lift by helicopter to safety with their owners, while others had to doggy-paddle through waters that reached their owners’ knees or higher. Horses and even a guinea pig were picked up at flooded properties and moved to safety.

Hundreds of people inland and on the coast also got help from rescue crews by boat and by air after getting stranded in their homes.