This photo of chickens being evacuated from Hurricane Irma has gone viral

Like it or not, these free-roaming chickens, dubbed “gypsy chickens” by locals, are part of Key West culture. Sure, they may be loud and annoying at times, but Key West wouldn’t be the same without them. So when news of Hurricane Irma caused many Floridians to evacuate their homes, one good Samaritan decided to save the chickens, too.

A photo of nine chickens, safe and secure in the backseat of a car, is going viral. It was posted to the Key West Finest Facebook account and, as of this writing has garnered 30,000 likes and over 46,000 shares at the time of publication.

“CHICKEN EVACUATION,” the caption reads. “Gotta love the people in Key West! Thank you to Local Selfie Celeb @Jayesh Mani for doing what the rest of us only wished for!”

For many, it’s nice to know that these chickens are safe and sound. “How awesome is this?” wrote one commenter. “KW has the best, most loving, caring, people in the world. Thank you for saving the chickens. ((HUGS)).”

There are even those offering to give the chickens a place to call home until the storm passes. “If anyone is evacuating Key West chickens to the Atlanta area, particularly hens, we would be happy to take some and can get them back to Key West once things settle down,” another Facebook user wrote.

It’s so nice to see so many people thinking of others, especially since so many have been displaced by this hurricane.

Hurricane Irma is the second major hurricane to hit the United States coastline within the span of just a few weeks. First, Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coast, causing significant damage to Houston, and then Irma hit Florida, leaving major flooding in its wake. When the hurricane hit Key West and the Florida Keys, it was a category four storm.

Photos and videos of the storm were posted to Twitter and, as you can see in the video below, the storm was raging in the area, with waves crashing over rooftops.

https://twitter.com/JimmyLevyMusic/status/906618842499219456

Thankfully, the above-mentioned chickens aren’t the only animals being rescued. Some of the same organizations that worked to ensure displaced pets had a place to go after Harvey are working to do the same for animals in the Florida area. If you’d like to help the cause, check out some of the ways you can get involved and donate.