GREENBACK, Tenn. (WVLT)-- A Greenback truck driver traded in his semi for a school bus as he drove to North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. However, students didn't board this bus -- he loaded up stray pets instead.

Animals sometimes take the brunt of hurricanes after they are left behind by evacuees. But pets didn't take the back seat to Tony Aslup's mission.

The Greenback resident took a school bus to those forgotten animals left in Florence's flooding.

"We're getting reports of a lot of animals needing help over in Raleigh," Aslup told viewers in a video posted to his page on Facebook.

He rescued 64 pets in the past week and sent them to shelters from New York to Alabama.

Aslup then left to rescue more Sunday. "It was kind of crazy getting in here, I had to detour and re-route around. It's been a lot of trees in the road more than anything," he said.

Aslup typically drives a truck cross country. But back when Hurricane Harvey churned in the Gulf Coast last year, "he goes and buys a bus -- and took off," Debbie Erickson, his fiance, said.

He came back with more than 50 animals in that trip to Texas. He has also been to Florida after Irma and Puerto Rico after Maria moved through.

"So somebody else, like my fiance thinks about things like that and wants to go get the animals and save them," Erickson said.

His granddaughter Lylah had a message, "Pappaw, you're doing a good job, I love you and miss you," she said.

Aslup is filling up the gas tank on his own and said the best way to help is by donating money to the cause. You can follow his journey on Facebook.