More than 700 homes have been evacuated in Columbia County. The life of an evacuee can be tough, and expensive.

For a family with children and pets, the nearest shelter isn't always the best option. So many folks are opening their wallets and staying in hotels.

Red cross workers say, they can't offer those folks much relief.

"We can't hand out money. We just don't have it," says Red Cross worker Laura Mager. "Unfortunately a lot of people have spent a lot of their own money to do that."

The Red Cross did re-open the shelter at Columbia High School on Tuesday.

They encourage folks who don't have pets to stay there.

By Anne Imanuel, WCJB TV20 News