Animal rescue organizations, both large and small, assist by rounding up pets. Tornado damage in Texas
Austin Pets Alive! offers assistance for pets affected by tornadoes
AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) – Crawling under a house to rescue a puppy-filled dog, fixing fences, and wading through a flooded pet store in the dark are just a few examples of the Texas animal rescue community's efforts since the tornado outbreak this week.
Early this week, more than 30 tornadoes ripped through Texas, wreaking devastation on humans and their four-legged companions.
Although natural disaster response might take weeks or even years, dogs and livestock can become separated from their owners in the aftermath, and reconnecting them with their owners is the top priority. If an animal's person has lost their house, as many people have during the latest outbreak, it implies there are also homeless pets.
Monica Ailey, President of Animal Investigation & Response, stated, When there is a human need, there is also an animal need.
An EF-2 twister with maximum winds of 135 mph swept into Upshur, according to the National Weather Service in Shreveport. The National Weather Service has identified five additional tornadoes in the area.
Ailey spoke to FOX Weather on Thursday from Gilmer, Texas, where her crew is securing pets and looking for other animals. The team had set up a makeshift shelter at the local livestock pastures in Gilmer by Thursday morning.
After a disaster, AIR creates a place like this to receive animals whose homes were affected if someone lost their home or their homes were harmed... until their families get back on their feet, according to Ailey. They also sell food and pet necessities such as leashes.
Domestic animals and small cattle are the primary focus of AIR. Fences, barns, and other containment structures are frequently damaged in storms like the tornado outbreak, leaving animals scattering. The crew will repair fences and build temporary enclosures as needed for the larger animals.
"All we were doing was assisting a loose cow down the road," Ailey explained. "Put her back in and mend the fence for them," says the narrator.
Another crew, meantime, was attempting to locate a dog with puppies behind a home. The homeowner's daughter phoned AIR, according to Ailey, since their father was concerned about his dog.
"Everything around him is destroyed," she added, "yet his house is still standing, and his dog is giving birth to puppies under the house." "He doesn't have access to the region and wanted to make sure his dog was safe."
Animal Investigation & Response (AIR) is a Texas-based non-profit that assists communities and local governments in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The organization was dispatched to Upshur County, Texas, on Wednesday to assist storm victims, both furry and feathery.
Another tornado destroyed the roof of a PetSmart in Round Rock, Texas, on Monday night, flooding the whole store. Texas Humane Heroes volunteers swam over floodwaters in near darkness to save adoptable dogs trapped inside.
Texas Humane Heroes marketing manager Sam Rogers said via email, One of our team members, Brie Brehm, brought our van over there, and they got all the dogs transported. They did it while standing in water and in the dark. All of the animals arrived at PetSmart Cedar Park safely.
All we were doing was assisting a loose cow down the road, Ailey explained. "Put her back in and mend the fence for them, says the narrator.
Another crew, meantime, was attempting to locate a dog with puppies behind a home. The homeowner's daughter phoned AIR, according to Ailey, since their father was concerned about his dog.
Everything around him is destroyed, she added, yet his house is still standing, and his dog is giving birth to puppies under the house. He doesn't have access to the region and wanted to make sure his dog was safe.
Another tornado destroyed the roof of a PetSmart in Round Rock, Texas, on Monday night, flooding the whole store. Texas Humane Heroes volunteers swam over floodwaters in near darkness to save adoptable dogs trapped inside.
Texas Humane Heroes marketing manager Sam Rogers said via email, One of our team members, Brie Brehm, brought our van over there, and they got all the dogs transported. They did it while standing in water and in the dark. All of the animals arrived at PetSmart Cedar Park safely.
The NWS office in Austin and San Antonio has confirmed five tornadoes.
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