Dr. Katie Luke, a veterinarian and the chief operations officer for the Austin Humane Society, joins FOX Weather to talk about their efforts in supporting pets in distress following Hurricane Beryl.
HOUSTON – In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl’s widespread devastation, Texas communities are uniting to aid in the rebuilding process and help hundreds of injured or orphaned animals.
Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center said they have already taken in more than 200 wild animals after Beryl slammed into the Texas coast on Monday, impacting the greater Houston area.
Houston SPCA’s Wildlife Center has already taken in more than 200 orphaned or injured wild animals after Hurricane Beryl slammed into the Texas coast.
(Houston SPCA)
The SPCA said they have also taken in many birds including Mississippi kites, mourning doves, white-winged doves, opossums and squirrels.
The Austin Humane Society is also assisting displaced animals. Since Beryl’s impact, the organization has been providing aid to stray cats and dogs.
“We’ve been busy this last week,” said Dr. Katie Luke, a veterinarian and chief operations officer for the Austin Humane Society. “We’ve pulled animals out of shelters on the coast so that they’re ready to respond to strays and owned pets down in their communities.”
Luke said the shelter has been responding to hurricanes back to their inception in the 1950s.
“Over the last couple of decades, it’s become increasingly clear that if we can remove animals from the path of the storm before the storm hits, that’s safest for everyone and gives the shelters down in the local areas an opportunity to respond locally,” she adds.
Fortunately for the city of Austin being more inland, they haven’t been as affected by the power issues ongoing along the coast. Luke said they are looking at ways to try to move some of those shelters’ animals into Austin.
“It’s been a struggle,” she said. “They’re hot down there, and they don’t have water everywhere.”
SCORCHING HEAT POSES DANGER TO 1.7 MILLION STILL WITHOUT POWER IN WAKE OF HURRICANE BERYL IN TEXAS
If anyone in Auston is looking for ways to help, Luke said you can offer to adopt or foster a pet for a week or two, which would greatly assist them in finding the pets permanent homes.
“Financial donations are always welcome to assist in caring for these animals,” she adds, directing potential donors to AustinHumaneSociety.org.
Additionally, the shelter has an Amazon wish list for those who wish to send dog treats or toys to keep the animals occupied as they settle in.