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The American Red Cross/Houston Chapter, Harris County Office of Emergency Management, the city of Houston, and the Greater Houston Horse Council all recognize the Houston SPCA as the lead agency dedicated to the welfare of animals in the event of a storm or other disaster. The Houston SPCA is prepared to take immediate action to rescue animals and minimize suffering during and following a disaster just like they did for the animal victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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Three Houston SPCA Hurricane Reunion Stories
Taco the cockatiel and his canine companion Candy were two very lucky animals! They arrived at the Astrodome and their family was pleased to be able to put them in the care of the Houston SPCA. A wonderful man from Philadelphia arrived at the Astrodome and offered a place to stay and a job to Taco and Candy's human companion. She took the offer and moved to Philadelphia. One problem: Taco and Candy were still with us at the Houston SPCA. She called and we were able to make arrangements for her animal friends to join her at her new home. That Sunday, Taco and Candy went on their first airplane ride along with our dedicated volunteer, Tom. After a few security questions and funny looks over Taco the bird, everyone took off and made it safely. They are now in their new home, back with their family where they belong!
The other Snowball (the cat) was happily reunited with his family. His human companion waded through New Orleans waters with Snowball in his shirt. Once they arrived at the Houston bound bus, Snowball had to hide in order to hitch a ride. Once in Houston, Snowball and his human came to the Houston SPCA camp at the Astrodome. There we met what was to become one our favorite guests. Snowball was able to be reunited with his family and prepare for their new life here in Houston.
“I shared my every and last meal with her,” said Kenny as he enveloped Sugar, his terrier mix dog, in a great big bear hug. Kenny tells of losing everything and being separated from his family by Hurricane Katrina. Sugar was all he had left. They slept outside for three nights. Huddling together, sharing meals and trying to escape the rising water, they finally made it on board a bus from New Orleans to the Houston Astrodome. Reunited today with his “baby” and his human family, Kenny looks back before walking out the door of the Houston SPCA. He smiles and says, “Everybody in Texas … I love ya!” |
After Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans area, the Houston SPCA sheltered more than 1,000 animal victims of the storm. Nearly 300 canines and felines came from the evacuated Louisiana SPCA in New Orleans. Later, the Houston SPCA opened its doors to hundreds of additional dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, and reptiles. Many of these beloved pets were smuggled by their faithful owners onto buses heading for Houston. Nearly 600 lucky ones made it to the Astrodome Complex and George R. Brown Convention Center in pockets, purses, backpacks, undergarments, and garbage bags. The Houston SPCA was standing by to accept all in need. The Houston SPCA provided free temporary board, shelter, and care to the pets of people streaming out of those states hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. We took in an additional 200 animals from evacuees who just stopped by our shelter and needed our help.
In many cases, the only thing these pets and their owners had left in the world was each other. To help them begin rebuilding their lives, the Houston SPCA gave away free pet food, collars, leashes, bowls, and other pet-related supplies to all evacuees and their pets needing assistance. In addition, the HSPCA vaccinated and microchipped all animal evacuees at no cost to their owners.
Houston SPCA teams traveled to and from Louisiana and returned with animal evacuees. The teams spent a week riding in boats in a race against time to save animal lives. To make room for the anticipated flood of animals, dedicated adoption partners throughout the area, the state, and the country opened their doors to our adoptable pets. This quick action helped save the lives of those in our shelter and the lives of those who would soon follow. Hundreds of animals were eventually transported to the Houston SPCA. Each group of animals arrived at the Houston SPCA MASH unit (Mobile Animal Shelter) where they were examined by veterinarians, vaccinated if necessary, and scanned for microchips. They were placed into existing Houston SPCA foster homes or sent to prearranged adoption partner shelters around the state and country. Then, the Houston SPCA staff and volunteers prepared for the next wave of animal evacuees.
Prior to Hurricane Rita, our adoption partners came to our rescue as we transported all adoptable animals from our shelter to the San Antonio area and here in Houston with Citizens for Animal Protection. In order to fully focus on disaster relief efforts, we temporarily suspended pet adoptions, accepted only owner-surrendered animals, and offered limited field services. Brazoria SPCA, Galveston Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, and Galveston County Animal Shelter were safely evacuated to the Houston SPCA. In addition, two MASH shelters (Mobile Animal Shelters) were established and staffed.
Within hours of the storm’s passing, the animal emergency phones began to ring. Many animals were in need in veterinary services, and we quickly responded. We provided limited veterinary services to pets in need. Many people called the Houston SPCA hotline seeking pet-related information, filing lost reports or reporting animals left behind in homes.
With help of many wonderful organizations from around the county, the Houston SPCA was able to lend a paw in the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Rita. Organizations from around the country answered the call, committing staff to assist with the care of animals rescued from the six affected counties in Texas. These lifesaving organizations are the Dumb Friends League in Denver, the Animal Humane Society of Hennepin County in Minneapolis, the Missouri Humane Society, the Michigan Humane Society, the Wisconsin Humane Society, the Marin Humane Society, the Broward County Humane Society, the Boulder Valley Humane Society, CODE 3 sponsored by IFAW, and many veterinarians from Kentucky and Tennessee.
The Houston SPCA also evacuated 57 dogs and 28 cats from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas in Beaumont and set up a staging area outside Beaumont to serve as base for rescue efforts. The team then began responding to calls of lost and left-behind animals. The animals were then brought back to the Houston SPCA for medical treatment and care. Over 1,300 animals came to the Houston SPCA from southeast Texas, and teams fed and watered more than 8,000 animals who’d been left behind. The animals who came to the Houston SPCA were either reunited with their owners or assimilated into the shelter program.
After two weeks, we ceased our search and rescue efforts. As people were allowed back into their homes, our focus became reuniting pets and their families. The hotline continued to be flooded, this time with good news as we began to help create reunions.
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