Austin rescue groups work to recover, reunite pets lost or injured in Central Texas floods
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Search and rescue crews found Superman, a brown dog with floppy ears, alone and scared on top of a pile of debris, after devastating floods hit the Hill Country and other parts of Central Texas this weekend.
According to Austin Pets Alive!, Superman's person died in the flood. They described the dog as "fearful and aching after being swept away from his home."
The rescue group said patient volunteers earned the dog's trust and eventually were able to move him away from the area and to safety. A medical team evaluated him, before an Austin-area foster volunteer took him in.
"His surviving family, now grieving and having lost everything, are doing everything they can to hold on to the last piece of their past that remains -- Superman. But they can't do it alone, so we quickly got to work to find their beloved pet a temporary foster until they get back on their feet," the rescue wrote.
Superman is just one of hundreds animals impacted by the floods in Burnet, Kerr, Travis and Williamson counties now receiving services from Austin rescue groups.
Austin Pets Alive! said it is working closely with Kerrville Pets Alive! and Kerr County Animal Services, in the wake of the devastating Guadalupe River flooding on Friday and ahead of more anticipated flooding Sunday evening.
The group said it has mobilized more search & rescue groups of 20 to 30 volunteers to scan riverbanks for lost or injured pets. It has also set up a "MASH-style" veterinary hospital, treating animals impacted by the floods.
The rescue posted a statement on social media from Dr. Ellen Jefferson, APA! President and CEO, about the devastation. It said, "So many people are searching for their pets that are the last connection they might have to a lost family member. Pets are so intertwined in this saga and it's so important."
Earlier in the weekend, it put out an urgent plea for fosters after clearing out every existing animal at the shelter in Kerrville. APA! said the goal is to allow Kerrville volunteers and staff to focus on taking in animals closer to home.
The group also has staff and volunteers onsite in Williamson County, after floodwaters forced the the Georgetown Animal Shelter to evacuate all of its dogs and cats to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. More than 100 animals arrived at the regional shelter, which is also requesting foster families and volunteers.
WCRAS also asked anyone who finds a lost pet to consider keeping it overnight and posting about it here, in order to try and reunify it with its family.
If you are missing a pet, have found a pet or need to report a pet left behind in Kerrville, APA! asks you to fill out this form.
Kerrville Pets Alive! and the Hill Country SPCA also posted some photos of lost pets on social media.
In addition to fosters, each of these groups requested donations of money and supplies. APA! said it was actively accepting and redistributing supply donations at its Town Lake Animal Center (1156 W. Cesar Chavez St.) to other parts of Central Texas. APA! also asked specifically for donated airline kennels to help with a rescue flight, scheduled for July 9. They requested plastic transport kennels measuring 26" to 36" in length.
Meanwhile, Austin Wildlife Rescue said it has received more than 70 birds, squirrels, deer, rabbits, turtles and other wild animals -- some injured in the flooding, others just waterlogged or confused.
"While wildlife is adapted to handle life out in the wild, unprecedented or unusual weather impacts our native wildlife very much," the rescue said in a release.
For more information on how to help these groups: