The recent floods across Central Texas left behind more than damaged homes and washed-out roads. Hundreds of animals were injured, displaced and separated from their families.
How floodwaters impact Central Texas wildlife
What we know:
The flood may be over, but the work for animal rescuers is just beginning.
“Just those heavy rains, they wash out animals,” Austin Wildlife Rescue Executive Director Jules Maron said. Maron continued by saying summer storms can destroy nests, flood burrows, and separate young animals from their parents.
“Once the rain stopped, the emergency itself doesn’t really stop. That’s when we sort of start seeing the aftermath,” Maron said.
The rescue is already in the middle of its busiest season of the year and has now taken in nearly 280 wild animals in just the past week.
“It’s really amazing, I think, how the storms affect everything from animals up in treetops, so tons of baby birds that are falling out of nests are getting blown out of nests, all the way down to the more ground-dwelling animals and even some of the larger animals like our fawns,” she said.
Their goal is to eventually release them back into the wild.
“We can fix really injured animals and still make them to where they are going to be successful out into the wild. So just because something is terribly injured doesn’t mean that that animal cannot be releasable,” Maron said.
Shelters step in to rescue displaced pets
Dig deeper:
Wildlife isn’t the only thing feeling the impact of these floods. Hundreds of family pets have also been displaced. That is where Austin Pets Alive is stepping in. They have taken in dozens of animals from other shelters.
Temporary fosters provide a safety net
“That clears space for these shelters to be able to intake all the animal who are displaced, which will allow for their owners to find them and for reunification to happen,” Austin Pets Alive! Chelsea Riseman said.
At the same time, APA crews have been in the disaster zone rescuing lost dogs and cats. More than 200 flood-affected animals are in their care.
The organization is also offering temporary foster placements.
“If somebody themselves is displaced or does not have the resources currently because they’ve gone through this devastation, then we also are provided safety net fosters that can keep the animal until they’re position to take them back,” Riseman said.
How to help
What’s next:
As they work to reunite pets with their families, they are reminding owners of one simple step that can make a big difference.
“Number one, please microchip your pets,” Riseman said.
Austin Pets Alive! is asking for donations, for people to foster pets, and donate supplies, most importantly dog and cat food.
Austin Wildlife Rescue said donations are most important, as well as supplies like towels, bleach, and laundry detergent.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 7’s Meredith Aldis.
