AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Pets Alive! has deployed emergency response teams to south Texas communities bracing for flooding as rising river levels threaten residents and their pets.
APA! said it is coordinating with officials in La Salle County and operating from the Emergency Operations Center in Cotulla as floodwaters from the Uvalde-area flooding move downstream along the Frio and Nueces rivers.
The county has opened an American Red Cross shelter at the Alexander Convention Center in Cotulla for residents if evacuations become necessary. Service animals will be allowed to remain with their owners at the shelter.
To support pet owners and displaced animals, APA! is helping establish a separate pet evacuation shelter in a barn. The facility will house non-service animals and pets separated from their owners during evacuations.
However, the organization said the shelter currently lacks critical supplies, including crates, food, bowls and leashes. A request for 100 animal crates from the state is not expected to arrive before flooding impacts the area.
As of Tuesday, APA! said shelter operators were preparing to care for at least 20 dogs, 14 cats and five birds.
The organization’s response comes as many Texas communities continue recovering from recent flooding. APA! said its disaster operations focus on three primary goals: removing adoptable animals from local shelters to create space for displaced pets, rescuing stranded animals when necessary and helping pet owners obtain food, supplies, medications and temporary housing for their animals.
The nonprofit said it expects to transport several animals from shelters in the region, including dogs and kittens, to create additional capacity for communities dealing with flood impacts.
APA! said foster homes are especially needed as animal intake rises across multiple flood-affected counties. The nonprofit is also offering a “Name Your Own Adoption Fee” promotion to encourage adoptions and create additional shelter space for displaced animals.
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