ASPCA Assists With the Emergency Evacuation of Over 50 Animals Due to Flooding

The ASPCA is on the ground in Indiana and West Virginia at the urgent request of two disaster-impacted shelters, helping with the daily care and emergency evacuation of more than 50 homeless cats and dogs affected by severe flooding.

In Indiana, we quickly mobilized our disaster response team and are providing critical support for impacted animals. In addition to providing daily care support for shelter animals to relieve strain on local staff, we evacuated nearly 30 homeless cats and kittens from a local shelter to our animal recovery center in Ohio, where they are receiving care before moving on to adoption.

Simultaneously, in West Virginia, we are providing disaster relief for animals impacted by flooding as well. These efforts include evacuating more than 20 homeless cats and dogs from a disaster-impacted shelter and supporting the shelter’s longer-term recovery efforts.

The cats, all unowned, have also been relocated to our recovery center in Ohio where they are receiving care to prepare them for adoption. The dogs have been placed with our network of shelter partners outside of the disaster zones, including SPCA of Wake County in North Carolina and Greenville Humane Society in South Carolina.

“Excessive rainfall and flash floods can strike with little warning, making rapid response for pets and their owners essential. Coordination across animal welfare organizations, both within and outside the disaster zone, is critical to ensuring shelters and pet owners get the support they need to keep animals safe,” said Jasmine Holsinger, senior manager of placement partnerships for the ASPCA. “Evacuating shelter animals from disaster-impacted communities moves them to safety and frees up local resources for other animals in need. We’re deeply grateful to shelter partners like SPCA of Wake County and Greenville Humane Society for making this lifesaving work possible by accepting displaced shelter animals into their care.”

These disaster response efforts come immediately on the heels of recent relief efforts in Colorado in July, where we assisted with the emergency sheltering of over 150 pets displaced by wildfires in the region.

For 160 years, we've shown up for animals in their most vulnerable moments. We partner with shelters across the country, delivering care exactly when it's needed most. However they need us, we go there for animals and the people who love them.

Keeping Your Pets Safe Before a Natural Disaster 

September is National Preparedness Month and with the frequency and intensity of natural disasters increasing, we urge pet parents to help ensure their pets remain safe during emergencies by:

• • Creating portable pet emergency kits [PDF], identifying pet-friendly lodging, ensuring all pets have up-to-date microchips and are wearing identification tags, and crate training pets in advance.
  • During an emergency, never leave pets behind, and don’t tether them to poles or trees, which prevents them from escaping high waters and getting to safe areas. 

Visit aspca.org/disasterprep to learn more about the steps you can take now to keep your pets safe the next time disaster strikes.