Puppies Rescued from Texas Flood Zones Arrive at PAWS Chicago

Nine puppies rescued from flood-ravaged areas of Texas arrived in Chicago on Wednesday, joining more than 20 others recently relocated to PAWS Chicago. The animals, originally housed in Texas shelters before catastrophic flooding struck the region, were flown into Waukesha, Wisconsin, and then driven three hours to the city.

PAWS Chicago’s head of program operations, Celene Mielcarek, emphasized the importance of the transfers, noting that creating space in Texas shelters is critical during such emergencies. “We’re really happy to be able to support the area by freeing up really needed space in their shelters so they are able to open their shelters to displaced pets,” she said, according to AP News. This marks PAWS’s second intake from the Texas flooding crisis and continues a disaster relief tradition that began during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The latest group of arrivals includes puppies and dogs ranging in age from six weeks to adults. After being checked in, the animals received vaccinations, microchips, and sterilization procedures. Peter Brown, a PAWS volunteer who helped transport the dogs, said the animals were anxious at first but quickly calmed down. “They’ll find good homes here,” he said. “And then some family who lost their dog in the floods will get it back.”