Pet Rescues Surge After Texas Floods — But So Do Donation Scams

As communities across the Texas Hill Country continue to recover from deadly floods that claimed dozens of lives, animal welfare organizations are working around the clock to rescue and reunite displaced pets with their owners. Nonprofit groups like Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) have launched large-scale operations alongside local partners to support overwhelmed shelters and prevent further loss.

“We know from experience that animals are always left behind in disaster response,” said Ellen Jefferson, president of APA!. “It’s really critical that some sort of infrastructure gets set up right away.” APA! began working with Kerrville Pets Alive! shortly after flooding began, focusing on evacuating animals from local shelters and transporting them to adoption centers in Austin. So far, nearly 300 animals that were already in shelters before the floods have been relocated.

The organization is also responding to urgent challenges on the ground. Jefferson described the work as “multi-pronged,” involving everything from rescuing animals in the field and documenting them in lost-and-found registries, to staffing medical clinics and mobilizing volunteers. She emphasized the importance of keeping pets within county lines, explaining that “if they left the county, their owners would never find them.” 

Unfortunately, scammers have exploited the crisis by creating fake Venmo accounts pretending to be affiliated with Kerrville Pets Alive!, siphoning away critical donations. Jefferson urged donors to verify charity accounts before sending money on peer-to-peer apps. “People need to look for the formal charity stamp,” she warned. APA! has set up a dedicated contact for those wanting to help: TXFloodResponse@AustinPetsAlive.org, and continues to accept donations to fund volunteer deployment, supplies, and veterinary care.