These are the lucky animals who were eventually rescued. Not all animals were so lucky, and in some cases, it was due to malicious, or at least uninformed, actions by their families.
From Blue Lives Matter: As authorities search for survivors who may have stayed behind to weather the storm, they are also finding dogs chained up outside or locked in pens with no means of escaping Hurricane Irma.
Think how your dog acts during a conventional thunderstorm. Can you even imagine how scary a hurricane would be for a dog? As if the property destruction and human toll of the hurricane weren’t enough, this literally turns my stomach.
Although about 60 people voluntarily surrendered their pets to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, the agency also found at least 40 animals who had been left behind as people evacuated. The agency will pursue felony animal cruelty charges against those owners who chose to abandon their animals, assuming they can be identified.
Tips from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control for dog families facing a natural disaster:
– Don’t let your dog out right after the storm passes, it’s going to be confused by the damage and debris. Animal caretakers see an a spike in animal injuries after storms because animals get cut and caught on debris.
– If you come upon an abandoned pet, use caution. The combination of confused dogs and stressed people result in an uptick of dog bites after storms.
Our appreciation goes out to all those who are working to take care of the animal victims of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!