UPDATE: Twenty-three dogs arrived at the SPCA Serving Erie County in West Seneca on Thursday afternoon from Texas and NJ shelters. This is part of a massive effort to move animals who were previously in shelters to other humane society’s around the country.
Fifteen dogs are staying at the SPCA in West Seneca and the other eight dogs have been transported to the Toronto Humane Society.
“These are shelters who had these dogs prior of Hurricane Harvey, but they are trying to clear space in their kennels so they can start accepting animals from the storm regions,” Gina Browning, Chief Communications Officer at the SPCA Serving Erie County, said.
The dogs have to go through a check-up process before being put up for adoption.
The adoption fee are expected to run anywhere between $150-$300. Some dogs will be available as early as Friday and others on Tuesday, as soon as they are medically cleared.
For more information about adopting these pets, click here.
It’s not just people who are being saved in through the rising waters of Texas. Rescue efforts are underway for pets and animals across the state.
The SPCA serving Erie County in West Seneca will be taking in up to 20 dogs Thursday afternoon. Only dogs will be part of the first wave, but the SPCA says that could change depending on need.
“We're going to see a huge influx of either animals that are abandoned or they pick up as strays or surrender to shelters because they can't care for those animals when they are trying to rebuild their homes and their own lives, Gary Willoughby, SPCA Serving Erie County President and CEO, said.
Town of Tonawanda native, Melanie DeAeth, now lives 70 miles northwest of Houston, where she runs the True Blue Animal Rescue.
She says that the problem isn’t just the space as to where to bring the animals but also getting them out.
DeAeth says personal boats are not allowed in flooded areas, so she is trying to work with several organizations that are cleared to use boats to get inside the danger zones to save stranded pets.
“We're just waiting for them for us to be ready and get the animals,” DeAeth said.
DeAth says the people that have rescues, like herself, have multiple dogs and when rescue teams come, they only are able to take a limited number of the animals and the rest are left behind.
“I feel for everybody I feel for the people and I feel for the people that I know they're going to be hurting knowing their animals are not safe,” she said.
