Kane County humane group takes in pets from Texas after catastrophic floods

Rescue animals from parts of Texas that were devastated by catastrophic flooding this month arrived at the Aurora Municipal Airport Thursday and were taken in by area shelters.

The plane transporting dozens of animals landed in Aurora around noon Thursday, and more than a dozen were received by four Illinois shelters, including Anderson Humane in Kane County.

Anderson took in a cat, a kitten and three puppies, to their shelter at 1000 S. La Fox St. in South Elgin.

[ See more photos of pets rescued in Texas flooding ]

“It’s a great feeling to actually be able to help and alleviate that,” Anderson Humane director Molly Craig said. “We’re not just helping the animals, we’re helping the people too and giving them some hope for their situation.”

The mission was led by Texas clinic Austin Pets Alive!, with the help of nonprofit animal transportation organization Dog Is My Copilot and local shelters like Anderson.

The transported animals were not direct victims of the recent flooding, but their relocation to Illinois provides much-needed space in the Texas clinic for the pets that were displaced by the flood as APA works to reunite them with their families.

The APA team selected the transported pets based on their suitability for travel and adoption, and the local shelters will care for the animals until they can be adopted.

Dog Is My Copilot, in partnership with nonprofit Petco Love, made two additional stops in Wisconsin and Minnesota after the drop in Aurora.

Craig said the most of the animals from Texas will be spayed or neutered and given physical exams, and should be available for adoption next week.

Craig said one of the pets received Thursday, a cat named Katy, was already spayed and, pending her physical exam, could be available for adoption as soon as Friday.

Craig said while the organization generally tries to prioritize the local community when possible, the ability to make a difference during an emergency is a special feeling.

“It’s really huge that we’re even in a position to be able to help out with these things across the country,” Craig said. “In situations like this, when we have a chance to pull even one or two animals to help support those regions experiencing these tragedies and these emergencies, we feel really special and feel like we’re making a difference across the country, and not just in our neighborhood.”

Craig said Texas shelters were already facing an overpopulation crisis before the flood, and commended the shelters for the painstaking work they’re doing to help animals amidst a catastrophe.

“I know the dire straits these people are in,” Craig said. “Despite the hardships that they’re experiencing, they are still trying so hard to go out of their way to help these animals, and putting them sometimes above themselves.”

Anderson Humane CEO Dean Daubert said in a news release: “By giving these animals a place here, we’re helping families who’ve lost nearly everything keep the one thing they shouldn’t have to lose — their beloved pets. This is what we mean when we say Respect. Protect. Connect. It’s not just our mission, it’s our privilege. These animals represent hope, resilience, and the power of partnership.”

Craig said animal rescues and shelters across the country are struggling with capacity restraints, and the best way people can help is by signing up to foster a pet, which allows for more space in the shelter.

“We are pretty much limited by amount of fosters we have,” Craig said. “The more people who sign up to foster, the more we can participate in these sorts of things.”

To follow the animals on their journey, visit Anderson Humane’s social media. To learn more about fostering and adoption opportunities, or to support pets’ care by making a donation, visit their website at ahconnects.org.