Texas
Lost pets flood Garland Animal Shelter after storms hit
NORTH TEXAS — High winds and heavy rains brought down power lines and flooded roadways.
But the storms that swept through North Texas this week also brought in a flood of lost pets at the Garland Animal Shelter.
More than 70 animals have been brought into the Garland Animal Shelter since Tuesday after severe storms swept through the area, separating many pets from their homes.
“We believe damage to the fencing has caused all these dogs to escape and we end up with them,” said Art Muñoz, Garland’s Animal Services director.
Most shelters are already over capacity. Now they have even more mouths to feed.
“It’s been challenging,” Munoz said. “We’ve responded to well over 160 calls, which has resulted in bringing 70-plus animals into our shelter, and we’re just not prepared for that we’re already full as it is,” Munoz said.
They’re so over capacity that the shelter ran out of space. As a result, they’re housing the lost pets in cleaning kennels until they can be reunited with their families. The staff is doing everything they can to get these pets back home quickly.
“If they’re microchipped, we’ll try to get a hold of them that way,” Munoz said. “Also we’re researching the address that they came from and we’re pulling up history trying to see if we’ve ever impounded them before.”
At least 12 pets have been reunited with their owners so far.
“We can only hold so many animals (and) … it’s frustrating because we’re not able to increase our staffing,” Munoz said. “So it is very challenging, very emotional for our staff, also for the pets in the shelter.”
It should serve as a reminder of the importance of getting your pet microchipped, so you can be easily reunited, if they ever get lost, Munoz said.
If you’ve lost your pet during the storms this week, they suggest you call the local shelters in your area, search the shelter websites or come into the shelter so you can reunite with your furry friend as soon as possible.
The Garland Animal Shelter is also looking for fosters. They say fosters are helpful because they allow the shelter to make more space in the shelter for pets in need.
FULSHEAR, Texas – A Texas homeowner heading out for an early morning walk got quite a surprise when he mistook a large reptile parked on his front porch for an online delivery.
Officers with the Fulshear Police Department were called to a local residence last week after the homeowner accidentally struck an alligator with his screen door, initially believing it was a package from Amazon.
What they’re saying:
“With all the heavy rain we’ve been getting lately, it seems the gators are on the move,” the police department said in a statement. “This little fella decided to skip the swamp and upgrade to porch life this morning.”
Footage released by the department captures the alligator resting on the concrete porch while the homeowner explains the startling encounter to responding officers, noting he didn’t realize what it was until he banged into it with the door.
Police officers successfully wrangled the alligator and relocated it safely to a nearby pond.
Recent heavy rainfall across the region has displaced local wildlife, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain cautious as animals seek out dry territory.
“If you see an unexpected visitor like this around your home, give it plenty of space and let us handle it,” the department reminded the community. “Apparently, even the gators are looking for higher ground these days!”
The department also added a bit of local humor to the unusual morning call: “And yes, before anyone asks, this little gator is not paying property taxes.”
The Source: Fulshear Police via Storyful
Watch CBS News
-
Lifestyle36 minutes agoAs ‘The Book of Mormon’ turns 15, its original stars pop in to say ‘Hello!’
-
Technology48 minutes agoInstagram is finally letting everyone reorganize their profile grid
-
World51 minutes agoFinland’s foreign minister says Ukraine ‘is now holding the cards’ as Russia signals talks
-
Politics56 minutes agoMassachusetts lawmakers pass bill to scrap ‘offensive language’ from state’s General Laws
-
Health1 hour agoWhy do some people get sepsis while others don’t? Scientists point to the gut
-
Sports1 hour agoVictor Wembanyama puts hand on Jalen Brunson’s head, pushes him down as refs look the other way in Game 3
-
Technology1 hour agoRobot pets with AI could soon live with you
-
Business1 hour agoMusicians shortchanged by AI deals with labels, lawsuit alleges
