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Rescuers Save Superman the Dog from Wreckage Left by Texas Floods and Help Pet Reunite with Family

 

Over the weekend, rescuers saved the dog, who shares his name with the Man of Steel, from a pile of debris left by the catastrophic July 4 flooding in Texas’ Hill Country.

“Superman was found alone on a large pile of debris after the devastating floods in Central Texas that tragically took the life of his person,” Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) shared on Instagram, along with a photo of the conditions Superman was found in.

Superman’s owner, who APA requested remain anonymous, is among the 94 confirmed deaths connected to the flooding, which occurred after Central Texas and the Guadalupe River received months’ worth of rainfall in just a few hours.

APA! started providing assistance for Texas’ affected pets and pet parents shortly after the fatal deluge weakened. The animal welfare organization has taken in over 100 pets from Williamson County and Kerr County shelters, allowing the facilities to accommodate pets lost or injured in the floods. APA! has also established a “MASH-style veterinary hospital” in Kerrville, Texas, to support the influx of pet patients, and has sent out rescue teams of volunteers to search the area around the Guadalupe River for animals in need.

Superman the Dog Rescued from Texas Flood

Austin Pets Alive!

It was one of these rescue teams that found Superman, who was still processing all he’d been through when the group arrived to help.

“Fearful and aching after being swept away from his home, Superman was hesitant to trust the search and rescue crews, snapping as they were trying to save him. With patience and a bit of dog-whispering, volunteers were finally able to earn his trust and safely remove Superman from the scene,” APA! added on social media about the rescue.

Thankfully, things are looking up for Superman, who has family members who are eager to take over his care. While these family members grieve the loss of the dog’s owner, Superman will stay with an APA! temporary foster.

Superman the Dog Rescued from Texas Flood

Austin Pets Alive!

“His surviving family, now grieving and having lost everything, are doing everything they can to hold on to the last piece of their past that remains–Superman. But they can’t do it alone, so we quickly got to work to find their beloved pet a temporary foster until they get back on their feet,” the organization explained.

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APA! shared Superman’s story to encourage animal lovers to support the rescue efforts in Central Texas.

“It’s been devastating for all living beings,” she stated. “So many people are searching for their pets that are the last connection they might have to a lost family member. Pets are so intertwined in this saga, and it’s so important,” Dr. Ellen Jefferson, APA! president and CEO, said in a statement.

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Superman the Dog Rescued from Texas Flood

Austin Pets Alive!

According to APA!, what the organization needs now is foster families and donations. For those in the vicinity of APA! ‘s shelter, there are numerous lost and displaced pets coming into APA! and the shelters it supports, so fostering one of APA! ‘s animals, specifically a cat, will help the organization make room for incoming animals, and will help the fostered animal destress outside the shelter environment.

Those who are not in a position to foster a pet are encouraged to donate to APA! Monetary donations help the organization cover medical costs and fund rescue efforts. APA! is also looking for donations of flea and tick medication, pet carriers, and potty pads. To learn more about how to help the APA! look after the animals of Central Texas, visit the organization’s website.

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