Rescue flight saves pets amid Texas floods

When severe flooding swept through communities in central Texas last week, animal shelter staff had to act fast. Rising water forced evacuations, and pets rescued from flooded neighborhoods needed somewhere safe to go. To make room quickly, Best Friends and Best Friends Network Partners coordinated rides out of the affected area for adoptable animals already in shelters before the disaster.

That swift action included a Wings of Rescue flight carrying 42 cats and 48 dogs to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Salt Lake City. Little Mai Tai, a snuggly orange-and-white kitten, was one of the pets on that flight. As the plane touched down, teams were already waiting on the tarmac, ready to welcome Mai Tai and the others to safety and, ultimately, new homes.

That flight was part of a coordinated effort with Austin Pets Alive!, Footbridge Foundation, and Hill Country Humane Society, which were set to receive most of the animals from impacted communities. Moving pets out quickly meant freeing up critical kennel space for those arriving from flooded areas.

Best Friends staff and volunteers made sure all the animals from the Wings of Rescue flight arrived safely and comfortably at the pet adoption center, and some pets were prepared to head out to partner organizations in the area.

“They sent out a call for help as we knew we were getting almost 100 animals from Texas from the floods,” says volunteer Skyler Williams, who has family in the flood-impacted area. “I was able to come in, help unload, and get everyone situated until network partners can come pick them up.”

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Eleven Best Friends Network Partners in the Salt Lake City area stepped up to take pets into their care, ensuring that every animal had a safe place to land.

“This helps us make space on-site for our current animals as well as these new Texas animals,” says Monica Ostrom, Best Friends shelter partnerships manager.

Thanks to fast action and strong collaboration, pets like Mai Tai are now settling in to foster homes and meeting potential adopters.

Many people have been separated from their pets due to the flooding, so reuniting them has become a top priority. Rescue efforts continue as eight shelters had to evacuate all their animals, and an additional eight shelters are expecting more displaced pets. Best Friends and network partners will continue to provide support to the pets and people impacted.

Rising up for pets every day and when disaster strikes

Learn more about the emergency response efforts and help provide animals and impacted shelters with emergency care, transportation, supplies, and critical assistance at bestfriends.org/emergency-response/flooding-texas.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.