A deadly flash flood in Texas' Hill Country, often nicknamed "Flash Flood Alley," killed at least 135 people in July.
Many of those victims, as well as those displaced from their homes, have pets that are still separated from their families. Organizations like Austin Pets Alive! have stepped in to assist Kerrville and its surrounding areas during this difficult time but are having to work against spammers setting up fraudulent accounts hoping to steal their donations.
APA! president Ellen Jefferson spoke to Texas Standard about the organization and the struggles it has faced since starting its rescue missions.
"[The scam attempts have] mostly happened to our local partner, Kerrville Pets Alive! They've been trying to really get the word out that people need to look for the formal charity stamp before engaging with the app, because there have been some fakes," Jefferson said.
Jefferson shared that the donations are necessary in order to scale up its resources when it responds to a disaster in a matter of hours. So far, the organizations have rescued around 300 dogs and cats.
The majority of the work — after the rescue and health checks — is documenting and identifying the animals to be reunited with their loved ones, and providing care for them locally in Kerr County to reunite with family more easily.
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The rescue organizations have worked together to provide thousands of volunteers, tons of supplies, and a medical clinic staffed with veterinarians from Austin Pets Alive! and across the state.
While one single flood cannot be traced to one industry or human cause, scientists have predicted that extreme weather events could arise from deforestation, pollution, and the use of dirty energy. As temperatures increase in our hotter months, it causes more intense rainfall, like the Texas floods and the Manhattan floods earlier this month.
Anyone can take local climate action in their areas. Every small act and donation adds up. If you would like to donate to Austin Pets Alive!, you can send in your donation via this link and follow its social media for updates.
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