On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas. Approximately 70 people died from drowning, and an estimated 82 are injured, but what about the animals that lost their owners, or abandoned animals? There were 8 dogs that got sent to The Iowa City Animal Care and Animal Shelter
Anu Subramanian adopted a dog that was rescued from Hurricane Katrina. The dog is about 10 years old and her name is Gigi. When they found her when she was 3 years old at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary while they were volunteering, and soon adopted her. Many animals have some sort of trauma after they have gone through an event such as Hurricane Harvey. If a storm comes while Gigi is home alone, she panics and begins digging holes in the walls If someone is home, she will pant and walk around until she calms down. If it’s at night she will pant and whine until someone wakes up, turns on a light and sits with her until the storm passes. “I’ve always wanted a dog,” said Subramanian. They were volunteering at the sanctuary, they decided to ask someone which dogs were available to adopt, they were shown Gigi and instantly fell in love with her. Although the dog is very playful and friendly, they did have to take Gigi to agility classes to build the trust. Subramanian did activities that helped the dogs interact with their owners so they could fully trust them. It took Gigi 6 months to a year to gain trust in Subramanian.
When the 8 dogs came in from Texas, they treated the dogs for heart worm, and some of them got adopted right away. The dogs that were not adopted went to the Oakland prison in Michigan to be stabilized and to get acquired to humans again. Once they are stable enough to be adopted, they will go back to the Iowa City Animal Shelter to hopefully find a new home.
Williams was a community service officer before he became a animal service officer, one time he got a call for a dog that was possibly injured, it wasn’t moving, it was just sitting stuck to a fence. Williams goes out to get her, and at first the dog doesn’t move, and is shaking, so he muzzled her so he doesn’t get hurt. Williams picks her up, it didn’t seem like she was hurt, so put her down and she was walking, she was scared of her own shadow scared of everything. So, took to shelter and they named her shaker bc she sat in the way back of her cage and was shaking the whole time. Williams fell in love with the dog so he went home to his wife and asked to adopt the dog. They owned a english mastiff (huge dog) 45-50 pound pit bull and the little red dog was about 9 months old and scared of everything, decided to let him adopt her she would not come and was always along the wall scared of everything 8 years ago wouldn’t walk middle of floor now jumps up on Williams and lets him pat her and scratch her. Coming out slowly. Used to on going process last year wouldn’t jump on the couch but when Williams comes home the little red dog jumps up onto the couch, kisses him and is completely relaxed. They changed the dog’s name to pumpkin because of its coloring, all red with a little white spot, and they got her a green collar.
“If she was scared of everything and wasn’t getting better after 6 months, that’s no way to live a life, and i would’ve taken care, so she wouldn’t have to live in fear for the rest of her life.” Williams said.
The first day the 8 dogs came, they gave them a warm place to live food water relax when got here. First day, they didn’t get them out or play with them, the let them adjust bc of a long travel from texas and they just wanted the dogs to adjust the the new surroundings. Physical condition was quite well a couple dogs did test positive for heartworm one of them is Russ, and he is in a foster home and treated for heartworm for so far 1 ½ month and has about another month and the others were pretty good. None of them were severely traumatized some skittish were they were going but some 30 minutes in we’re happy and playing with toys, eating, drinking, and going outside.
Some adjusted faster, all adult dogs, temper not easily persuaded.
“If you have a shy dog that comes into a new facility it’s gonna take them a little longer to open up, or if you got a dog that’s loving and opens up to everybody than there gonna adjust much quicker” Thornton said
If you have the resources, time, and patience to get through to the dog, you will become best friends.