Krypto the Superdog may steal the show with a new “Superman” movie, but it’s a dog named Superman who steals the hearts of animal lovers around the country. And Texas rescue workers hope that his story will help save more pets in dire circumstances.
Floods in central Texas have left miles and miles of destruction, killing more than 120 people, and as of Thursday at least 160 are still missing. It took several hours of rain in Kerr County, about 100 miles from Austin. Some residents fled with their pets, but many didn’t have enough time to grab the animal when they escaped.
Photos posted on Austinpet are alive! The Facebook page shows Superman as if rescuers found him. A muscular, light brown dog wearing a collar, sitting between twisted metal and broken wooden beams, patiently waiting for his family to return.
His legs hang from the side of the broken beam, with a strange angled metal wall behind him. His floppy ears appear to be attracting attention, and his head lifts up as his nose smells the air. His big brown eyes stare directly at the camera.
Dr. Ellen Jefferson, CEO and president of Austin Pet Alive, a nonprofit shelter that works to save the lives of homeless pets, said he is working with rescue groups on the ground to work with around 1,000 volunteers, including veterinarians trying to save and care for the remaining pets.
Austin Pet Alive! They also moved hundreds of animals from local shelters to create rooms for those who came from the flood. Rescuers prefer to keep those cats and dogs close by and make it easier for them to reunite with their family when they return to the area.
Jefferson’s group has carried out several disasters in Texas, which she said is particularly tough. The water flowed so quickly that if the animals fell into the river they probably died or were far away, even the miles downhill.
The way that everyone survived an animal or human flood is amazing, she said. The destruction of the entire region is “incredible… just a few days ago it’s a strong house tile rub.”
They don’t have all the details about what happened to a dog called Superman, Jefferson said. But they like to call animals, a mixture of many breeds, so we know that the Texas Brown dog had gone through a lot by the time rescuers reached him on Sunday.
“He was part of the family and as the water rose, he was trying to save his family,” Jefferson said. “From what we understand, the owner pulled him out of the water to save him, but sadly, his owner died.”
The emergency workers were able to drive the rest of the family out, but the dog appears to have been left in place. The rescuer found him on a pile of debris, which was his home.
“The dog was there by itself. There was no one else at the time,” Jefferson said. “All people were evacuated.”
For days, hundreds of volunteers stayed still in the area for lost pets, but they found many. Some have been injured and are being looked after at the mobile veterinary clinic installed at the scene.
Many others survived unharmed. Jefferson said that all the structures were torn apart at one trailer park, but several cats ran along when rescuers arrived.
“It’s just shocking. I don’t even know how. Cats are truly amazing animals,” she said. They hope that those cats will be reunited with people quickly before the shrapnel becomes bulldozers.
Superman wasn’t running like a cat, Jefferson said. The rescuer photographed the crew he was trying to save him and reported that he was scared and scared of the territory.
A local rescue group called Jefferson’s organization and sent members of the action team to work with Superman.
“I think even the original searcher could have ended up sweetening him, and we were able to start moving him,” she said.
The photo shows Superman trusting his team and he carefully walked in chains and proudly rode the Bright Carville Pet rescuer in a car adjacent to the living rescuer! Austin Pet Alive! shirt.
After the vet gave Superman a clean health deliberation, he headed to the temporary foster home.
Jefferson said the workers spoke to Superman’s family. But as often as in disasters, they lost everything.
“We know they love him and he’s part of the family. He’s one of the things they’re connecting them with the people they’ve lost,” she said. “That human-animal bond is very important for that very reason.”
Superman can stay with foster parents as long as they need it, Jefferson said, like any other animal in the same situation. In the meantime, his story was a heroic task. It raised awareness of the light letters of pets and their loved ones, and everything got caught up in a life-changing disaster.
When Austinpet is alive! He posted photos on his Facebook page, and numerous media outlets shared Superman’s story. They and the Carvillepet are alive! We are collecting donations to support our rescue efforts.
“It’s certainly true that helping these animals is a real group effort,” Jefferson said. “Vets, volunteers, we’re going amazingly crazy, roll up our sleeves, take out duct tape when needed, and have an entire group that saves lives with a lot of money.”
Superman is a good dog, she says. Especially for what he endured and what he is doing now to raise awareness about post-disaster recovery.
“He was clearly loved,” Jefferson said. “He’s definitely a good, good boy with a perfectly appropriate name.”
