Hurricane Laura affected people’s lives, structures, and even animals. It also resulted in landfall in Louisiana, which left residents with no choice but to evacuate. Iraq War veteran Henry Roach was one of the people who needed to make a tough decision during the evacuation. Since his truck was already full of people, including his mother, who was 88 years old then, he knew that his dog Savage would not fit.
Even though it was a heartbreaking decision, he had to leave Savage behind, but he promised to come back for him once his family got out of the inhabited area. Confused, Savage decided to escape from the yard, and luckily, a Good Samaritan found him and took him to the ASPCA, where a response team took care of him. Not long after, Roach reunited with Savage, and it was a touching encounter. Savage wagged his tail as soon as he saw his beloved fur dad.
Like Roach and Savage, a challenging situation like Hurricane Laura strengthened relationships as residents started to recover from the shocking disaster. The story of Roach and Savage is a great reminder to every pet owner to give importance to animals, especially in times of calamity. They should not be left behind because they are also part of the family. Emphasizing keeping dogs safe during natural disasters, the senior director of placement partnership of ASPCA, Jessica Rushin, also said she was happy to see animals go home during these crazy times.
The ASPCA also strongly advised pet owners to register dogs’ microchips or have a packed emergency bag ready if they live in at-risk areas. They can also call the emergency management office to provide dogs with a safe and pet-friendly haven.
Image Source: ASPCA via Facebook
