Dozens of dogs and cats from animal shelters hit hardest by Hurricane Ida are being brought to Chicago by the PAWS Chicago animal shelter Wednesday.
The city's largest no-kill humane organization said it send volunteers with a van full of donations and supplies and will be returning with several animals that were already in shelters in order to make room for pets being rescued in the destruction.
New Orleans, much of the rest of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi are cleaning up after Hurricane Ida roared ashore on Sunday killing at least four people and knocking out power to the area.
Ida, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. mainland, brought widespread flooding and sent such a strong surge of water up the Mississippi river that it reversed its flow briefly. It caused structural damage to buildings and blew off roofs.
An estimated 40 dogs and cats from affected shelters are expected to arrive in Chicago Wednesday afternoon.
"At the PAWS Chicago’s Medical Center, each pet will be given complete medical examination and care, vaccinations, microchips and spay/neuter surgeries as needed," the shelter said. "Multiple dogs will be treated for heartworm, which on average takes about three months. Once medically cleared, each pet will be available for adoption through PAWS Chicago’s In-Person Adoption Application Process."
The shelter, which is currently also participating in the Clear the Shelters pet adoption initiative, said it will need additional resources like foster homes and funds for medical care required to care for these animals. The shelter is also asking for supporters looking to adopt current animals at their facilities as they bring in additional rescues.
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For more information on Clear the Shelters and how you can adopt through PAWS Chicago, click here.
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