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Abandoned Houston pets make their way to Utah to find ‘forever homes’

Posted at 9:45 PM, Sep 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-04 23:46:21-04

SALT LAKE CITY - At least 30 volunteers from Utah are on the ground in Texas this week, rescuing animals that were separated from their owners during hurricane Harvey and everyday volunteers are taking hundreds of pets into already overcrowded shelters.

To make way for those animals to be reunited with their family’s almost two hundred pets from Texas shelters were brought to salt lake city this afternoon.

“It has been a lot of hard work but definitely worthwhile,” said Matt Mcgurn, CAWS volunteer.

Matt Mcgurn is behind the wheel of a van filled with crates carrying precious cargo.

Three vans followed completing their caravan from Houston to Salt Lake City, bringing nearly two hundred homeless pets with them on their 30 hour journey.

“They are scarred they are tired they're very much like us and they've been in cramped loud environments,” Mcgurn said.

Dozens of volunteers were ready when the vans pulled in to the Utah dog park Monday afternoon.

“In a matter of three days they left their homes into shelters into vans 30 hours on the road through New Mexico in the middle of the night to homes they don't know and people they don't know,” said Dede Minardi, Director CAWS.

Each animal is checked then vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered. Then some will be going to shelters and others are going home with foster volunteers.

“You can't solve the problem by yourself so you do what you can to chip away at it,” said Glenna Tibbetts, SLC Foster Volunteer.

Volunteers say their goal is giving these pets of all breeds and sizes a chance to find a forever home.

“These people have the biggest hearts you'll ever see,” Minardi said.

Most of these animals will be ready for adoption the weekend of September 22nd where No Kill Utah will have their super adoption event.