Storm scares pets from their homes

AUSTIN (KXAN) - If this week's driving rain, high winds and pounding thunder left you a little rattled, imagine what it must have been like for the dogs and cats.

Since then, more than 60 dogs and cats have been rescued by the Austin Animal Center .

"A lot of dogs have serious anxiety about storms," said Sarah Hammond, the center's foster director. "And they'll do things you don't think they could do, like jump a fence or dig out of the yard."

• If you need to report or find your lost pet, call 512-978-0500. If you are outside the Austin City limits call 512-974-2000

The shelter has offered to give free identification tags and microchips for the pets to owners who come to reclaim their lost pets.

Unfortunately, most of the rescued pets will not be reunited with their previous owners. After three days in the shelter pets are available for adoption.

Volunteer Lisa Sandbert said she has noticed the huge influx of dogs and cats from the storm.

"What Austin has done with no-kill is amazing but we are running out of room," she said.

Some owners have been searching the cages looking for their lost pets.

Santiago Galvan was searching for a blue heeler who broke the leash in a frenzy during the storm.

"Unfortunately, he's my brothers dog," said Santiago, who was dog-sitting while his brother and wife were on vacation. "The last word his wife told me is, 'Don't let me down, Santiago.' So I'm looking for this dog."

The Austin Animal Center is already at maximum capacity but staff is expecting more strays to come in from the storm.

"If there's a lost dog in the county, this is where they would be," Hammond said.