Homeless pets at KHS flown to Mass. to make room for storm-displaced animals

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - As a result of last weekend’s devastating storms, hundreds of animals were displaced, with many of them ending up in Louisville shelters.

Shelter animals from storm-ravaged areas have been transported to the Kentucky Humane Society’s Sam Swope Pet Treatment & Lifesaving Center in Louisville.

KHS and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) flew more than 100 shelter cats and kittens to Massachusetts on Wednesday, where they will be housed and eventually rehomed, to make room for more displaced animals affected by the storms. The previous day, more than 25 dogs were also flown to Massachusetts.

“We are heartbroken to see so many Kentucky communities in crisis and are working round the clock to support overwhelmed animal shelters, which are seeing an influx in displaced pets,” KHS Kentucky Initiatives Director Kat Rooks said. “All the animals coming to KHS were in shelters before the deadly tornadoes. By taking in these unowned pets, we are helping shelters make room for incoming stray and surrendered pets.”

Susan Anderson, the ASPCA National Field Response Team’s director of disaster response, praised KHS for recognizing the critical need to relocate the animals out of Louisville to make room for more displaced animals.

“Evacuating homeless animals displaced by these devastating tornadoes is a lifesaving aspect of emergency response efforts because it gives the shelter animals a second chance to find loving homes while freeing up critical resources for pets in impacted communities,” Anderson said.