Hurricane Beryl’s path through Houston was devastating for many, leaving a mess of debris and destruction the city won’t soon forget.
But humans aren’t the only ones impacted by the recent extreme weather trends. Since Beryl swept through the city, Houston’s chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has been working around the clock to protect creatures both large and small.
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According to an SPCA press release, staff rescued over 1000 wild animals in the two days immediately following the initial storm surge.
SPCA representatives said that the hurricane left many animals orphaned or injured, with staff having to move fast to prevent further loss of life. In particular, they said that the storm had a heavy impact on various species of birds, since the high winds and rain tend to knock them out of their nests.
Beryl chose an unfortunate part of the year to strike, since many birds use summertime to find a place to nest and raise their young.
On July 8, the morning of the storm, staff found hundreds of egrets, a species of bird belonging to the heron family, in one Northeast Houston neighborhood.
Thanks to their quick work, over 300 of the birds were rescued and brought back to the Houston SPCA Wildlife Center, where they received treatment from on-site veterinarians.
As the storm’s impact continues to be felt in certain areas, the SPCA said they would continue to be on the lookout for other animals affected by the hurricane.
You can help them with their mission by keeping an eye out as you clean up debris.
SPCA representatives said that you should not touch any wild animals that you might find on the ground. Instead, they encouraged concerned citizens to call the injured animal rescue ambulance at 713-880-4357 or visit the Houston SPCA Wildlife Center’s website.