Sep 24, 2021
When Hurricane Harvey devastated a lot of Texas and Louisiana in 2017, the APA! group leaped into motion with the objective of evacuating and saving as many lives as doable.
Due to the wonderful help that we obtained from donors, fosters, volunteers, and the APA! group each close to and much – you! – we had been capable of transport over 5,000 animals to security, rise up three non permanent shelters, gratefully settle for truckloads of donations, and report almost 30,000 volunteer hours.
However the affect of Harvey didn’t finish in 2017. It solely simply started for the 1000’s of adopters that added new additions to their households. This included Patrick and Lauren. Only in the near past engaged, the couple took the chance to develop their household whereas serving to pets in want.
“It was my birthday,” mentioned Lauren. “He [Patrick] has this behavior of sending me footage with no explanations after which I’ve to guess why he’s sending it to me. On my birthday he despatched me an image of a canine in a crate and it bought me actually excited. I believed he had gotten me a canine for my birthday. After I came upon he was simply sending an image of a cute canine, I bought actually upset.”
However when Lauren talked about that APA! was rescuing 1000’s of cats and canine from Houston and surrounding areas previous to and following Hurricane Harvey, the subsequent day Patrick snuck out of the home and headed to APA!.
That’s when Patrick first laid eyes on Wren.
“I’m afraid she could have been in a hoarding state of affairs or with somebody who was making an attempt to show her right into a searching canine…going by that course of and possibly she didn’t take. Possibly they noticed the hurricane as a possibility to ditch her,” Patrick mentioned.
For Patrick and Lauren, saving Wren was additionally about beginning a household.
“I really like Wrennie,” mentioned Joey, Patrick and Lauren’s two-year-old daughter, with a hiccup. Joey gave Wren that identify as quickly as she may speak. They have been finest buddies for the reason that begin.
“It has been fascinating as a result of once we first adopted Wren, she was our solely household,” mentioned Patrick. “She was all of our consideration and spare time. It’s been actually fascinating to see the household develop round her, see the dynamics change and see how she’s tailored and adjusted to not being the boss of every little thing, although she nonetheless thinks she is. She’s all the time been very maternal. She’s been good with children.”
From being stranded among the many floodwater from Harvey to a loving dwelling full with a younger buddy to play with, Wren is simply one of many 1000’s of lives which were saved by on a regular basis folks trying to make a distinction.
“I understood the necessity to undertake as a result of there are such a lot of canine on the market that want rehoming. I don’t assume I’d ever do something in a different way now,” Lauren mentioned.
“I all the time thought that if I bought a canine, I’d get a shelter canine. I don’t like the concept of spending lots of or 1000’s of {dollars} on one thing that comes from a pet mill or breeding facility,” mentioned Patrick. “When Harvey got here alongside it felt good to attempt to assist a trigger. I’d do it once more.”
Patrick & Lauren: we’ll be right here, ready for when y’all are able to undertake once more. Adopters like Patrick and Lauren are simply a few of the individuals who have made our #NoKillDecade doable. You may be a part of the No Kill motion by making a present at this time to make sure one other 10 years of lifesaving. Due to an nameless board member, all items will probably be DOUBLED, as much as $10K!
Need to share your expertise with Hurricane Harvey? No matter your APA! story is, we need to hear it. Work together with all of our social posts this week to inform us your story utilizing #NoKillDecade.
